Although the standards committee is not one that I serve on or often attend, it does consider a wide range of issues around standards for councillors.
Last Wednesday’s meeting which I wasn’t at, considered a report on reviewing / establishing a protocol for Land Use Planning Matters and Development Control Committee.
The aim of the protocol is to ensure that all persons contacting the council over planning issues should have confidence that the conduct of all councillors and officers involved in the process is consistent and fair to all persons involved. The protocol also ensures that all councillors and officers know what is expected of them.
Some of the main changes been put forward in this change don’t make complete sense to me at current, particularly the one around effectively removing the development control sub committee which currently has a role in discussing with applicants or objectors applications prior to them going to the full development control committee, something which whilst I can see has the aim of improving transparency may make the committee less efficient than it currently can be, with more detailed issues having to be dealt with in full committee rather than a more concentrated sub committee hearing.
Other changes include the introduction of an officer code of conduct, along with a mandatory requirement for committee members to attend site visits if scheduled or to ensure they view any sites under consideration from a public viewpoint.
The report that went to the standards committee is unclear as to how much consultation has gone on with either committee members and or office in the development control service and it will be interesting (if the proposals were approved by the standards committee) as to the views of development control committee members if approved.
No comments:
Post a Comment