Decision details

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee in respect of the Borough Council’s planning service following a review by the Planning Advisory Service.

Due regard was given to the views of the Committee, the financial and value for money considerations, the legal implications and the assessment of risk. Cabinet welcomed the views of the Planning Advisory Service and wider Members. In recognition of rebuilding member-officer relationships and improving engagement and communication  Cabinet supported the Scrutiny Select Committee recommendation to amend R3 and R5 of the Action Plan (attached at Annex 3) to include:

(i)              Area Planning Chairs and Vice-Chairs; and

(ii)             The Cabinet Member for Planning and the Chair of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee respectively.

Cabinet proposed some further amendments to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Select Committee that were unanimously supported:

(iii)           R3 and DM11 of the Action Plan to be amended to include a design workshop session;

(iv)           In order to monitor progress being made on delivering priorities, Recommendation (4) be amended to report progress on the Action Plan to all meetings of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee; and

(v)             To improve efficiency in determining planning applications a review of the current process around adjournments at Area Planning Committees be undertaken.

Cllr Boughton proposed, Cllr Mehmet seconded and Cabinet

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the contents of the Planning Advisory Service Review report, including the recommendations for action, be noted;

(2)             subject to the amendments set out at (i) (ii) and (iii) above, the proposed Action Plan (Annex 3) for delivering on the Planning Advisory Service Review recommendations be endorsed and adopted;

(3)             the proposed timescales in the Action Plan be noted and approved;  

(4)             an update on progress on the Action Plan be reported as a standing item on future Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee agendas; and

(5)             a review into the adjournment of applications at Area Planning Committees, in accordance with Committee Procedure Rule 15.24, be undertaken to explore if the current process could be streamlined.