Agenda item

Attached.

A.   MEMBERS SPEAKING ON PLANNING APPLICATIONS

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 27 votes to 14 and AGREED as substantive motion by 27 votes to16.

 Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

It is axiomatic that a Havering councillor should be able to speak on a Havering planning application and for two minutes, just like any resident can object, although the Constitution allows 4 minutes for a ward matter. And this has always been the customary practice. 

Council wonders why Members are now being told they don't have the right to speak  on planning applications outside their own ward and calls on the Governance Committee  to consider recommending amendments to the constitution  to provide rights for members to speak on matters anywhere in Havering, if they so wish.

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

Amend to read:

This Council notes that DCLG measures the performance of a council as a Local Planning Authority in various ways and that if more than 10 % of decisions on major planning applications are reversed on appeal during a prescribed period a designation may be made the result of which is that applicants may apply directly to the planning inspectorate for planning permission without the council having the power to make a decision or charge planning fees.

It notes further that if planning permission is granted in this way the council will not in future receive the New Homes Bonus relating to these decisions.

It notes further with concern that currently 9.2% of this Council’s decisions on majors have been overturned and that if 1 of 2 pending major appeals is lost by the end of December 2017 the 10% threshold will be reached.

This Council therefore requests the Governance Committee to consider its current constitutional arrangements for determining planning applications and in particular major applications in addition to reviewing the right of members other than those on the committee to speak at Regulatory Services committee meetings. 

Following debate, the amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 27 votes to 14 (see division 3) and AGREED as the substantive motion by 27 votes to 16 (see division 4).  

RESOLVED:

This Council notes that DCLG measures the performance of a council as a Local Planning Authority in various ways and that if more than 10 % of decisions on major planning applications are reversed on appeal during a prescribed period a designation may be made the result of which is that applicants may apply directly to the planning inspectorate for planning permission without the council having the power to make a decision or charge planning fees.

It notes further that if planning permission is granted in this way the council will not in future receive the New Homes Bonus relating to these decisions.

It notes further with concern that currently 9.2% of this Council’s decisions on majors have been overturned and that if 1 of 2 pending major appeals is lost by the end of December 2017 the 10% threshold will be reached.

This Council therefore requests the Governance Committee to consider its current constitutional arrangements for determining planning applications and in particular major applications in addition to reviewing the right of members other than those on the committee to speak at Regulatory Services committee meetings.