RBWM looks to object and ‘express deep concern’ to proposed Government planning reforms
The Royal Borough’s lead member for planning will put forward a motion asking the council to object to the Government’s proposed changes to the way planning applications are decided at a meeting next week.
Councils across England receive countless planning applications, which can either be decided by planning officers or by planning committees made up of councillors.
In the Royal Borough, major applications or those called in by councillors go before either the Maidenhead or Windsor and Ascot Development Management Committee.
But the Government has been looking to ‘modernise’ planning decision making – which could mean fewer decisions are made by these panels.
In March, the Government published a four-week consultation on draft planning committee reforms.
A previous consultation in May ‘reinforced the importance of planning committees as a fundamental part of local democratic accountability’, the Government said.
“However, it also highlighted that there was significant variation in how committees currently operate across England, which can create inconsistency, delay, and inefficiencies,” it added.
It is proposing to introduce ‘clear rules on committee size’, mandatory training for members, and a delegation scheme which would mean some types of applications are always referred to officers for a decision.
This scheme, which is planned to come into effect from September 30, would see a ‘Tier A’ introduced where some applications, such as certificates of lawful development, technical consents, and minor developments, must in all circumstances be delegated to officers’.
It is proposing to introduce ‘clear rules on committee size’, mandatory training for members, and a delegation scheme which would mean some types of applications are always referred to officers for a decision.
This scheme, which is planned to come into effect from September 30, would see a ‘Tier A’ introduced where some applications, such as certificates of lawful development, technical consents, and minor developments, must in all circumstances be delegated to officers’.
