Issue - meetings

The Principal Planning Policy Officer presented report to update Members on the progress of the spending of Section 106 contributions and to review the effectiveness of the Council’s monitoring procedures.

The Community Arts Development Officer and the Leisure Facilities Planning & Development Manager were also present to provide updates and respond to questions on specific projects.

The report followed the Council’s approved S.106 Monitoring Procedure, which required a quarterly update highlighting contributions at risk of clawback (within 24 months of expiry) and summarising those held in years 3, 4, and 5 by infrastructure type.

The number of contributions within the 24-month threshold stood at 9, with full details provided in the report.

A further amended Appendix 1, the Infrastructure Contribution Sums for the 3-5 Years Spending Deadline, had been provided prior to the meeting.

A Member proposed if longer-term contracts should be sought when Section 106 Agreements were being negotiated in view of the upcoming Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).  This was to ensure no contributions were lost when the Council was dissolved and the proposed North Derbyshire Unitary Council was established.

The Committee was informed that in other instances of LGR, Planning Teams had not changed and so continued to effectively manage Section 106 contributions (e.g. Cumberland Council had no change in the previous 6 years since).

Moved by Councillor Phil Smith and seconded by Councillor Steve Fritchley

RESOLVED that Planning Committee note the contents of the report and highlight any concerns about the implementation of the Section 106 Agreements listed.

The Chair thanked all those in attendance.

It was asked that the Interim Strategic Director of Economic Growth and Monitoring Officer review and clarify the steps taken when an application is received that represented a departure from the local plan in terms of publicity requirements to a future meeting.