Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Julia Berry, Mick Muncaster and Rosie Russell.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of any interests.

No public questions had been received.

Members were advised of a request submitted by Councillor Paul Leadbetter for the call in of a decision made by the Executive Member for Planning and LDF on 22 January, for the cessation of notification letters to contributors (those who comment on applications)

The Call in request was on the grounds that the removal of the current practice would reduce the effectiveness of communication between the Council and its stakeholders and that by removing this service the Council is doing less, not more, towards meeting the needs of local residents.

The Call in procedure allows for consideration of the request by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. If the Committee chose to call in the decision it would be reconsidered by the Executive Member for Planning and LDF. If the Committee did not accept the call in, there would be no further action taken.

Councillor Leadbetter attended the meeting to speak in support of his request. He drew Members attention to the Councils’ Corporate Strategy, with particular reference to the statement that we are an ambitious Council that does more to meet the needs of the residents and local area by being a Council that consults and engages with residents.

Councillor Leadbetter commented, that at a time when the council is measuring an increase in dissatisfaction in the way it deals with its public, any reduction in communication, with those who contact the council, would increase the level of dissatisfaction and that it was only proper and good practice to reply to those that had taken their time to contribute, advising them of the outcome.

The requirement for written notification would, as stated in the decision notification reduce over time as contributors increased their use of e-channels, resulting in a natural reduction of costs. However, the Council needed to recognise that at present there is still a small percentage of residents who do not have access to internet facilities and as such alternative means are still required.

Councillor Dennis Edgerley, Executive Member for Planning and LDF attended the meeting to explain his reasoning for approval of the decision for the cessation of the notification letters. Councillors Edgerley provided the Committee with examples of the letters that were currently sent out informing people of the decisions made. Given that the letter only served to give the contributor a simple permitted or refusal status for the planning application, he questioned the significance of the letter as they would probably already be aware of this.

Following a review of procedures within the service, it had been considered that it was expedient to cease the notification procedure element of the process in favour of investing more resources in to those processes that took place at the beginning of the process. By providing more information on the whole process at the neighbour notification stage, residents would be better informed throughout, resulting in an improved service and better value for money. Contributors receive information on how and where to view the plans and applications and how they  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.OS.77