Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance, (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance seeking Members’ consideration of the future operation of Area Planning Committees.  It was noted that this report followed on from Council meeting on 17 May 2018 when a report on the restructure of planning Committees was considered.  The Council at that time agreed that a further review of data would be undertaken in September 2018 and consideration then given regarding the continuation of Area Planning Committees (APCs) or changing to a single Planning Committee.

This report provided the updated data (Appendix 1 to the report) and feedback on changes to the demands on the three APCs as the Local Development Plan (LDP) was embedded.  Members were advised that analysis of the data demonstrated that the Council had become significantly more efficient in relation to Planning decisions following adoption of the LDP and changes following the recent Committee structure review.  It was therefore felt possible to condense Members’ determination of planning applications into a single Planning Committee for the whole District and the report set out a proposal for the implementation of this. 

In his presentation of the report the Leader of the Council referred to the importance of Member involvement in planning applications and how if the Council moved to a single committee there would not be any disenfranchising of Members and planning policies would be consistently applied.  The Leader of the Council proposed that:

(a)             recommendation (i) as set out in the report be agreed;

(b)            recommendation (ii) a and b not be agreed as further information was required in order for Members to make an informed decision;

(c)             in order for the Council to make an informed decision to proceed to a single planning Committee a report providing detailed options including constitutional options be presented to the Council;

(d)            a politically balanced Working Group consisting of the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council along with two Members from each of the APCs be set up to consider the options and report back to the Council for decision in February 2019.

This proposal was duly seconded.

A lengthy debate ensued, a few Members supported the proposal of Councillor Fluker but a number of Members raised concern regarding the proposed change, making particular reference to:

·                 how the change would remove a level of democracy;

·                 the amount of public interest and correspondence received by Members from local residents in respect of Area Planning Committees and planning applications for consideration;

·                 capacity of the Council Chamber especially in light of the amount of public interest that planning applications could generate;

·                 Ward Members understanding and representing both the local area and needs of the local residents and it was felt that this could be lost if the Council agreed to move to one single committee.

During the debate Councillor D M Sismey proposed an amendment to the proposal, requesting that the Council consider the future of Area Planning Committees at this meeting and that it should agree that current arrangements in respect of three Area Planning Committees.  This was duly seconded.

Councillor S J Savage made reference to the split of the Area Planning Committee and proposed that everything south of the River Chelmer and the navigation be included in the Central Area Planning Committee area.  This proposal was not supported.

Following further discussion, Councillor M W Helm proposed that Members reduce their allowances and special concessions.  In response, the Chairman advised that Councillor Helm could not make this proposal, as it was not on the agenda.

The Chairman then put the first proposal of the Leader of the Council (as set out at (a) above) and upon a vote being taken this was duly agreed.

The Chairman advised that the proposal by Councillor Sismey was the same as recommendation (ii a) as set out the report.  He put this to the Council. 

In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) Councillor P G L Elliott requested a recorded vote.  This was duly seconded.

The Chairman then put recommendation (iia) as set out in the report, to retain the three Area Planning Committees, and the voting was as follows:

For the recommendation:

Councillors Mrs B F Acevedo, J P F Archer, Miss A M Beale, B S Beale,
R P F Dewick, I E Dobson, Mrs H E Elliott, P G L Elliott, Mrs B D Harker,
B E Harker, M W Helm, J V Keyes, Miss M R Lewis, R Pratt, N R Pudney,
S J Savage, Mrs N G F Shaughnessy, A E J Shrimpton, D M Sismey,
A K M St. Joseph and Miss S White.

Against the recommendation:

Councillors E L Bamford, R G Boyce, A S Fluker and Mrs M E Thompson.

Abstention:

Councillor H M Bass.

The Chairman declared the recommendation was therefore duly agreed.

Councillor Boyce proposed an amendment that the Council continued with the three Area Planning Committees and that these meetings be held at Maldon District Council offices.  This proposal was not seconded.

The Chairman then put the Leader of the Council’s amendment in respect of recommendation (iii) to the report, detailed in (c) above.  At this point, the Leader of the Council withdrew his amendment and subsequently the Chairman advised that recommendation (iii) was withdrawn.

RESOLVED

(i)              that the data showing the changes to the demands on the three Area Planning Committees since November 2017, be noted;

(ii)            that the Council continues with three Area Planning Committees.