Agenda and minutes

There were no substitute Members nominated for this meeting.

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting

There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

There are no Minutes for consideration as this is the first meeting of this committee

As this was the first meeting of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee there were no minutes to be considered.

Members of the committee are invited to submit suggestions for the work programme to the Chair, the Scrutiny, Policy and Communities Manager and the Principal Democratic Services Officer in advance of the meeting.

The Terms of Reference for Scrutiny Select Committees are attached as an annex (pages 10-11 refer to the Housing and Planning SSC)

In advance of the meeting, Members had been asked to submit suggestions to be considered for inclusion in the Work Programme for 2022/23.  The following suggestions would be included on the Work Programme

·       Local Plan – Regulation 18

·       Carports, Garages and IGN3

·       S106 contributions from developers for Parish Council projects

The report explains how residents and other stakeholders will be engaged as the Council prepares planning policies and determines planning applications.

The report of the Director for Planning, Housing and Environmental Health explained how residents and other stakeholders would be engaged as the Council prepared planning policies and determined planning applications.  The Statement of Community Involvement was attached at Annex 1 to the report.  During discussion, members sought clarification on advertising means, the weight given to responses received from statutory consultative groups, and reassurance that there was consistency between the Statement of Community Involvement and the Development Management Protocol.

RECOMMENDED: That the Statement of Community Involvement be adopted for development management and planning policy purposes.

The report provides an update on the negotiations with Kent County Council (KCC) to agree a protocol for highway officer attendance at the Area Planning Committees.

The report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health provided an update for members on the negotiations with Kent County Council to agree a protocol for highway officer attendance at the Area Planning Committees. 

The Borough Council wished to work collaboratively with Kent County Council to find a workable solution and agree a protocol that would result in attendance of County Council officers at the Area Planning Committee meetings and it was considered that the proposed protocol set out at paragraph 1.1.2 of the report did not address the key concerns of Members and Officers.  The Borough Council’s alternative proposal on a draft protocol was set out in Annex 1 and the response of the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport confirming that highways officers would only attend planning meetings in accordance with the terms set out in paragraph 1.1.2 of the report was attached as Annex 2 of the report and the approach had been reaffirmed by the Cabinet member for Highways and Transport and agreed with other Kent districts.

Members gave detailed consideration to the report which and expressed concern of not having an agreed protocol in place.  During discussion, Members recognised the capacity restraints of the Highways team, however agreed that a Highways Officer should be in attendance where proposals were of a strategic nature or where it was agreed that there were significant or complex highways issues which could not be adequately presented by the district officer so Members could ask questions and seek clarification on their response as a statutory consultee.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)        the contents of the report be noted;

(2)        the concerns of Members with not having an agreed protocol in place be set out and relayed to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport; and

(3)        a Member/Senior Officer group be established to liaise with Kent County Council with the aim to seek a compromise on an agreed protocol, articulating the counter proposal from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.

A PowerPoint presentation will be given to provide Members with an update on the latest building regulation changes including those that came into effect on 15 June 2022.

Members received a presentation which provided an update on the latest building regulation changes including those that had come into effect on 15 June 2022. 

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

There were no matters considered in private.