Decision

RESOLVED - That Council:

1)       Notes the introduction of the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026 which introduce the new National Scheme of Delegation relating to the determination of planning applications.

2)       Approves that, for the purposes of the Regulations, the Chief Planning Officer (Head of Planning and Development) be designated as the nominated officer and, in accordance with the Council’s Officer Delegation Scheme, the Development Management Group Leaders be authorised to exercise those functions in the Chief Planning Officer’s absence.

3)       Approves that the nominated Member shall be the Chair of the Planning Committee, with an appropriate substitute member acting in their place where the Chair is not available or is unable to act where there is an own interest application and the nominated member has an interest in it.

4)       Delegates authority to the Chief Planning Officer (Head of Planning and Development), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Chairs of Planning Committee, to develop, agree and implement the procedural and operational arrangements necessary to give effect to the new delegation arrangements to be implemented with effect from 31 October 2026.

5)       Approves the amendments shown in tracked changes and the proposed drafts set out in the appendices below, subject to paragraph 1.1.1(c) of the list of Schedule 2 applications which shall be capable of referral to Planning Committee being amended, in accordance with the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee, to read: ‘Any major development that encompasses over 40 houses or exceeding 1,500 square metres gross floor space’:

-       Schedule 2 applications that shall be capable of referral to Planning Committee for determination, should the gateway test be met,

-       Updated Section F – Scheme of Delegation – Executive Director Place – Investment and Regeneration Section A - Development Management, Strategic and Neighbourhood Planning and Highways Transportation

-       Terms of Reference of the Strategic Planning Committee

-       Terms of Reference of the District Wide Planning Committee

6)       Delegates authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning to make any other consequential constitutional amendments necessary to implement the changes arising from the new legislation and approved within this report.