Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

It was moved by Councillor Ric Metcalfe that the Planning Committee Protocol, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved for adoption for the meeting of the Council when it sits as the Planning Committee to consider the planning application on the Western Growth Corridor.

Councillor Metcalfe in moving the motion advised that in 2006 the Council had resolved to reserve decision-making on the planning application for the Western Growth Corridor to the Council sitting as the Planning Committee.  Part 5 of the Council’s Constitution included Probity in Planning: Code of Practice, a guide to procedures and protocol for councillors and officers involved in making decisions on planning applications and other planning matters.  The protocol set out at Appendix A to the report would temporarily amend specific provisions contained within the Probity in Planning: Code of Practice for the meeting of the Planning Committee when it considered the application on the Western Growth Corridor.  All other existing provisions contained the Probity in Planning: Code of Practice would apply. The proposed changes included:

·         Extending the number of people permitted to speak either objecting to or in support of the application from one to five in each case.

·         Amending the deadlines for registering to speak, including ward councillors, and for information to be included in the ‘Update Sheet’ to 4.00 p.m. five clear working days prior to the meeting.

·         Setting out the process for requesting to speak.

·         Setting out the process for the answering of questions.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Bob Bushell.

In response to questions by Councillor David Clarkson and Councillor Gary Hewson it was confirmed that requests to speak would be allocated on a first come, first served basis and that in accordance with normal procedure, if a councillor spoke as a ward councillor, they would not be able to participate as a member of the Planning Committee.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the Planning Committee Protocol – Western Growth Corridor, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved and temporarily adopted for the meeting of the Council when it sits as the Planning Committee to consider the planning application on the Western Growth Corridor.

(2)  That the existing provisions contained in the Probity in Planning: Code of Practice, not amended by the Planning Committee Protocol for the Western Growth Corridor (as set out at Appendix A) remain in place.