Planning Advisory Service offers review and recommendations
EHDC has invited an independent panel to review its Planning Committee operations as it looks to ensure decision-making is as effective and robust as possible.
The council called in the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) to compare decision-making at the planning committee with best practice from around the country.
Run by the Local Government Association, the PAS provides high quality help, advice, support and training on planning and service delivery to councils in England.
The team observed committee meetings and interviewed councillors, parish councils and residents' groups.
In a report following their review they said the committee chairman was ‘competent and well informed’ and officer presentations were ‘professional and informative’.
Members were said to be knowledgeable about planning and clear in their understanding of the council’s current position, particularly in relation to the need to consider the tilted balance in decision making.
In reviewing the Planning Committee, the team set out eight recommendations to help it improve performance further. You can read the full report and list recommendations through the button below.
These recommendations include:
- reviewing the current protocols for the committee arrangements,
- considering the lay-out of the committee meeting room,
- developing further training for committee members
- fostering closer relationships with statutory consultees.
The report states: “There are many positive aspects to the running of the Planning Committee, not least of which is the relationship between officers and members and clear understanding by members of the context in which EDHC is operating. However, there are areas of improvements in the procedures followed that will help the council make more robust and clearer decisions.
“The PAS team considers that these matters can be relatively quickly overcome if a culture of openness and joint learning remains amongst officers and members.”
An action plan responding to the recommendations was agreed by Cabinet on Thursday 28 May, setting out how improvements will be delivered and monitored. Progress will be monitored to ensure the recommendations are effectively implemented.
Cllr Angela Glass, EHDC’s Portfolio Holder for Regulation and Enforcement, said: “This is a very positive review from a team of industry experts in planning.
“I welcome the recommendations they have made to help strengthen our service further and we have already started to implement many of the suggested amendments.
“Planning is one of East Hampshire District Council’s most high-profile services so it is good practice to have it independently assessed.”
Cllr Anthony Williams, Chairman of the EHDC Planning and Planning Policy Committees, said: "I was very pleased to take part in the PAS Peer Review of our Planning Committee. The four reviewers discussed our current committee, and asked questions to better understand the way in which the committee operates.
"Following up on their visit and report, Cllr Glass and I attended the PAS Leadership Essentials Chairing Skills course at Warwick University which further developed our abilities as key members of the Planning Committee."