Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on 8^th February 2023. 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 8^th February, 2023 were signed by the Chair as a correct record.

There were no items of Urgent Business.

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no Declarations of Interest made.

Morecambe Future High Streets Bid Informal Task Group

The Chair presented the final report of the Morecambe Future High Streets Bid Informal Task Group to the Committee.

The report was unanimously agreed.

Planning Informal Task Group

The Committee went on to consider the second Informal Task Group report. It was noted that the Head of Planning and Place was not able to attend due to illness but his comments on the report had been circulated and Recommendation 7 had been amended accordingly.

Members discussed the findings of the Task Group and unanimously agreed to make the amendments to recommendations 3 and 10 as detailed below :

Recommendation 3 :-

That Council Business Committee, in the new municipal year, be requested to seek the views of the new Chair of the Planning Regulatory Committee as to the most suitable location for meetings of that Committee. 

Recommendation 10 :-

With consistency being vital to public confidence in the planning system the Task Group strongly urges that there should be constant review of the question of how to secure maximum consistency of approach amongst officers. 

Subject to the above amended recommendations the report was unanimously agreed. 

The Chair thanked the Principal Democratic Support Officer for his hard work in producing the report in such a short space of time and the Committee members who had taken part in the Task Group.

Resolved :-

(1)   That the Morecambe Future High Streets Bid Informal Task Group and the Planning Informal Task Group report, as amended above, be submitted to the Monitoring Officer in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 12. 

(2)    That the Principal Democratic Support Officer be thanked for his hard work in producing the report in such a short space of time and the Committee members who had taken part in the Task Group.

Attached provided by Lancashire County Council. 

The Committee was advised that Lancashire County Council had provided information on flooding in Lancaster that was included on the agenda but had declined to provide attendance at the meeting.

Resolved :-

(1)   That the information regarding flooding measures in Lancaster be noted.

(2)   That the Committee refer the issue to the new Committee to consider after the May 2023 elections.