Issue - meetings

The Chairman to report on the “Away-Day” held on 11^th December 2009. 

(1)       Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference for the Standards Committee were discussed and a separate report has been included as item 9 on this agenda.

(2)       Planning Training

The issue of planning training for Members was raised in the context of Members’ input into policy development, for example, the Local Development Framework. The Member Training Programme is currently being developed and, if required, arrangements can be made for a session which will focus on this aspect of planning.

In July 2009, Trevor Roberts Associates delivered an in-house planning session to Members of Cheshire East Council.  Although this was principally related to planning enforcement, the topic of general planning was also covered.  A copy of the programme for the event is enclosed.

On 15^th February 2010 Members will be invited to attend an in-house planning training session which will focus on conservation matters, and later in the year a session on development control is planned. 

At the conclusion of the March meeting of the Committee, a one-hour planning training session is to be delivered to the non-elected Members. 

Each elected Member of the Council has already been provided with a “Development Management Member Pack” and copies of this will be available at the meeting for non-elected Members of the Committee.

(3)       Complaints Form

The complaints form, based on guidance by Standards for England, has already been up-loaded onto the website. The Chairman has requested the inclusion of this item for review by Members of the Committee.  A copy of the current complaints form is attached for consideration.

The Chairman reported on the “Away-Day” held on 11^th December 2009.  In addition to Members of the Standards Committee, the Vice-Chairman of Cheshire West and Chester Council was also in attendance.  The following issues had arisen during the event -

(1)       Terms of Reference

It was noted that there was a separate report on the agenda in respect of the Terms of Reference for the Standards Committee.

(2)       Planning Training

The issue of planning training for Members had been raised in the context of Members’ input into policy development, for example, the Local Development Framework. The Member Training Programme was currently being developed and, if required, arrangements could be made for a session which would focus on this aspect of planning.

In July 2009, Trevor Roberts Associates had delivered an in-house planning session to Members of Cheshire East Council.  Although this had principally related to planning enforcement, the topic of general planning had also been covered.  A copy of the programme for the event was submitted for information.

It was reported that on 15^th February 2010 Members would be invited to attend an in-house planning training session which would focus on conservation matters, and later in the year a session on development control was planned. 

At the conclusion of the March meeting of the Committee, a one-hour planning training session was to be delivered to the non-elected Members. 

Each elected Member of the Council had already been provided with a “Development Management Member Pack” and copies of this were now available for non-elected Members of the Committee.

(3)       Complaints Form

The complaints form, based on the toolkit provided by Standards for England, had already been up-loaded onto the website and a copy was now submitted to the Committee for consideration

The Chairman had requested the inclusion of this item for review by Members. 

Discussion focused on question 3 which related to equality monitoring information. Members were of the view that the question was intrusive and likely to dissuade members of the public from completing the form.  It was suggested that the question be removed from the body of the complaints form, and attached as a separate sheet to be marked “optional”.

Members also commented that the explanatory notes accompanying the complaints form were couched in language which was complicated. 

It was noted that local authorities were under a statutory duty to promote equality.  The explanatory notes and the question on equality monitoring had been based on the toolkit provided by Standards for England.

RESOLVED:

That the following changes be made to the complaints form –

(a)                     Question 3 be removed from the body of the form, and appended as a separate sheet marked to the effect that its completion was optional; and

(b)                     Contact details currently provided on page 5 of the form be repeated in a prominent position on the front page.