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How the Planning Committee works

The Planning Committee is made up of Councillors from all political parties and areas of the Borough. The current membership can be seen on our Committee membership page.
 
The Committee is bound by its terms of reference and by planning legislation and the Councillors' Code of Conduct. There must be at least 3 of them present to make decisions.
 
The Committee is chaired by one of the Councillors. A new Chairman is decided each year. The Chairman's role is to run the meeting fairly and efficiently.
 
In addition to Councillors, planning and other Council staff will attend to present applications, answer Councillors' queries, give legal and procedural advice, and take minutes.
 
Who can attend?
 
Anybody interested in a planning application being decided can come to the meeting and hear the application being discussed. Applicants or professionals acting on their behalf, representatives of Town and Parish Councils, and the local press also attend.
 
Applicants, agents or supporters can speak as well as a representative of the relevant Parish or Town Council. Objectors who have previously commented in writing on an application may also speak. There are time limits on speaking. To find out more see our public speaking at Planning Committee page.
 
A copy of the agenda will be available to view from the mintues and agendas website section 5 days before the meeting.
 
When is the Planning Committee?
 
You can see a list of dates on our meeting schedule website page.
 
If you have commented on an application going to Committee you will be sent a letter telling you the date and time of Committee, and the recommendation in the report.
 
How are decisions made?
 
Committee Members are sent an agenda to study in advance of the meeting. This contains a detailed report by planning staff about each application for consideration and a recommended decision. If the recommendation is to allow the application suitable conditions are suggested.
 
The report summarises relevant local and national planning policies and how these relate to the key planning issues for each application.
 
There may be considerable debate over some applications while others may be decided very quickly. 
 
The order for considering reports on the agenda is normally as follows:
 
  1. The planning staff present the main points of the report and any late information
  2. The Parish or Town Council representative speaks
  3. The applicant or agent, objectors and supporters speak - 3 minutes maximum for each group
  4. The Ward Councillor, if not a Committee Member, speaks
  5. Committee Members can ask questions to clarify matters of fact related to what's been said
  6. General discussion by Committee Members
  7. Council staff respond to matters raised
  8. The Committee makes a decision
 
The Committee can only take into account points relevant to planning. It can't consider factors like loss of property value, loss of a specific view, private property rights or matters covered by other legislation such as alcohol licensing.
 
The Committee decides most applications at the meeting. It does not always follow the recommendation in the report. The Committee may amend some of the suggested planning conditions.
 
Some decisions may be deferred to a later meeting to allow a site visit, gather further information or to allow amendments.
 
Sometimes the Committee delegates responsibility for the final decision to planning staff.