Issue - meetings

a)         That Members note the contents of the Peer Review Team’s report and the recommendations therein.

b)         That Members agree with the proposal to prepare an Action Plan to address the said report’s recommendations.

c)         That the Action Plan, referred to above, be reported to Cabinet for approval at the earliest opportunity.

d)         That officers write to the Peer Review Team thanking them for their report and confirming the Council’s intended approach.

A report was submitted to inform Members of the outcome of the recent Planning Peer Review process and to agree the Council’s approach in responding to it. It was important to ensure that Members were apprised of the Peer Review Team’s findings and to agree how the Council should respond to it.

The Council had commissioned the national Planning Advisory Service to review its Planning Service with the aim of addressing perceived concerns about facets of the service to ensure that this important service was both effective and efficient.

Members considered that it was very important to engage with the public regarding the planning process and that communities needed to be assured that the planning process was open and fair to everyone. Concern was also raised regarding the public perception of planning enforcement and that it was important to manage the public expectations of the planning department.

Resolved:

a)         That Members note the contents of the Peer Review Team’s report and the recommendations therein.

b)         That Members agree with the proposal to prepare an Action Plan to address the said report’s recommendations.

c)         That the Action Plan, referred to above, be reported to Cabinet for approval at the earliest opportunity.

d)         That officers write to the Peer Review Team thanking them for their report and confirming the Council’s intended approach.