Agenda and minutes

It was confirmed that all items on the agenda would be considered in public.

Agreed as an accurate record.

[In relation to Minute No. 45 - Residents' & Environmental Services Policy Overview Committee - Major Review 2015/16 - Mechanism for Reviewing Major Developments in the Borough and Identifying Lessons to be Learned for the Planning Process - officers reported that the comments which had been made by witnesses on their perception of local government's role in the process for developments should be amended as they did not reflect what had been said. They should read that "the applicants' perceptions were that Central Government was encouraging development whilst planning authorities had to give full detailed consideration to all planning applications, which slowed the process down."]            

The Committee was provided with a summary of the evidence received during the review, together with areas which Members could discuss in relation to suggested recommendations.

After discussion the Committee asked that consideration be given to the following suggested recommendations:

(i)  The Council undertook post development review of planning decisions.

(ii) The Members of the Planning Committees needed to visit high profile developments (once a year) th?at the Council ha?d? approved to understand and learn lessons from decisions made. This should also include an invitation to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling. Also where appropriate, the Chairman of the Licensing Committee be invited to attend to visit those premises which required licensing (i.e hotels, restaurants, bars, casinos etc). 

(iii) The costs of this should be considered as part of the member development budget.

(iv) There needed to be a properly established evaluation process that occurred during the site visits which included consideration of changes that occurred to the development post Committee, whether the planning conditions were fit for purpose and a means of evaluating what the end users thought of the development.

(v) The architect/scheme designers from each development which were the subject of the site visit be encouraged to contribute into the post development review process (so Councillors and officers could hear their views).

(vi) Ward Councillors should be given a list of sites the Committee would visit and asked if they had any feedback to give on particular developments in their Wards, in particular what end users and neighbours have told the Ward Councillors they thought of the development in question.

(vii) That any suggested changes brought about by post development review be fed back into the planning process as part of the ongoing updating of planning policies.

?(vii)? That it be noted that this review process should be about lessons learnt to strengthen Planning Committee decision making going forward and not for enforcement activity purposes.

The Chairman thanked officers for their attendance and asked that for the next meeting of the Committee, a draft final report with the above suggested recommendations be presented for Members consideration.

RESOLVED –

1.  That the information provided be noted and officers be asked to submit a draft final report on the review for Members' consideration.  

Noted.

The Committee asked that consideration be given to briefings at future meetings on the Music Service, the Funding of Arts in the Borough and on Allotments. 

Noted.