Agenda item - Planning by Committee, Not by Government

Joint motion proposed by Councillor Ebel on behalf of the Green and Labour Groups.

55.1      The Notice of Motion as listed on the agenda was proposed by Councillor Ebel on behalf of the Green and Labour Groups and formally seconded by Councillor Childs.

55.2      Councillor Miller proposed an amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group, which was formally seconded by Councillor Bagaeen, who reserved his right to speak later in the debate.

55.3      Councillors O’Quinn, Littman and Gibson spoke on the motion and the amendment and expressed their opposition to the amendment. Councillors Janio and Bagaeen also spoke on the motion and their  support for the amendment.

55.4      Councillor Ebel thanked those Members for their supportive comments and confirmed that she did not accept the amendment.

55.5      The Mayor noted that the amendment had not been accepted and he therefore needed to put the amendment to the vote.

55.6      The Mayor called on each of the Group Leaders to confirm their position as well as the Groups in turn and each of the Independent Members:

Councillor Mac Cafferty stated that the Green Group were voting against the amendment and this was confirmed by the Members of the Green Group;

Councillor Platts stated that the Labour Group were voting against the amendment and this was confirmed by the Members of the Labour Group;

Councillor Bell stated that the Conservative Group were voting for the  amendment and this was confirmed by the Members of the Conservative Group;

Councillor Brennan confirmed that she was voting against the amendment;

Councillor Fishleigh confirmed that she was voting for the amendment;

Councillor Janio confirmed that he was voting against the amendment;

Councillor Knight confirmed that she was voting against the amendment.

55.7      The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been lost and therefore he needed to put the motion as listed and detailed below to the vote:

That this council supports the call of the Local Government Association to ‘Keep Planning Local,’ and calls on the Chief Executive to write to Robert Jenrick, MP, urging the Government to address flaws in the Government’s Planning White Paper and provide support for Local Planning Authorities, as follows:

1)    to consider reform to the Land Compensation Act, (as referenced in the 2018 Letwin Review of Build Outs) in order to prevent ‘land banking’ and ensure affordable housing provision [1]

2)    to provide additional funding to local planning authorities, to address the impact of long-term austerity cuts on local planning teams [2] and equip them with the resources needed to support local communities

3)    to increase, not restrict the ability of Local Planning Authorities and residents to influence local plans and planning applications, by abandoning current proposals to shorten the consultation process in favour of proposals that would enhance consultation and local control; [3] and

4)    to remove the imposition of further ‘housing targets,’ and ‘zonal’ plans that risk the status of green spaces in the city.

55.8      The Mayor called on each of the Group Leaders to confirm their position as well as the Groups in turn and each of the Independent Members:

Councillor Mac Cafferty stated that the Green Group were voting in favour of the motion and this was confirmed by the Members of the Green Group;

Councillor Platts stated that the Labour Group were voting in favour of the motion as amended and this was confirmed by the Members of the Labour Group;

Councillor Bell stated that the Conservative Group were voting against the motion and this was confirmed by the Members of the Conservative Group;

Councillor Brennan confirmed that she was voting for of the motion;

Councillor Fishleigh confirmed that she was voting for the motion;

Councillor Janio confirmed that he was voting against the motion;

Councillor Knight confirmed that she was voting for the motion.

55.9      The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried.