To consider proposed amendments to the Constitution relating to the Development Management Committee.

The General Purposes Committee considered a report of the Chairman of the Development Management Committee which set out a number of proposed amendments to the latter’s current composition, procedures and approach to reaching decisions.  Members noted that the purpose of the amendments was to increase the focus and business-like approach of the Development Management Committee. 

The Chairman of the Development Management Committee introduced his report and explained the reasons behind the proposed amendments.  Full discussion then took place, during which the Chairman of the Development Management Committee responded to various queries and comments.  Consideration was also given to any additional changes that were suggested.  In particular Members discussed the call-in of planning applications and issues related to this. 

Arising from discussion on the most suitable days on which the related site visits should take place Members indicated that they would wish to see the dates of the site visits included in the Members’ Information Bulletin. 

Following a query on the attendance of substitutes on site visits the Chairman of the Development Management Committee explained that only those named substitutes nominated to attend the Committee’s meeting would be expected to attend the site visits and not all of the Development Management Committee’s named substitutes.  In response to a comment that some substitutes would only be nominated after the site visits had taken place the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee stated that all that could be done was to acknowledge that, unfortunately, the situation would arise.  Nonetheless, a Member commented that all named substitutes on the Development Management Committee could be expected to be called on to attend a meeting of the Committee at short notice and so, therefore, all named substitutes should attend site visits whether nominated beforehand or not.

With regard to the proposed enforcement of the existing requirement for Members to complete a proforma document to include valid planning reasons in support of a proposed call-in it was suggested that the proforma document should include examples of valid planning reasons and examples of reasons that were not acceptable for this purpose.

The Committee acknowledged in full the benefits that would arise from amending the processes and membership of the Development Management Committee and indicated their support for the approach set out before them.

Members were aware that it was also necessary to recommend to Council that the Constitution be amended to give effect to the Committee’s decisions.

RESOLVED

that the following amendments be approved:

a)         site visits should normally be held for all planning applications to be determined by the Development Management Committee, unless otherwise agreed by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman;

b)        all members and nominated substitute members of the Development Management Committee should attend site visits;

c)         the number of members on the Development Management Committee should be reduced from 18 to 13, with effect from the beginning of the 2014/15 municipal year;

d)        to note that the Constitution required the call-in of planning applications for determination by the Committee through use of a proforma, stating a valid planning reason, and that this would be enforced from the beginning of the 2014/15 municipal year;

e)         all Development Management Committee members and substitute members would be expected to undertake annual accredited training by an external trainer, starting in 2014/15;

f)          any planning applications submitted by senior officers of the Council (Heads of Service, Assistant Directors, Directors, and the Chief Executive) or officers in the Development Management Team would be routinely determined by the Development Management Committee, however minor, and not through an officer’s delegated powers.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

that the proposed amendments to the Constitution at Parts E2, H3 and the Ethical Handbook, as set out at Appendices A, B and C to these minutes, be approved in order to give effect to the decision agreed by the General Purposes Committee.