Agenda and minutes

Minutes of meeting held on 5^th March 2020 (previously circulated).

The minutes of 5^th March 2020 were agreed as a true record, and would be signed by the Chair at a later date.

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the duration of the 2020/21 municipal year.

The Chair requested nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of the Council Business Committee for the municipal year 2020-21.

It was proposed and seconded: 

“That Councillor David Whitaker be appointed Vice-Chair of the Council Business Committee for the municipal year 2020-21”.

There being no further nominations, the Chair declared the proposal to be carried.

Resolved:

That Councillor David Whitaker be appointed Vice-Chair of the Council Business Committee for the municipal year 2020-21.

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. 

Councillor David Whitaker declared that he was a member of Morecambe Town Council who had also submitted a response to the consultation at item 5.

There were no further declarations of interest.

Report of the Director of Economic Growth and Regeneration

Rebecca Richards, Planning Policy Officer, presented a report submitted by the Director of Economic Growth and Regeneration informing the Committee of the Proposed Changes to the Current Planning System, currently out for consultation but for which responses had to be submitted by 1^st October 2020.

The Committee were taken through the four main proposed changes, and asked a number of questions regarding the draft response (circulated prior to the meeting).

The Committee recognised the work that had been put into responding in detail to all 35 questions of the consultation, and it was proposed that the Officer recommendations be accepted.

Resolved:

(1)   That the comments raised in appendix 1 of the Report are submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as a formal response from the City Council;

(2)   That officers keep Members informed of progress on the implementation of these reforms.

There were no appointments to committees or changes to membership to report.