Planning and Licensing Committee

Planning and Licensing Committee

Purpose

The purpose of the Planning and Licensing Committee is to review planning and licensing applications to seek to ensure the character of the Parish is retained within any new development in the area. The Committee shall also review and respond to the Eastleigh Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy and Local Plan when released for consultation every five years.

Membership

1. The committee shall comprise of at least five Council members with the option to co-opt one member of the public with voting rights, together with such substitute members as may be appointed by the Council in accordance with Standing Order 4(e)(v). A substitute member shall attend and have the same voting rights as the ordinary member they are replacing for that meeting
2. Members shall be appointed at the annual meeting of the council or, in the case of the resignation of a member(s), at an ordinary council meeting.
3. The co-opted member of the public shall be appointed by Full Council and shall serve for such period as determined by the Council.
4. Committee meetings shall be subject to a quorum of 3 voting members.
5. As per the Standing Orders, the Chair of Council has voting rights on the occasion of their attendance at committee.

Chair

The Committee will elect a chair at the first meeting of the Committee, following the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.

The Chair and Parish Clerk shall jointly have delegated authority to determine the classification of an application, where the appropriate route is unclear.  Alternatively, the Chair may refer the matter directly to the Committee.

Conduct of Meetings

1. The committee shall meet at least four times a year or as required in accordance with the Planning Applications Protocol. All meetings will be held in accordance with the council’s standing orders. 
2. The committee shall carry out all matters in accordance with the council’s Standing Orders and any other related policies.
3. All meetings of the committee will be minuted by the Clerk or other appropriate staff member.
4. All minutes of the committee meetings will be provided to the Full Council.
5. Members of the press and public will be allowed to attend meetings and make representations in relation to advertised business items of the agenda in accordance with standing orders.
6. Subject to Standing Orders, Councillors who are not appointed members or substitute members of the Committee may attend but shall not have automatic voting rights. They may participate in the same manner as other members of the public, subject to Standing Orders and the discretion of the Chair of Committee.  

Delegated Powers 

To execute and perform the following functions :

1. To receive, consider and respond to planning applications and operational matters. In accordance with the Council’s Planning Applications Protocol.
2. To consider matters relating to listed building consents, buildings of special architectural interest, historic buildings and conservation areas.
3. To identify, comment upon, and refer to the relevant authorities any matters considered to be in breach of planning permission.
4. To respond to all relevant consultation documents relating to planning and associated matters.
5. To consider and comment upon all other planning matters relating to the parish.
6. To consider and respond to licensing applications, and licensing consultations referred to the Council by the relevant licensing authority.
7. To review the Eastleigh Borough Council Local Plan and Statement of Licensing Policy when released for consultation and make recommendations to Full Council regarding the Council’s response. 
8. To prepare, review and maintain a Parish Council Planning Statement for consideration and approval by Full Council.
9. Planning applications which would otherwise be dealt with under delegated arrangements may be referred to the Planning Committee for consideration at the request of any Parish Councillor, through ‘Call-In’, in accordance with the Council’s Planning Applications Protocol.

Exclusions from Delegation

The Committee may not act on the Council’s behalf but instead must make recommendations to the Council in respect of the following matters:

1. any response to principal planning policy consultations, including the Local Plan, and
2. any functions specifically referred by statute to the whole Council.

Reporting line

The Planning and Licensing Committee reports to Council.