Issue - meetings

This report seeks Members’ endorsement of an amended Development Management Officer Protocol – Member Call-ins.

(Report of Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health)

An amended Development Management Officer Protocol – Member Call-ins was presented for consideration.  The proposed amendments were set out in 1.1.2 of the report and the amended Protocol was attached at Annex 1.

Members welcomed more detailed instructions of how to register a call-in and clear target timescales for the stages of the process to be completed, recognised that having comprehensive protocols in place would ensure appropriate skills and expertise were utilised in an efficient and cost-effective manner and ensure that potential legal challenges through judicial review were limited.  However, concern was expressed #####

Following consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure resolved that: 

(1)             the amended Protocol at Annex 1 be endorsed and adopted; and

(2)             final approval for any changes required to the documents before publication, or any minor changes required to keep the protocols up to date with legislation, be delegated to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure.

An amended Development Management Officer Protocol – Member Call-ins was presented for consideration.  The proposed amendments were set out in 1.1.2 of the report and the amended Protocol was attached at Annex 1.

Unfortunately, due to technical issues Members were unable to receive technical advice from Officers participating online and responses to questions could not be addressed.  Due to these circumstances, it was proposed by the Chair and supported by the Committee that this item be deferred and brought back to a future meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the item be deferred due to technical issues and brought back to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.