Agenda item

To enable full Council to decide whether to permanently change the commencement time of meetings of the Planning Committee from 6.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Council was aware that the Planning Committee, at its meeting held on 28 September 2023 (Minute 41 referred) had considered, at the request of its Chairman (Councillor Fowler), whether to amend the start time of future meetings of the Planning Committee. The Planning Committee had been made aware that it did not have the delegated power and that only Full Council could amend the permanent start time of a Committee’s meetings under the Council’s Constitution (Council Procedure Rule 35.1 (Ordinary Meetings of Committees)).

Having discussed the matter, the Planning Committee had resolved, by six votes in favour to one against, that -

(a)   the meetings of the Planning Committee due to be held on Tuesday 24 October 2023 commencing at 6.00 p.m. and on Tuesday 21 November 2023 commencing at 6.00 p.m. be cancelled;

(b)   the Chairman of the Planning Committee be requested to exercise their delegated power under Council Procedure Rule 35.2 (Special Meetings) and to call special meetings of the Planning Committee to be held on the following dates:-

Tuesday 24 October 2023 commencing at 5.00 p.m.

Tuesday 21 November 2023 commencing at 5.00 p.m.

(c)   Full Council be requested to change the permanent commencement time of meetings of the Planning Committee from 6.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Full Council had duly considered that request at its meeting held on 28 November 2023 (Minute 79 referred). Following debate, Council had resolved that the proposal from the Planning Committee for its scheduled meetings to commence at 5.00 p.m., rather than 6.00 p.m., be referred to the Review of the Constitution Portfolio Holder Working Party for its consideration, and recommendation thereon to Cabinet, and thence back to Council for its final determination.

It was reported that in accordance with that decision of Full Council this matter had been referred to the Review of the Constitution Portfolio Holder Working Party at its meeting held on 13 December 2023. The Working Party had decided at that time that all Members of the Council be surveyed as to which of the following options for the start time of Planning Committee meetings they supported and that they be requested to give their reasons as to why they had supported that option:-

(1)    afternoon, following the Committee’s site visits;

(2)    5.00 p.m.;

(3)    6.00 p.m.

The collated results of that survey had been duly reported to the Working Party at its meeting held on 18 January 2024. Having considered and discussed those results the Working Party had decided to recommend to the Cabinet, via the Corporate Finance & Governance Portfolio Holder, that it should endorse the Planning Committee’s request.

Cabinet had duly considered that recommendation at its meeting held on 16 February 2024 (Minute 91referred) and had decided that it would recommend to Full Council:-

“That, in accordance with the outcome of consultation with Members, the commencement time of meetings of the Planning Committee should be amended to 5.00 p.m. and that if a Ward Member / referrer for a planning application so requests, the Officers, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, should make every effort to list that particular planning application later on in the Planning Committee’s agenda.”

Councillor M E Stephenson moved that the permanent commencement time of meetings of the Planning Committee be changed from 6.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. and that if a Ward Member / referrer for a planning application so requests, the Officers, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, should make every effort to list that particular planning application later on in the Planning Committee’s agenda.

Councillors Griffiths and Everetteach addressed the Council during the debate on Councillor Stephenson’s motion.

Councillor Everett thereupon moved and Councillor Turner seconded that Councillor M E Stephenson’s motion be amended to read as follows:-

“That the permanent commencement time of meetings of the Planning Committee be changed from 6.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. and that if a Ward Member / referrer or scheduled public speaker for a planning application so requests, the Officers, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, should make every effort to list that particular planning application later on in the Planning Committee’s agenda.”

Councillors P B Honeywood, Harris, Fairley, Bray, Turner, Morrison, Everett and M E Stephenson each addressed the Council during the debate on Councillor Everett’s amendment.

Pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.6(b), Councillor M E Stephenson accepted the alteration to his original motion.

Councillors Harris, Bray, P B Honeywood, M A Cossens, Scott, I J Henderson, Calver, Turner, Doyle, Baker and M E Stephenson each addressed the Council during the debate on Councillor Stephenson’s motion, as altered.

Pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 19.5, Councillor P B Honeywood, supported by eight other Members rising in their places, requisitioned a record of the voting on Councillor M E Stephenson’s motion, as altered. That vote resulted as follows:-

Councillor Stephenson’s motion was thereupon declared CARRIED.