What is an Examination in Public?
An Examination in Public or 'EiP' is the formal name for a series of discussion groups held by a Planning Inspector in order to help determine the 'Soundness' and 'Legal Compliance' of a Development Plan Document (DPD). These discussion groups are made up of people who sent in a comment to the Council at the submission (final) stage of consultation and objected to the soundness of a policy. Not everyone who submits a comment however is able to attend the examination. The general public are however allowed to attend the EiP and watch proceedings in the public gallery.
Who gets to take part in the EiP?
Having read the objectors comments to a DPD, the Inspector will select attendees according to what he or she identifies as the key issues that need clarifing or resolving within a DPD. The Inspector will then set up the discussion groups or 'EiP sessions' by topic for example housing, transport or flood risk.
What do you do at an EiP?
Anyone invited to an EiP is there to take part in a discussion for which the Inspector sets the agenda. Sometimes there is the opportunity to submit a paper before an EiP session to support any arguments an attendee made in their original consultation response to the Council . It is not acceptable however to present any new material at an EiP.
The Programme Officer
The Programme Officer is a person appointed outside of the Planning Department and is responsible for managing the day to day arrangements of the EiP process. This included recording all documents submitted, arranging site visits for the Inspector and dealing with correspondence on his/her behalf to those who have submitted comments to a consultation. It is the Programme Officer who is the main point of contact during an EiP. They manage a library where the public can view the documents which form the evidence base of a DPD.
What happens after the Examination in Public?
After the EiP has taken place the Inspector will consider all of the written representations and evidence put forward as part of the examination and will write a final report. This will determine whether a DPD has been found to be ‘sound’ and ‘legally compliant’ and will include recommendations. These recommendations are binding and a DPD will be amended accordingly before it is formally adopted.
