Issue - meetings

This document sets out how and when the Council will involve the community and other interested people and organisations in the preparation of our policies and guidelines, including those related to planning and development. It also discusses community involvement in relation to planning application decisions and explains the role of the Council and that of applicants and their agents. The SCI is being amended to simplify the explanation of the different stages in the preparation of planning documents and the opportunities to participate and so that it reflects the Council’s constitutional changes and changes in the title of the Cabinet Member. It is not a policy document. The Consultation Draft SCI was discussed at PDAG at its meeting on 8 September 2016 and was agreed for consultation at Cabinet on 22 September. A summary of the comments received and the revised document circulated with this agenda will, subject to the advice of PDAG, be presented to Cabinet on 26 January 2017 for adoption.

The Principal Planning Officer - Policy reminded the group that the Consultation Draft SCI was discussed by the group at its meeting on 8 September 2016 and was supported for discussion at Cabinet on 22 September, when it was agreed for consultation.  A summary of the fifteen comments received and the revised document, which took those comments into account, had been circulated and subject to the advice of the group, would be presented to Cabinet on 26 January 2017 for adoption.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Members asked that the wording of the section called ‘making a decision’ be amended to reflect that the name of the Development Committees had changed to Planning Committees and that the reasons for referral had been clarified in the revised constitution agreed by Council on 7 December 2016.

Further, Members felt that reference to who would be consulted on Planning Policy should also include how by adding reference to appropriate public consultation and that consultations should also be appropriately advertised.