Agenda and minutes

(Head of Research and Democratic Services)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

None reported.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations of interests were made pursuant to the Member Code of Conduct.

Attached.

Noted.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Panel and associated Work Programme. This is attached. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

Noted.

To consider the attached results of the consultation with Local Councils on the future shape of the Area Planning Sub – Committees.  A further proposal is attached from councillor Derek Jacobs.

A map showing the population of each ward has been circulated under separate cover and should be brought to the meeting.

The Panel gave further consideration to the review of the structure of the Area Plans Sub – Committees.

The Panel considered responses submitted to the consultation agreed at an earlier meeting of the Panel submitted from Ongar, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Roydon,  Epping, Morton, Bobbingworth and the Lavers, Stanford Rivers and Nazeing Parish Councils and  Loughton Town Council. They also considered proposals from EFDC Councillors Mrs A Grigg and D Jacobs.

The Panel were reminded of the principles that they had agreed should underpin any changes and the need to follow these during the consideration of the issue at this meeting. These were aimed at maximising member involvement and improving the efficiency of the planning process, ensuring  the retention of the  local nature of the arrangements and equalising the balance of workload between the sub - committees.

(a)        Local Council Responses

The Panel considered each of the responses in turn. Overall they suggested that that the sub-committees should remain area based and made up of the local Members from the wards served to recognise the differing needs of the diverse areas in the District.

(b)            Member Proposals

Councillor Jacobs presented his own two options based on an assessment of the workload statistics submitted at the last meeting of the Panel.  The first proposed  a three sub – committee structure  each ascribed to an area of the District  - West, East, and South. The Panel noted that this would raise the number of meetings per sub – committee from twelve to sixteen and therefore result in an increase in the turnaround time for applications which was welcomed. His second option proposed that a four sub – committee structure be retained with changes to the areas each covered to meet the identified principles of the review. Members considered Councillors Mrs Griggs report and optionsand expressed support for the proposal but suggested some changes.

In response to the proposals the following comments were made:

(i)         there was sympathy for the concerns expressed by some of the Local Councils at the proposal to introduce a three sub – committee structure covering larger areas. It was felt that this alternative would result in Members voting on applications relating to areas remote from their wards which they might not be familiar with.  It was questioned whether the alternative would improve the quality of decisions. A Member expressed regret at the relocation of sub – committee meetings back to the Civic Offices and drew attention to the proposal to create a five sub – committee serving smaller geographical areas (as proposed by Councillor Kelly) to ensure that Members determined planning issues local to them.

(ii)                representatives of the Nazeing area suggested that the urban and rural wards should be dealt with separately to recognise their distinct needs.  A member reported figures suggesting that the majority of the applications from the area concerned rural development, nevertheless, most of the membership of its Sub – Committee – Area Plans ‘D’ - served wards urban in character. It was suggested  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

To consider which reports are ready to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting.

Report on Sub – Group review of Civic Ceremonial .

The next programmed meeting of the Panel will be held on 4 December 2006 at 7.30 in Committee Room 1 and then on:

6 February 2007 (Please note that this meeting was initially programmed for 8 February 2007)

2 April 2007

Noted that the next meeting of the Panel would be held on 4 December 2006.

It was also noted that the meeting scheduled for 8 February 2007 had been brought forward to 6 February 2006.