Agenda item

The Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources, Councillor B A Mickelburgh to present a report regarding Discretionary Charges in Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection.

(The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance and Growth) and the Cabinet at their meetings in June 2025. The Cabinet endorsed the recommendations).

With the aid of a report and presentation by Head of Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book) the Council considered a report seeking to review and enhance discretionary charges in Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection, focusing on enhancing service deliver, covering rising operational costs, reacting to national government changes and ensuring the sustainability of the services.

By way of introduction, the Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources, Councillor B A Mickelburgh explained that the recent Planning Peer Review had identified missed opportunities to generate revenue. It was also noted that there was a desire to spend funding generated through both Commercial Infrastructure Levy and BioDiversity Net Gain (BNG) on projects within Huntingdonshire.

The process and impact of BNG was discussed highlighting the need for developers to deliver a 10% biodiversity net gain and that this be monitor for 30 years to ensure its success. This will have significant gains for biodiversity throughout the district however will come with long term responsibilities for the Council. By introducing a charge for monitoring fees, this work would remain cost-neutral and accounted for.

The Executive Councillor also drew attention to a request from the Overview and Scrutiny Panel and advised that Officers met with both the Executive Councillors for Planning and Finance along with the Shadow Executive Councillors for Planning and Finance to develop the fees as shown within Appendix 2 of the report.

Councillor K P Gulson expressed his support for the paper and agreed with the introduction of a discretionary charge for planning and agreed that it would be right to generate income and streamline throughput of these applications. However, he expressed concern due to the fact that BNG was new and a massive challenge with a long term monitoring requirement. He felt that by getting that process right from the implementation would help to ensure it’s long term success.

The Executive Councillor for Planning, Councillor T Sanderson acknowledged that the report had received thorough scrutiny through the Overview and Scrutiny (Performance and Growth) Panel. He acknowledged that income generation had been identified by the planning peer review and that the requirement for BNG would take up resource therefore it was right to introduce the discretionary charge alongside the recommendation from the peer review. He gave his support to the report and the recommendations contained within.

Councillor P J Hodgson-Jones enquired whether the mentioned habitat banks across Huntingdonshire could form an integral part of the revised Local Plan in particular, he suggested that, their location could be used strategically to prevent urban sprawl, and to enhance biodiversity within the district. He felt that by fully integrating this into the planning process would ensure its future success. The Executive Councillor noted these points and hoped that they would be integrated where feasible.

Councillor R Martin echoed the comments of Councillor Gulson and stated that he believed that residents should not be paying for things that developers were doing.

Whereupon having been proposed and duly seconded, it was

RESOLVED

a)  that the review of Discretionary Charges within Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection be endorsed, and to delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources to implement changes for the current financial year (2025/26).

b)  that the following be delegated to the Head of Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection in consultation with the Section 151 officer and Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources for the current financial year (2025/26):

  i.  Introduction of new fees;

  ii.  Modification of existing fees;

  iii.  Updating/adjusting of fees; and

  iv.  Waiving of fees

9:30pm Councillor S J Corney rejoined the meeting.