Agenda and minutes

(i)         To note the appointment of Councillor Marilyn Ashton at the meeting of the Council on 19 October 2006 under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 1.1 (xii), as Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

(ii)        To note the membership of the new Strategic Planning Committee.

RESOLVED: To note (1) the appointment of Councillor Marilyn Ashton at the meeting of the Council on 19 October 2006 under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 1.1 (xii) as Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07;

(2) the membership of the new Strategic Planning Committee.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

[Note: The Conservative Group has nominated Councillor Manji Kara].

Nominations were received and seconded for Councillors Thaya Idaikkadar and Joyce Nickolay.  Having been put to a vote it was

RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Joyce Nickolay as Vice-Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

Briefing note from the Director of Corporate Governance.

The Committee considered a briefing paper in relation to the above.

A Member expressed the view that Councillors and members of the public who worked in the daytime might find it difficult to attend meetings at 6.30pm, and proposed a later start time.  The Member also requested that Member briefings for the meetings be held at a time that was convenient for all members of the Committee.  In response, the Chairman referred to the very late finish times that had sometimes been experienced by the Development Control Committee, and explained that the earlier start time would enable meetings to finish no later than 11.00pm, which would benefit Councillors, officers and members of the public.  The Chairman agreed that she would endeavour to take into consideration all Members’ needs when organising briefings but emphasised that it was unfair to expect officers to work evenings to accommodate Member briefings. The Chairman added that the Council was facing budgetary constraints and therefore had to take into account the cost of evening briefings.

RESOLVED: That (1) in order to ensure compliance with the requirement to finish meetings no later than 11.00pm, the Committee would consider carefully whether to commence any new business/item after 10.00pm and, if necessary, defer business rather than risk not completing the consideration by 11.00pm;

(2) the terms of reference of the Strategic Planning Committee and the Development Management Committee be noted;

(3) the definitions of ‘major’ and ‘minor’ contained within the briefing paper be endorsed and noted in relation to the distinction in the terms of reference of the two committees;

(4) the proposed meeting dates for the two committees, provided to Council on 19 October 2006, be endorsed and noted;

(5) it be noted that there would be a single briefing for all members of the Committee;

(6) it be noted that officers would be consulting Members on potential revisions to the Scheme of Delegation.

To agree requests to speak from Councillors who are not Members of the Committee, in accordance with Committee Procedure 4.1.

RESOLVED: That, in accordance with Committee Procedure Rule 4.1, the following Councillor, who was not a Member of the Committee, be allowed to speak on the agenda item indicated:

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note the following declarations of interest made by Members present relating to business to be transacted at this meeting:

Planning Application 2/01 – The Vine Public House, Stanmore Hill, Stanmore

Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar declared a prejudicial interest in the above application arising from the fact that he had been a member of a Licensing Panel which had considered a licensing application for the premises.  Accordingly, he left the room and took no part in the discussion or decision-making on the item.

(a)  To consider whether any item included on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded because it contains confidential information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1972 (as amended);

(b)  to receive the addendum sheets and to note any applications which are recommended for deferral or have been withdrawn from the agenda by the applicant.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following agenda item be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2)  all items be considered with the press and public present.

(i)         That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2006 of the Development Control Committee (being the successor body to this Committee for the consideration of major matters) be taken as read and signed as a correct record

[Those minutes are now attached for information].

(ii)        That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2006 of the Development Control Committee be considered at the 23 November 2006 meeting of the Development Management Committee (being the successor body to that Committee for the consideration of minor matters).

RESOLVED:  That (1) the Chair be given authority to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2006 of the Development Control Committee (being the predecessor body to this Committeee for the consideration of major matters) as a correct record once printed in the Council Bound Volume;

(2) the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2006 of the Development Control Committee be considered at the 23 November 2006 meeting of the Development Management Committee (being the successor body to that Committee for the consideration of minor matters).

To receive questions (if any) from local residents/organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors.

RESOLVED: To note that no petitions were received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 17 (Part 4B) of the Constitution.

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 17.

To receive references from Council and any other Committees or Panels (if any).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no references from Council or other Committees or Panels received at this meeting.

To confirm whether representations are to be received, under Committee Procedure Rule 18 (Part 4B of the Constitution), from objectors and applicants regarding planning applications on the agenda.

RESOLVED:  To note that no requests for representations in respect of planning applications on the agenda had been received.

Report of the Head of Planning - circulated separately.

RESOLVED:  That authority be given to the Head of Planning to issue the decision notices in respect of the applications considered, as set out in the schedule attached to these minutes.

Report of the Head of Planning – for information.

The Committee received a report of the Head of Planning which listed those appeals being dealt with and those awaiting decision.

RESOLVED:  To note the report.

To arrange dates for Member site visits that have been agreed during the course of the meeting (if any).

RESOLVED: To note that there were no Member site visits to be arranged.