To consider the above report

Members considered the findings of the Planning and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Panel Task and Finish Group (TFG).

Councillor Kellaway, Chairman of the TFG, proposed two changes to the recommendations in the report: 

·         Paragraph 3.4 - Delete all words after '….should continue to be permitted,' including recommendation 3.  The sentence in brackets in 9.B summary would therefore also be deleted.

·         Paragraph 3.9 - second paragraph in the box to read: 'The initial decision as to whether an application falls into this category will be taken by the Head of Planning in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning, the Borough Wide Panel Chairman and the relevant Area Panel Chairman'.

The reasoning for the second change was that there was a strong feeling among Members that wherever possible applications should be considered by the relevant area panel, by Members who would have local knowledge. Only genuinely strategic applications should be considered by the Borough-wide Panel. All other recommendations in the report remained.

Councillor Kellaway commented that the proposal to move to monthly meetings rather than four-weekly meetings, from May 2019, would also fit with Parish Council meeting schedules.

Councillor Beer suggested that substitutes should be appointed the weekend before a meeting, to ensure they would have sufficient time to look at the sites as visiting a site was very different to just reading the written report. He urged those who could not attend a meeting to make every effort to find substitutes as early as possible. He requested that TFG members be included on the list of those involved on page 100. He highlighted that the list of Ward include on page 105 for Windsor should include Old Windsor.

Councillor Werner stated that he was pleased that Rights of Way issues were not being subsumed into Development Panel meetings as they were different issues. He expressed concern that despite the inclusion of Area Panel Chairman, there was a danger that the leadership could still deliberately push applications to a Borough-wide Development Panel meeting where there was less local representation than an area panel. 

Councillor Stretton commented that this was the third time the section relating to Borough-wide panels had been before Full Council. She was pleased that there was finally a proper process being proposed. The previous versions had been put together with haste and had wasted officer time when already overstretched.

Councillor Hunt commented that she had been a member of the TFG, which had run very well. Officers had been very co-operative and the chairman had done a stupendous job.

Councillor Coppinger highlighted that as Lead Member for Planning he had remained outside of the TFG. He commended the work of the TFG. Officers had been delighted to support the discussions and had not seen it as additional labour.

Councillor Kellaway highlighted that section 8 of the report detailed those outside the TFG who were involved or consulted. Proposals in relation to public speaking at Development Management Panels would come through on a separate report to Full Council. As the TFG was not yet finished he welcomed suggestions from other Members for discussion by the group. He thanked all officers involved, in particular the Deputy Head of Planning. Councillor Kellaway confirmed that the proposals for members to vote upon included the two changes detailed at the start of the item in relation to substitutes and the inclusion of Area Panel Chairman in calling a Borough-wide Development Management Panel.

It was proposed by Councillor Kellaway, seconded by Councillor Coppinger, and:

RESOLVED UNANMOUSLY: That Council acknowledge and endorses the findings of the PHOSP Task and Finish group and:

i)             Approves the amendment of the Council’s constitution with the attached interim planning constitutional arrangement (Appendix 2) with immediate effect until 2^nd May 2019, subject to the amendments relating to substitutes and the inclusion of Area Panel Chairman in calling a Borough-wide Development Management Panel.

ii)                 Approves the amendment of the constitution with the attached permanent planning constitutional arrangement (Appendix 1) with effect from 3^rd May 2019 subject to the amendments relating to substitutes and the inclusion of Area Panel Chairman in calling a Borough-wide Development Management Panel.