The Derbyshire Dales Council was scheduled to meet on 25 September 2025 to discuss the Gritstone Road planning appeal, review the members' allowance scheme, provide a capital programme update, review the revenue budget, discuss transforming revenues and benefits software, and consider IT equipment for councillors. Also on the agenda was a motion regarding the planning inspectorate's decision to refuse the proposed Wolds development on Gritstone Road.

Planning Appeal - Land at Gritstone Road, Matlock

A report was prepared to address issues raised after the Planning Inspector's decision regarding the hybrid application submitted by William Davis Limited for land between Sandy Lane, Bent Lane, and Gritstone Road, Matlock.

The report recommended the establishment of a task and finish group to review how the council and its appointed expert witnesses for the appeal considered evidence previously submitted by the Wolds Action Group (WAG). The review was scheduled to focus on the period from March 2024 onwards.

The report stated that the four reasons for refusal of the planning application were all based upon a 'lack of information' to determine precise levels of impact, and that none of the reasons raised a fundamental planning objection in principle to the development. It also stated that the expert witness team were tasked with reviewing the reasons for refusal in light of the appellant's appeal submission, and that Members received clear advice from Counsel that it was the strong view of the council's expert witnesses that the four reasons for refusal were capable of being overcome with suitable planning conditions and an appropriate s.106 obligation¹.

The report recommended that:

1. A task and finish group be established to review evidence provided by WAG and examine how that evidence was considered by the council and its retained expert witness team for the Appeal Inquiry.
2. The 'task and finish' group comprises one elected member from Matlock East & Tansley Ward, one elected member from Matlock West Ward plus one elected member from each remaining political group.
3. Authority be delegated to the Director of Governance and Corporate Services to select and appoint an independent person to support and facilitate the work of the Task and Finish Group.
4. The council's retained expert witnesses and legal Counsel be requested to participate in the work of the 'task and finish' group.
5. The findings of the 'task and finish' group be reported to a future meeting of the Community & Environment Committee.
6. The council note the costs incurred in these proceedings to date.
7. The council approves a supplementary revenue budget of £15,000, financed from the General Reserve, for expenditure associated with this Task and Finish Group.

Review of Members Allowance Scheme

A report was prepared that set out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) in response to a request from the council to look at elements of the existing Members' Allowance Scheme.

The IRP recommended that:

• A special responsibility allowance (SRA) should be paid for the Chair and Vice Chair of the recently established Local Plan Committee.
• Attendance at political group meetings should not be included in the list of approved duties.
• The current index linking inflationary increases with officer pay awards should continue for a further four years.

The report also noted that the Panel looked at its previous recommendations on how large a political group should be for the leader of that group to receive a SRA.

The report recommended that:

1. The report of the Independent Remuneration Panel be noted.
2. The existing Scheme of Members' allowances be amended in accordance with the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel with payment of new special responsibility allowances backdated to 29th May 2025.
3. Subject to the approval of recommendation 2, an additional £5,739 be included in the draft budget for 2026/27 to cover the cost of paying two additional Special Responsibility Allowances.

The appendix 1 - DDDC Supplementary Report Sept 2025 v3 080925 all checked clean stated that the IRP recommended that the qualifying threshold for an SRA to be paid to the Leader of a Minority Opposition Group is reset at three Group Members.

Capital Programme Update

A report was prepared that outlined spending for each project against the approved 2025/26 capital programme as at 30th June 2025, and sought approval for an updated capital programme for 2025/26 to 2029/30 and associated financing.

The report recommended that:

1. The Capital Programme expenditure to 30th June 2025 is noted.
2. Re-phasing of existing projects for completion over the next 5 years is approved.
3. Two new projects totalling £31,708 and detailed in paragraphs 2.7 and 2.8 is approved for inclusion in the capital programme.
4. The revised Capital Programme for 2025/26 to 2029/30, as shown in appendix A - 5 year Capital Programme, totalling £27,543,481 is approved.
5. Financing of the Capital Programme from sources summarised at paragraph 2.12 and shown in appendix b - 5 year Capital Programme Financing is approved.
6. The balance of funds available over the 5-year programme, shown at appendix b - 5 year Capital Programme Financing, is noted.

