Issue - meetings

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its four appendices and to make the following resolutions:

(1)  That the adoption of the revised Pre Application Advice Charging Scheme with effect from 1 February 2017 be agreed.

(2)  That the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group on the use and enforcement of planning conditions be adopted be agreed including;

a)    The full wording of conditions on Planning Committee agendas from 1 January 2017 and

b)    All decisions on planning applications issued from 1 February 2017 adopt the revised format recommended by the Task and Finish Group.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the adoption of the revised Pre-Application Advice Charging Scheme with effect from 1 February 2017 be agreed.

(2)  That the recommendations of the Planning Task and Finish Group on the use and enforcement of planning conditions be adopted including:

a)    The full wording of conditions on Planning committee agendas from 1 January 2017 with a review within 12 months; and

b)    All decisions on planning applications issued from 1 February 2017 adopt the revised format recommended by the Planning Task and Finish Group.

The Cabinet considered the agenda report, its four appendices in the agenda supplement appendix pack and the update sheet in a further agenda supplement which had been published the preceding afternoon and circulated in hard copy at the start of this meeting (copies attached to the official minutes).

The report was introduced by Mrs Taylor.

Mr Whitty and Mr Frost were in attendance for this item.

Mrs Taylor summarised sections 4 (background), 5 (outcomes) and 6 (proposals) of the agenda report. She drew attention in the agenda report to paras 6.3 (inclusion within the pre-application advice charging scheme CDC’s Conservation and Design officers); 6.12 (publication of pre-application advice and associated documentation after the resultant formal planning application had been submitted); 6.14 to 6.23 (use and discharge of planning conditions including the reporting of conditions in Planning Committee agenda papers). She also referred to the summary of consultation responses received which was set out in the update sheet.

Mr Whitty and Mr Frost did not add to Mrs Taylor’s presentation but answered members’ questions on points of detail with regard to the capacity of Development Management to handle more pre-application application enquiries; the provision of a broader range of services better tailored to meet users’ needs including a greater variety of pre-application advice sessions; the decision of the Planning Task and Finish Group (PTFG) in favour of agenda papers having the full text of conditions (officers had considered that to be unnecessary). 

With regard to Planning Committee reports containing full details of the recommended conditions, Mrs Taylor mentioned a 12-month trial period to assess its effectiveness. Mr Frost supported having a trial. Mrs Lintill pointed that the report did not refer to there being a trial period. Mrs Hardwick wondered if a six-month trial period would be more appropriate. Mr Carvell felt that to be meaningful the trial should last for 12 months.

Mr Dignum proposed that the recommendation in para 3.2 a) of the agenda report should be amended to insert after ‘1 January 2017’ the words ‘with a review within 12 months’.  There was no dissent to this amendment. 

During the debate the work and outcomes of the PTFG were commended by members.

Decision

At the conclusion of the debate the Cabinet voted on a show of hands unanimously in favour of the recommendation (as amended).

RESOLVED

(1)  That the adoption of the revised Pre-Application Advice Charging Scheme with effect from 1 February 2017 be agreed.

(2)  That the recommendations of the Planning Task and Finish Group on the use and enforcement of planning conditions be adopted including:

a)    The full wording of conditions on Planning committee agendas from 1 January 2017 with a review within 12 months; and

b)    All decisions on planning applications issued from 1 February 2017 adopt the revised format recommended by the Planning Task and Finish Group.