Agenda item

To reconsider the composition and function of the twice annual Joint Meeting of Development Management Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen. A report by Councillor C C Pond is attached.

Councillor C C Pond introduced the report and commented that as tonight’s meeting had shown, there was not a simple way to raise issues on planning in an informal way. It was not a question of scrutiny as planning determination was a statutory function. The joint meeting was there to encourage smooth conduct of meetings, to troubleshoot problems that had occurred, to consider new matters (e.g. of national policy) that had arisen, and generally to facilitate the process by which members considered those planning applications where delegated decision by officers was precluded. Currently the chairmen and vice-chairmen of the planning committees were appointed at the Annual Council Meeting entirely on political lines but there needed to be a means where issues could be discussed outside of the planning committees. A slightly enlarged committee to include other group members at the joint meeting would add value in highlighting any issues. If the majority group was worried about being outvoted, then such members could be there on a non-voting basis. Their presence would be solely to facilitate good governance of the consideration of planning applications. For example, the necessity to update the Briefing Note had to be raised during a planning sub-committee last autumn. Also, how planning objections in officers’ reports were condensed was another issue. Therefore, it was a question of practicalities.

There were also ongoing problems encountered in the chamber which included:

·       Sound inconsistencies between those in the chamber and virtual participants on Zoom;

·       Difficulties in hearing certain planning officers virtually when physically in the chamber; and

·       Lighting levels in the chamber were too bright when on full power

The majority of the Working Group was in support of enlarging the joint meeting membership to include other group members, except Councillor N Bedford who thought there was no need for change and that the Working Group was a good place to discuss such issues.

After discussion, it was agreed that the proposal was not fully formed because more information was needed on the number of other group members that should be allowed to sit on the joint meeting of the Development Management Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen and what the scheme was about.

Councillor C C Pond commented that there was nothing in the Constitution on the membership of the joint meeting and if other group members were merely invited to be present at the joint meeting, then he did not think it needed to be.

N Boateng (Legal Services Manager/Solicitor) advised that a proposal to change the membership would have to be approved by Full Council.

Councillor N Bedford preferred that one additional member could be nominated by their respective Group Leader, but they should be non-voting members.

As the chairmen and vice-chairmen of the planning committees were automatically members of the joint meeting, G Woodhall (Democratic and Electoral Services Team Manager) advised looking at the Terms of Reference of the joint meeting to see if a change could be incorporated, if required.

AGREED:

(1)          That Councillor C C Pond would expand on the initial report draft, which would be circulated to the Working Group for further discussion at the next meeting on 7 April 2022; and

(2)          That  the Terms of Reference of the joint meeting be circulated in the next agenda for 7 April.

(Post meeting update: G Woodhall advised that he had been unable to find a Terms of Reference and neither did one exist in the Constitution. As this item would be continued at the next Working Group meeting, he would liaise with Councillor C C Pond and a further report would be published in the next agenda).