Issue - meetings

To submit a joint report by the Head of Service (Planning and Public Protection) and the Legal Service Manager.

RESOLVED to recommend to the full Council that the changes to the Rules in the Council’s Constitution as detailed in the Appendices to this report are made and that authority be given to Officers to make the relevant changes to the Constitution.

Submitted – A report by the Deputy Monitoring Officer/Senior Solicitor (Planning) for recommendation to the Council.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer/Senior Solicitor (Planning) stated that the recommended changes to the Constitution were as follows :-

Planning Procedure Rules (the Rules):

Change 1 (paragraph 3.5.3.15.5) – That, in future, departure applications made by Councillors, relevant Officers or their close family or friends may, rather than being referred to the Planning Committee (the Committee) as at present, be refused by Planning Officers under delegation and then be subject to a full report to the next Committee meeting.  Where Officers want to approved such a departure application then it could only be approve by the Committee;

Change 2 (section 4.6) – The Rules be amended to reflect the legal position and to take account of Section 25 of the Localism Act 2011.  That Members of the Committee are allowed to express an opinion on the merits of an application even before it comes to the Committee for a decision provided the opinion they express is a predisposition and not a predetermination.  This would include allowing Members of the Committee who are also Members of a Town/Community Councils to participate in a planning matter at meetings of their Town/Community Council. 

RESOLVED to recommend to the full Council that the changes to the Rules in the Council’s Constitution as detailed in the Appendices to this report are made and that authority be given to Officers to make the relevant changes to the Constitution.