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Meeting: 10/12/2010 - Cheshire Local Access Forum (Item 45)
45 Cheshire West and Chester - Benefits of Delegated Decision Making (11.30 - 11.45) 
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Angela Simpson to report on the operation of the Delegated Decision Making in Cheshire West and Chester
Minutes:
Councillor Richard Short, Culture and Recreation Portfolio Holder, Cheshire West and Chester Council, was in attendance for this item. He reported that Cheshire West and Chester Council had introduced delegated decision making for public rights of way matters in July 2010.
The delegated process included the preparation of a Report on the particular Definitive Map Modification Order, Public Path Order or Village Green application. The Report would contain a statement of the relevant facts, an outline of the consultation responses received and an analysis of the application of the relevant law. The Report would be published on the Council’s website and members of the Public Rights of Way Committee, Local Ward Members and any other interested Councillor would be advised of the publication. Any Member of the Council could, within 28 days of publication, call-in the matter to be determined by the Public Rights of Way Committee. If no call-in was received, the Head of Culture and Recreation was entitled to confirm the recommendation contained in the Report as a decision of the Council.
The benefits of the new streamlined procedures included:
· the process was based on the existing planning delegated decision making and therefore reflected a clear, uniform model for all Cheshire West and Chester regulatory decision-making
· the processing of Legal Orders could be achieved more efficiently – few of the decisions were so sensitive or contentious that they warranted the additional time and delay involved in generating and preparing a committee report and justifying the subsequent attendance at the Public Rights of Way Committee by both Members and Officers
· decisions were not held up waiting for a Committee to meet and provide a decision
· the Reports were readily accessible on the website so there was an increased transparency of process and a wider readership and public awareness
· the Call-in procedure provided a safeguard for the process