Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Built Environment

The Council considered the report of the Director of Built Environment setting out proposals to revise the Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers dealing with Planning Applications as set out in the Constitution and to update the Constitution as appropriate

The following matters were proposed and were intended to provide further transparency, clarity and equity to the processes of the Planning Committee and its decision making:-

(i)            the ongoing monthly training programme for Members to be continued;

(ii)          mandatory training;

(iii)         annual appointments;

(iv)         attendance on the  Visiting Panel for Members or substitutes to be strongly advised;

(v)          attendance at the relevant Planning Committee and Visiting Panel meetings by the same Member/substitute wherever possible;

(vi)         Ward Members must contact the appropriate Democratic Services Officer by 12 noon the day before a Committee meeting if they wish to address the Committee regarding an application and make their address after any petitioner, but before the respondent; or before the applicant/agent if there is no petition; and

(vii)        the late submission of materials/photographs by petitioners/applicants to the Committee, at the meeting, to be prohibited.

The Mayor reported that the Planning Committee had considered the report on 3 April 2014 and endorsed the recommendations and that the Audit and Governance Committee had also considered the report on 16 April 2014 and a copy of the resolution agreed by that Committee had been included in the supplementary agenda, circulated to all Members of the Council.

It was moved by Councillor Roberts, seconded by Councillor McGinnity and

RESOLVED:

That the measures as set out in the report approved and that the Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers Dealing with Planning Applications in the Constitution be updated to reflect the approved changes, subject to the following amended matter:

(vi)       that Ward Members must contact the appropriate Democratic Services Officer by 12 noon the day before a Committee meeting if they wish to address the Committee regarding an application and make their address after any petitioner and the respondent; or before the applicant/agent if there is no petition.

Further to Minute No. 146 of the Planning Committee of 2 April 2014, the Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment setting out proposals to review the Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers dealing with Planning Applications as set out in the Constitution and to update the Constitution as appropriate.

The following matters were proposed and were intended to provide further transparency, clarity and equity to the processes of the Planning Committee and its decision making:-

(i)            the ongoing monthly training programme for Members to be continued;

(ii)          mandatory training;

(iii)         annual appointments;

(iv)         attendance on the  Visiting Panel for Members or substitutes to be strongly advised;

(v)          attendance at the relevant Planning Committee and Visiting Panel meetings by the same Member/substitute wherever possible;

(vi)         Ward Members must contact the appropriate Democratic Services Officer by 12 noon the day before a Committee meeting if they wish to address the Committee regarding an application and make their address after any petitioner, but before the respondent; or before the applicant/agent if there is no petition; and

(vii)        the late submission of materials/photographs by petitioners/applicants to the Committee, at the meeting, to be prohibited.

The Planning Committee had endorsed all of these proposed matters.

During the discussion on the report, a number of Members expressed the view that when a petition has been submitted to a Planning Committee meeting, ward Members should continue to address the Planning Committee after the petitioner and respondent.

RESOLVED:

That the Council be recommended to approve the measures as set out in the report and that the Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers Dealing with Planning Applications in the Constitution be updated to reflect the approved changes, subject to the following amended matter (vi):  

“Ward Members must contact the appropriate Democratic Services Officer by 12 noon the day before a Committee meeting if they wish to address the Committee regarding an application and make their address after any petitioner and the respondent; or before the applicant/agent if there is no petition.”