MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE MODERNISING PANEL HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON TUESDAY 8 JANUARY 2002 COMMENCING AT 2:00 PM

Present :

Mrs B Lawson (Chairman), Mr R R Barry, Mr M J Cunningham, Mr G S Kendall, Mr R G Mazillius, Mr R A Sutton

Also Present :

Mrs M Miller (Invited), Mr A C Bartlett and Mr A A Taylor



8. MINUTES

RESOLVED :
THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2001 be confirmed.

9. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Mr Mazillius declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of the next item of business.

10. PROCEDURES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE

The Panel received an oral report form the Chairman of the Development Control Committee and the Development Control Manager on various proposals to amend the procedures for the Development Control Committee particularly to allow public speaking at these meetings. It was noted that the New Forest District Council had been visited to see how their procedures for allowing public speaking on planning matters worked and it was suggested that the proposed procedures for the Isle of Wight should closely follow those at the New Forest. The Chairman of the Development Control Committee made particular reference to the need to ensure that any such procedures are totally controlled so that all those who wanted to speak had an opportunity to do so but that these observed the Human Rights obligations. As public speaking would increase the amount of time spent on any application it was suggested that the Development Control Committee might need to re-consider its start time with a view to the meeting starting in the morning or afternoon. Such a procedure would also require additional staffing resources to ensure that all the necessary steps and procedures were followed correctly - the precise needs would be detailed in the final report on the matter.
In addition to public speaking the Chairman of the Development Control Committee had asked officers to look at ways of improving the presentations at Committee meetings and the general IT infrastructure within the Planning Department.
Whilst appreciating the additional time required for a meeting members generally expressed some concern at moving the start time of the Development Control Committee away from the evenings as this might make it more difficult for those working to attend the meetings. However it was noted that the procedure would be framed in such a way as to make it clear the time slot in which the application would be heard - thus reducing the need for any interested parties having to attend for the whole meeting. Members noted that to reduce the amount of time needed for committee meetings there would be a need for greater delegation to officers for applications.
Members also discussed the issue of pre-application discussions and it was noted that the existing procedures did not preclude a local member from participating, although they did set out some guidelines on how such discussions should be undertaken. The Development Control Manager stressed that the involvement of the local member at any stage of an application must not get in the way of ensuring probity on the planning process.
The Panel considered a range of other items within the current procedures for the Development Control Committee that they felt needed looking at in the future and these included: tighter controls on the reasons for a site visit; and greater clarity on the procedures for the role of local members and ability to discuss matters with developers and the local community.
RESOLVED :
THAT the presentation and proposals from the Chairman of the Development Control Committee and the Development Control Manager be noted and that it be further noted that a detailed report on these proposals would be submitted to the Development Control Committee shortly.

11. REPORTS OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR, CORPORATE AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES

(a) Name of the Council
The Strategic Director explained that he had now researched this matter and any funding that the Council receives (or expenditure incurred) is based on functions that the Council undertakes rather than the name of the Council.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Executive be advised that no further work on this suggestion be undertaken as no benefits would accrue to the Council.
(b) Appointment of Political Assistants
The Strategic Director presented his report setting out the legal requirements if the Council choose to appoint political assistants.
RESOLVED :
THAT no further work on this proposal be undertaken.
(c) Select Committee Procedures
The Strategic Director reported on a number of suggested minor amendments to the Select Committee Procedures Rules.
RESOLVED :
THAT all the suggestions in the Strategic Director's report be included in the final report of the Panel as amendments to the Council's Constitution.

12. NEXT MEETING

The Strategic Director reported that a further meeting of the Panel would be required to consider the final report to the Executive and revised Standing Orders as to Contracts. Members also suggested that for the next meeting a report on peer reviews of the Council should be considered. Given the timescale and the issues that needed discussing it was agreed that the Executive should be asked to extend the time for the final report of this Panel to the End of February.
RESOLVED :
THAT the next meeting of the Panel be held on Friday 1 February 2002 at 9.30am and that the Executive be asked to extend the time for the receipt of the final report from this Panel by a month.

CHAIRMAN