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Matter for Decision:
The Officer’s report set out the processes by which
decisions on neighbourhood planning and development briefs will be taken by
area committees from 1 April 2012, and sought Executive Councillor approval to
adopt these processes. A separate report considering related processes, but
affecting non-planning matters; was considered by Community Services Scrutiny
Committee on 12 January 2012.
Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning and
Sustainable Transport:
This item was deferred to a future meeting.
Reason for the Decision:
As set out in the Officer’s report.
Any alternative options considered and rejected:
Not applicable.
Scrutiny Considerations:
The committee
received a report from the Head of Planning
Services regarding the Devolving Decisions on Neighbourhood Planning
Briefs.
The Head of Planning Services advised Councillors of a change to the recommendations and
Appendix A in the Officer’s report.
Previous
recommendations:
The Executive
Councillor for Planning and Sustainable Transport is recommended to:
(i)
Note the
proposed process for devolving decision making on area specific planning and
development briefs.
(ii)
Adopt these
processes and devolve decision making to area committees.
(iii)
Request that
the Council’s constitution be amended to reflect devolvement of the decision
making to the relevant area committee, with the recommendation made to the
Executive Councillor who will attend the relevant Area Committee to take the
decision.
New recommendations text:
The Executive Councillor for Planning and Sustainable Transport and the
Environment Scrutiny Committee are recommended to:
(i)
Approve the
Principles for involving Area Committees in Decisions on Planning and
Development briefs set out in Appendix A of the Officer’s report.
(ii)
Request that
the Council’s constitution be amended to reflect Appendix A.
New Appendix A text:
Appendix A:
Principles for involving Area Committees in Decisions on Planning and
Development briefs
With effect from
April 2012:
·
New planning and
development briefs (including Supplementary Planning Documents and planning
guidance) on non-strategic sites within the City boundary (but not within the
Cambridge Fringe sites), whether produced by Planning Services or by a
developers agent under the editorial control of Planning Services shall be
referred to the relevant area committee for
agreement prior to consultation, and prior to final adoption by the
Executive Councillor, in place of current pre-scrutiny arrangements, other
than:
o Where cross boundary proposals are involved;
the default pre-scrutiny process will be Development Plan Scrutiny
Sub-Committee)
·
Any
Neighbourhood Planning proposals which may be promoted under the provisions of
the Localism Act will need to be considered by Development Plan Scrutiny
Sub-Committee because of their relationship with emerging policy development
through the review of the Cambridge Local Plan.
In response to
Member’s questions the Executive Councillor for Planning and Sustainable
Transport plus Head of Planning Services confirmed the following:
(i)
The purpose of
the document was to transfer scrutiny functions to Area Committees so that an
Executive Councillor sitting at an Area Committee could take them. The
intention was to move area committee debate items (such as developer briefings)
from the Environment Scrutiny Committee agenda to area committee’s. Area
committees would not be able to commission work.
(ii)
The Local Plan
would provide an overarching strategy document.
(iii)
The
Development Plan Scrutiny Sub committee would co-ordinate cross-area committee
work such as transport initiatives.
Councillor Tunnacliffe formally proposed to
defer a decision on the amended recommendations to a future Environment
Scrutiny Committee.
The committee resolved by 7 votes to 0 defer
a decision on the amended recommendations to a future Environment Scrutiny
Committee.
Conflicts of interest declared
by the Executive Councillor (and any dispensations granted)
Not applicable.