19 Member Training on Planning Matters - Impact on Council Committees PDF 311 KB
To consider the report of the Corporate Governance Working Group (copy enclosed).
Minutes:
The Council considered the report of the Corporate Governance Working Group outlining the implications of the proposed ‘mandatory’ effect of Member training on planning matters and seeking Members’ determination of issues arising.
Members were reminded of the decision by the Council that when considering a planning application or related matter, if a Member had not undergone fundamental induction training once a programme had been introduced they could not vote on the matter. The report outlined the planning training which had taken place and was planned to meet this requirement.
Following on from the Council’s decision and restriction on voting it was noted that this raised an issue in relation to extraordinary meetings of the Council convened to deal with a category of applications. Members were elected to serve on the Council, which was distinct from being appointed by the Council to serve on a Committee operating under delegated powers. The Council was therefore asked to consider establishing within its Constitution a mechanism for the Council meeting as a Planning Committee i.e. a separate Planning Committee consisting of 31 Members to deal with a specific category of planning applications outside the remit of the Area Planning Committees.
In presenting the report the Leader of the Council proposed that the recommendations as set out in the report be agreed. This proposal was duly seconded and agreed.
RESOLVED
(i) That the Council appoints a District Planning Committee with effect from the start of the 2019 municipal year, the Committee to consist of all 31 Members of the Council, to deal with the determination of the following planning applications and related matters:
· Referred by, or otherwise beyond the remit of the Area Planning Committees, including reference by the Director under existing provisions;
· Where the site area involves more than one Committee;
· Where the proposal involves development of strategic interest as defined in the terms of reference of the Area Planning Committees.
(ii) That subject to (i) above, the Chairmanship of this Committee is dealt with later in the meeting during the adjournment for special meetings of the Committees to be held.
(iii) That the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance is authorised to make all necessary consequential revisions to the current constitutional documentation, and to schedule any necessary or provisional meeting dates in place of extraordinary planning meetings of the Council.