A report asking the Committee to consider a proposed Member Planning Code of Conduct.

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report outlining a new draft Planning Code of Conduct, as attached to the report as Appendix 1, for the Committee to consider.

Following updated advice published by the Local Government Association in 2019, Probity in planning Advice for councillors and officers making planning decision, a first draft was facilitated by an external firm of solicitors to support the revision of the current Planning Code of Conduct.  In October 2022 the remit of the Standards Committee was expanded to include oversight of the Planning Code of Conduct.  Therefore, the Committee considered the draft new Code, and the following suggestions were made:

·       To include the option for Members to request site visits.

·       Outline the role of the developer or agent at site visits.

·       Consider the use of ‘should’ or ‘must’ in the document and where these terms should be used in relation to obligation rather than advisory.

·       Current training should reflect the new Code.

The Committee noted that the new document was accessible and reflected current good practice. 

An updated final version would be circulated to the Committee.

Resolved –

(1)        That the draft Planning Code attached as Appendix 1 be noted;

(2)        That the draft Planning Code be amended as per suggestions outlined in the minute above and the final draft be considered by the Committee at a future meeting.