Issue - meetings

This report informs Members of changes made to the Development Management function to formalise the provision of high quality, customer focused pre-application service, and seeks approval for the introduction of new fees and charges as a contribution towards the cost of the discretionary service. 

RESOLVED: (i)         That Option B be endorsed and that the proposals to introduce the Development Management approach, with charging for the provision of pre-application advice in relation to planning and associated applications, be approved.

REASON:      So that Officers can prepare for the implementation of an improved, customer-orientated approach to the provision of discretionary planning advice.

                        (ii)        That the fees and charges outlined in Annex 2 to the report be approved for implementation from 1 January 2011.

REASON:      So that the continued provision of an enhanced pre-application service can be assured.

                        (iii)       That Officers prepare and publish details of guidelines / protocols explaining the nature and operation of the service and that these be publicised before the new arrangements are implemented.

REASON:      So that developers and agents are aware of the reasons for the introduction of the new service arrangements and understand in advance of implementation how they will operate.

                        (iv)       That a review of the service and arrangements for it be undertaken, with a report to be brought to Executive in January 2012.

REASON:      So that the Executive may be advised of the impact of the proposals and consider any revisions to them as may be deemed necessary.

Members considered a report which informed them of changes made to the Development Management function, to formalise the provision of a high quality, customer-focused pre-application service, and sought approval to introduce new fees and charges as a contribution towards the cost of the discretionary service.

The changes were associated with the transition earlier in the year from Development Control to Development Management.  The proposed new pre-application service, as detailed in paragraphs 11 to 21 of the report, would be more structured, time-bound and customer-focused than the existing arrangements for providing advice before submission of planning applications.  It was noted that an increasing number of local authorities now charged for pre-application advice, and some of these were listed in Annex 1 to the report.  Details of the new fees proposed for York were set out in Annex 2.

Members were invited to consider the following options:

Option A – do not introduce charging for pre-application and other discretionary advice currently provided.

Option B – introduce charging for discretionary advice, as set out in Annex 2.  This was the recommended option, as it would provide the optimum balance between recovering costs and encouraging pre-application engagement.

Option C – introduce charging, but with a generally lower fee rate.

Option D – introduce charging, but with a generally higher fee rate.

Having noted the comments of the Labour Group Spokespersons on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That Option B be endorsed and that the proposals to introduce the Development Management approach, with charging for the provision of pre-application advice in relation to planning and associated applications, be approved.

REASON:      So that Officers can prepare for the implementation of an improved, customer-orientated approach to the provision of discretionary planning advice.

                        (ii)        That the fees and charges outlined in Annex 2 to the report be approved for implementation from 4 January 2011. ^1.

REASON:      So that the continued provision of an enhanced pre-application service can be assured.

                        (iii)       That Officers prepare and publish details of guidelines / protocols explaining the nature and operation of the service and that these be publicised before the new arrangements are implemented. ^2.

REASON:      So that developers and agents are aware of the reasons for the introduction of the new service arrangements and understand in advance of implementation how they will operate.

                        (iv)       That a review of the service and arrangements for it be undertaken, with a report to be brought to Executive in January 2012. ^3.

REASON:      So that the Executive may be advised of the impact of the proposals and consider any revisions to them as may be deemed necessary.