| 860 | RECORD OF THE MEETING |
| | | The record of the meeting held on 16 November 2006 was signed by the Chairman as correct. |
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| 861 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE |
| | | Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Kearney (the Deputy Mayor) and Councillor T Warrington (parish council representative). |
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| 862 | UPDATE ON STANDARDS ISSUES |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Chairman updated the Committee on issues arising relating to the work of the Kent and Medway Independent Members of Standards Committees Group.
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The Monitoring Officer asked Members to note that the dates for the 5th Annual Assembly of Standards Committees had been set for Monday/Tuesday, 16/17 October 2006.
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| The Monitoring Officer noted that the latest in a series of parish liaison meetings had taken place on 15 February 2006. The meeting specifically looked at establishing protocols for parish councils dealing with planning matters.
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| The Monitoring Officer formally advised Members that he would be leaving the services of Medway Council on 31 March 2006 to take up a post at another authority. |
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| | > Update on standards issues (pdf file 10.7kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | (a) | | Members noted the feedback given from the meeting of independent members. |
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| | (b) | | Members asked that meetings between the Monitoring Officer and parish clerks continue in the future. |
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| | (c) | | Members asked that a formal vote of thanks to Mark Bowen (Medway Council's Monitoring Officer) from all Members be noted and wished him the best of luck in his new position. |
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| 863 | PROTOCOL FOR MEMBER PLANNING SITE VISITS |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Monitoring Officer introduced a report that asked Members to endorse the draft protocol for Member planning site visits which had been considered by the Development Control Committee on 24 January 2006. |
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| | > Protocol for Member planning site visits (pdf file 8.6kb) |
| | > Protocol for Members' site visits annex (pdf file 28.7kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | Members endorsed the protocol for Member site visits but asked that the recommendation be amended to read:
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| "The acting Chairman of the site visit will act as reporting Member to the Committee of key issues arising from the visit." |
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| 864 | PLANNING PRESENTATIONS AND PARISH COUNCILLORS |
| | Discussion: |
| | The Monitoring Officer presented a report that outlined draft guidance for when it is appropriate for parish councillors to enter into dialogue with developers or objectors to a development.
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| | > Planning presentations and parish councillors (pdf file 12.7kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | (a) | | That the Monitoring Officer write to all clerks to advise them to appraise parish councillors on good practice of lobbying as set out in the Medway Planning Code of Good Practice; |
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| | (b) | | That the Monitoring Officer writes to parish clerks to advise them to consider options set out in paragraph 4.8 of this report on good practice on contact with developers/objectors; |
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| | (c) | | That bullet point 2 of paragraph 4.8 of the report be amended to read:
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| | • | charging a small Committee of Councillors to meet with developers with the parish clerk present, who would then report back to "planning Members" who would not take part in such discussions. |
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| 865 | WORK PROGRAMME OF STANDARDS COMMITTEE - 2005/2006 |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Monitoring Officer presented a report that set out the work of the Committee over the previous year. |
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| | > Work programme of Standards Committee (pdf file 14.7kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | That the Council be advised of the work of the Committee as set out in section 4 of this report. |
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