The new projects for approval included:

• Heavy Duty Rising Bollards at Mayfield Road Depot, Ashbourne
• IT Provision for Councillors

Revenue Budget Monitoring Quarter 1 2025/26

A report was prepared that provided an update on the council's revenue budget for 2025/26 and sought approval for virements² and the revised budget for 2025/26.

The report recommended that:

1. The updated revised revenue budget for 2025/26, including the virements as identified in paragraph 1.2 of the report, be approved.
2. The forecast underspending of £387,530 for 2025/26 be received and agreed.
3. A decision on which reserves to allocate the forecast underspend is taken later in the financial year, when there will be more certainty on the financial position.

Transforming Revenues and Benefits Software

A report was prepared that provided details of recent improvements made to the software used by the revenues and benefits service and an associated customer awareness campaign.

The report also provided information relating to a proposal to transform the software used by the revenues and benefits service to a cloud-based solution and sought approval for a supplementary revenue budget for this purpose.

The report recommended that:

1. The enhancements to the customer portal on the revenues and benefits customer portal are noted and Members support a public awareness campaign to increase uptake.
2. On the grounds of improved business continuity and other benefits set out in the report, approval is given for a joint project with North East Derbyshire District Council and Bolsover District Council to transform revenues and benefits software to a cloud-based solution.
3. Subject to the approval of recommendation (2), approval is given for a supplementary revenue budget of £59,675 in 2025/26 to be used to transform revenues and benefits software to a cloud-based solution, comprising a one-off cost of £45,050 and the ongoing additional costs of maintenance and support of £35,100 p.a. (assuming the increased fee will apply from 1st November 2025), financed from the Corporate Plan Priority Reserve.
4. Subject to the approval of recommendation (2), the ongoing additional costs of maintenance and support of £35,100 p.a. will be built into the Medium-Term Financial Plan.

Provision of IT Equipment for Councillors

A report was prepared that set out the findings of a review of the IT equipment currently supplied by the council, and proposed that laptops are purchased to replace iPads.

The report recommended that:

1. The proposal to give Councillors the option to replace their exiting iPads with laptops to be procured through the Joint ICT Support Service be endorsed.
2. A transfer of £19,708 from the IT Reserve for the 2025/26 financial year to meet the purchase cost of up to 34 laptops be approved.

Proposal of Notice of Motion Rule of Procedure 16

Councillor Stuart Lees, Leader of the Opposition submitted a motion regarding the planning inspectorate's decision to refuse the proposed Wolds development on Gritstone Road.

The motion stated that:

Local communities must be fully consulted and meaningfully involved in planning decisions that directly affect them. Decisions on major planning applications must be transparent, accountable, and based on sound professional advice. The handling of the Gritstone Road application by Derbyshire Dales Council raises legitimate concerns about process, costs, and transparency, echoing previous issues such as Haskell Farm case.

The motion resolved:

To remove Gritstone Road site from the local plan, providing certainty for residents and protecting the area from speculative applications. To commission an independent inquiry of the councils handling of the Gritstone Road application with terms of reference agreed by the full council. Not a paper exercise, not a box ticking review-a proper inquiry that establishes what advise was given, why it changed and who took the decisions. Clarify the decision- making process and the record of the confidential meeting at which the reversal occurred and for this to be published for transparency. Identify lessons to strengthen transparency, accountability and governance in future planning matters. Ensure that the enquiries findings and recommendations are published in full. The independent enquiry will confirm that if mistakes were made lessons can be learned. Either way transparency strengthens democracy- it does not weaken it.

The officer note regarding the motion advised that:

• The council cannot directly remove the Gritstone Road site from the Local Plan through a resolution.
• Any revision of the Local Plan must follow the statutory procedures under section 26 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004³, which require formal public consultation and independent Examination before the Secretary of State.
• The Local Plan review process is already underway, with the District Council seeking to complete the review and submit a revised Local Plan to the Secretary of State by December 2026.
• The council has discretion to commission an independent review into aspects of its handling of the application and appeal.
• Any such review must comply with Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders, with clear and proportionate Terms of Reference.
• Any process would also need to respect confidentiality and ensure it is conducted in line with the Council's governance framework.
• Members will have considered a substantive officer report on the Gritstone Road appeal earlier on the agenda. That report recommends establishing a Task & Finish Group with independent facilitation to review how the Wolds Action Group evidence was handled and to identify lessons learned.