- Q. What is the Planning & Regulatory
Committee?
A. The
Planning and Regulatory Committee deals primarily with planning
applications for minerals extraction, waste management-related
applications and developments for the County Council's service
needs, such as for schools, libraries, park and ride sites and
other infrastructure projects. (Top of Page)
- Q. Who is
on the Planning & Regulatory
Committee?
A. There are
14 democratically elected County Councillors on the Planning and
Regulatory Committee. There are ten Conservative Councillors, two
Liberal Democrat Councillors, one Labour Councillor and one
Independent Community and Health Concern Councillor on the
Committee. Decisions at the meetings are taken by the Councillors.
They are advised by County Council officers or a consultant
planning advisor.
For the further details of these members, see the Planning and Regulatory Committee pages.
(Top of Page)
-
Q. Do any of the Planning
& Regulatory Committee members live near the site of the
proposed application?
A. The home addresses of
each of the Councillors who sit on the Planning and Regulatory
Committee can be seen from the link above. However, regardless of
where Councillors live, Committee members are required to consider
the planning application based on its planning merits only. (Top of
Page)
-
Q. Does the Committee meet
in public?
A. Yes. The Committee meets
eight times per year, the dates of which are publicised usually a
year in advance: for details, please see the Programme of
Meetings. (Top of Page)
-
Q. What decision can the
Committee make on this planning application?
A. There are three possible
outcomes:
- Recommend that planning permission be granted
- Recommend that planning permission be refused
- Defer a decision for further information or other reasons.
However, because this application is a departure from the
Development Plan, if the Committee is minded to approve the
application then the County Council must consult
the Office of Communities and Local Government.
The council may not grant planning permission until the
Government Office has notified the council that is does not intend
to call in the application for its own
determination. (Top of Page)
-
Q. What decision can the
Committee make on this planning application?
A. At the end of the
discussion about the planning application, the Chairman will put
any amendments or motions to the meeting and then ask the
Councillors to vote.
The council officers do not have a vote.
Often, when an issue affects a particular area, the local County
Councillor for that area will have been invited to speak as the
local member. This local Councillor is not entitled to vote unless
the Councillor is also a member of the Planning and Regulatory
Committee.
The members of the Committee consider planning applications
on their planning merits only (Top of Page)
-
Q. Does the Committee's
decision need to be unanimous?
A. No. At the end of the
discussion about the report made to the Committee, Councillors will
be asked to vote and a decision can be made on the basis of a
simple majority. (Top of Page)
-
Q. Do any Worcestershire
County Council Officers get involved?
A. The officers' role is to
provide professional advice to the members of the Planning and
Regulatory Committee. Officers do not have a vote. (Top of Page)
-
Q. How do ERM fit in?
A. ERM is acting on behalf
of the Waste Planning Authority as the Case Officer, to provide
professional advice to the Planning and Regulatory Committee.
(Top of Page)
-
Q. Who can speak at the
Committee?
A. The Committee will always
consider relevant written comments. These are summarised in the
Committee report about the application and are made available in
full for members to read before (and at) the meeting. As an
additional opportunity for representation, the County Council has
arrangements in place which usually allow one speaker each on
behalf of objectors, the applicant and any supporters of the
application to address the committee.
These speakers may address the Committee during the meeting, but
this opportunity should not be seen as the primary means of stating
respective cases.
Anyone making written representations is invited to indicate in
their letter or email whether they would wish to address the
Committee if given the opportunity. The Chairman (and/or
Vice-Chairman) will consider all of the requests to address the
Committee and will select one objector and one supporter directly
affected by the proposed development (usually the nearest private
individuals).
The signatory to a planning application will similarly be
invited to speak.
The persons selected will be notified approximately ten
days before the meeting. The right to speak can be
exercised in person or transferred to another individual. Those
selected will be asked to confirm in writing who will be addressing
the Committee and to supply an outline text of their presentation
by 10am on the working day before the meeting.
Unless both of these are done, the right to speak is forfeited.
Both the outline text and the presentation to the Committee must
be confined in scope to the matters referred to in written
representations. At the Committee meeting, the Chairman will call
speakers in the following order:
- The Director of Planning, Economy and Performance (or planning
advisor)
- The objector
- Any supporter of the application
- The applicant
- The local County Councillor
- Members of the Committee
If speakers are not present at the time that they are called by
the Chairman, they will not be allowed to speak even if they are
later present at the meeting.
The objector, any supporter and applicant may speak for
three minutes each.
The Chairman will usually only allow questions to the objector,
supporter or applicant from Committee members to clarify what has
been said. The objector, supporter and applicant will not be able
to ask any questions or to speak again at the meeting.
Planning officers are available in the meeting room for up to 30
minutes prior to the start of the meeting to enable Councillors and
the public to ask questions about the applications to be
considered. This is not a part of the meeting itself but is an
informal opportunity for anyone present on the day to clarify
factual details about the applications, examine background
documents and view plans that are on display. (Top of Page)
-
Q. What happens if the
application is refused?
A. If the applicant is
aggrieved by the decision of the Waste Planning Authority to refuse
planning permission or to grant permission subject to conditions,
the applicant has a right to appeal to the Secretary of State who
will then decide the appeal.
The applicant must appeal within six months of the date of the
decision notice. The decision of the Planning and Regulatory
Committee may also be challenged by judicial review on a point of
law. (Top of Page)
This page was last reviewed 20 August 2012 at 10:45.