Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Jim Clifton.

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B) 4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no urgent items of business to consider.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

There were no declarations of interest made.

To consider the minutes of the last meeting held on 23^rd February 2022

Moved by Councillor Derek Adams and seconded by Councillor Chris Kane

RESOLVED that the Minutes of a Planning Committee meeting held on 23^rd February 2022 be approved as a correct record.

i)             Update on Section 106 Agreement Monitoring

Committee considered a report which provided progress in respect of the monitoring of Section 106 Agreements in order to give Members the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the Council’s monitoring procedures. 

The Council had approved a procedure for recording and monitoring Section 106 Agreements in 2019.  This procedure governed the work of the Council’s cross-departmental Section 106 Monitoring Group who provided a progress report to Planning Committee highlighting any sums at risk of clawback that needed spending within 12 months.  The report was the quarterly progress report following the meeting of the Section 106 Monitoring Group held on 2^nd February 2022.

Councillor Adams requested that future reports showed information in a graph format at each stage S106 monies were due per development and when monies had to be spent by.  The Interim Planning Policy Manager advised Committee that the Annual Funding Statement would be presented to Members soon and would cover the graphs Councillor Adams referred to - the report to be considered at this meeting was in relation to the S106 monies which were coming to the end of their 5 year period.

Councillor McGregor raised serious concern regarding the time factors involved in relation to some of the S106 monies as set out in the report and stated that serious discussions needed to take place with officers.  He referred to paragraph 1.3 of the report which clearly stated that a developer was entitled to request S106 money back if the Council failed to spend monies within a set period of time.  Further, the negative impact on the affected local community and the consequential reputational impact on the Council if this happened. 

The Interim Planning Policy Manager stated that Members were right to raise their concern.  He provided an update to Committee that the Community Arts Development Officer had advised that an alternative suitable scheme had been established and the sum of £3,045 for Public Art had paid for the development of a community arts resource to address anti-social behaviour on green spaces in the Clowne Parish area and this money was spent prior to 18^th April 2022 deadline.

In relation to the Thurgaton Way Phase 2 sum of £30,132 for health, plans for new clinical consultation rooms were expected to be finalised during April 2022, enabling the sum of £30,132 to be transferred to the NHS and the conversion work to take place and be completed prior to the 1^st August 2022 date.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Tom Munro

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Councillor Chris Kane left the meeting at this point.

i)             Statement of Community Involvement: draft for public consultation

Committee considered a detailed report which sought Members’ approval to consult on a draft Statement of Community Involvement.  The draft Statement was attached as an appendix to the report.

The Council’s recently published Local Development Scheme (February 2022), set out a timetable for the preparation of a new Statement of Community Involvement by October 2022, as part of the Council’s duties to keep planning documents up to date. 

The report for Members consideration implemented the timetable and sought approval to start a 6-week public consultation exercise in May 2022.  The findings of the public consultation exercise would be taken into account and a final Statement of Community Involvement prepared, which would be presented to the Local Plan Steering Group and then to Planning Committee for adoption in advance of October 2022.  It was proposed that the consultation exercise commenced on Friday 6^th May 2022 for a 6 week period through to Friday 17^th June 2022.

Members welcomed the report and noted that the Council was a pilot authority for the Government’s digital planning reforms and their PropTech Engagement Fund, and was also trialling some of the latest techniques to strengthen public engagement.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Derek Adams

RESOLVED that the draft Statement of Community Involvement, as attached at Appendix A to the report, be approved for a public consultation exercise as outlined in the report.

(Planning Manager/Senior Planner (Planning Policy))

The meeting concluded at 1100 hours.