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The Committee received report ES/0693 of the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management, which provided an update on the planning performance of the Development Management Team in terms of the timescales for determining planning applications.
The report was introduced by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management, who noted that the service had met or exceeded both the national targets for approving planning applications as well as the local "stretched" targets that it set itself. Councillor Ritchie highlighted that despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the team was dealing with at least the usual number of applications it normally would be.
Councillor Ritchie invited the Planning Manager to comment on the report. The Planning Manager said that the performance of the service had increased compared to the previous year and noted the figures at paragraph 2.8 of the report in respect of the rate of approval for major, minor and householder applications. The Planning Manager thanked the Development Management Team for its hard work, particularly during the challenging period of working remotely under COVID-19 restrictions.
The Chairman invited questions to Councillor Ritchie and the officers.
In response to a question on the "stretched" targets referred to in the report, the Planning Manager explained that these were targets laid out in the Council's service plan to meet internally; these targets were above what was required nationally, in order to increase performance.
The Planning Manager confirmed that there had been more minor applications than major ones of late and that the majority of these applications had been approved.
The Committee was advised that the Development Management Team was now fully staffed, with four new officers commencing employment with the Council in January 2021.
A member of the Committee raised concerns about the referral panel system, which directed whether applications should be determined by the Head of Planning and Coastal Management using his delegated authority or be determined by one the Council's Planning Committees. The Member compared this process to the call-in process used for applications at the former Waveney District Council, which he considered gave Ward Members more of a say in how planning applications were determined, and considered that the public, as well as town and parish councils, were not confident in the Council's planning system.
In response, the Head of Planning and Coastal Management noted that the reports to the Strategic Planning Committee, presented on a quarterly basis, provided a wealth of evidence on how the Council's planning system was operating including feedback and complaints. The Head of Planning and Coastal Management added that the Council regularly engaged with town and parish councils through forum events and that complaints from these authorities were few and considered the Council's relationship with them on planning issues to be good.
The Head of Planning and Coastal Management was of the view that the referral panel process was working well and highlighted that Ward Members were able to observe referral panel meetings; he accepted that Ward Members would not always be happy with where the referral panel directed an application for determination but stated that the Council operated a plan-led system which was producing good results.
Councillor Ritchie added that a recent forum event with town and parish councils had provided positive feedback and disagreed with the suggestion that there a decline in confidence from towns and parishes.
There was significant discussion on the referral panel process. Several Members were content with how the system currently worked and other Members raised concerns with the level of Ward Member involvement in the process and suggested that Ward Members should at least be able to speak at referral panel meetings, to provide factual information.
The Chairman encouraged Ward Members to attend and observe referral panel meetings and highlighted that more often than not, comments were not received from Ward Members during the consultation period on applications, which could be considered by the referral panel when directing applications for determination.
The Vice-Chairman echoed the comments of the Chairman and stressed that the referral panel was not a decision-making body; she was of the view that if Ward Members were allowed to speak at referral panel meetings then it could be considered that planning decisions were being taken in private.
The Head of Planning and Coastal Management advised the Committee that it was considering a report on the performance of the Development Management Team and not a review of the referral panel process. It was confirmed by both the Head of Planning and Coastal Management and the Democratic Services Officer that a report reviewing the referral panel procedure and process would be presented to the Committee at its next meeting on Monday 7 June 2021.
There being no further questions, the Chairman moved to the recommendation to note the report.
On the proposition of Councillor Ritchie, seconded by Councillor McCallum it was by a majority vote
RESOLVED
That the contents of the report be noted.