Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 March 2011
Report Title
Are there background papers?
Exempt
Reason for Exemption?
Key Decision?
If Key Decision is it on the Forward Plan?
Decision for Full Council?
Ward(s) affected?
Responsible Cabinet Member name
Contact Officer
E-mail address
Telephone number
Are there Non Electronic Appendices?
List of Background Papers
Review of Development Control Committee
Arrangements
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
All
Virginia Gay
No
No
No
No
No
Steve Oxenham
Steve.oxenham@north-norfolk.gov.uk
01263 516135
Yes No
File Location:
PLEASE REFER TO SECTION 7 OF THE GUIDANCE NOTES FOR TEMPLATES
Implications / Risks:
Have you identified & explained within the report the implications of the options available to members?
(Implications should include financial, legal and links to the
Council’s existing policies and strategies)
Have you highlighted the Risks to the Council?
Financial Implications and Risks to the Council should have their own separate headings. It is not acceptable to simply state that financial implications or risks have been alluded to in the main body of the report.
Yes
Yes
None
None

Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Have you considered Sustainability issues in relation to this report?
Sustainability should have its own separate heading. It is not acceptable to simply state that Sustainability has been alluded to in the main body of the report.
Yes
Have you considered Equality and Diversity issues in relation to this report?
Equality and Diversity should have its own separate heading. It is not acceptable to simply state that Equality and Diversity has been alluded to in the main body of the report.
Yes
This report has been subject to the following processes:
Consultations with:
Cabinet Member Yes
Local Member
Not applicable
S151 Officer
Yes
Yes
Not applicable
Monitoring Officer
Not Applicable
Democratic Services Manager
Not Applicable
Communications Manager
Not Applicable
Other Head(s) of Service: n/a
Yes
Yes
Yes
2 March 2011
None
None
If not please state reason below
If not please state reason below
If not please state reason below
If not please state reason below
If not please state reason below
If not please state reason below
Please confirm this report has been signed off by:
Management Team
Relevant Strategic Director
The Chief Executive
Yes
Yes
Yes
Not apt
Not apt
Not apt

Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 March 2011
Agenda Item No______10_______
Review of Development Control Committee Arrangements
Summary:
This report reviews the operation of the Development Control
Committee since the move to a single Committee as required by
Council in approving the revised arrangements in April 2010
Recommendations: In the interests of the continuing efficiency of service delivery, it is recommended to Council that it retains the single Development
Control Committee structure comprising approximately 14 Members
(depending on political balance) with effect from May 2011.
Cabinet member(s): Ward(s) affected:
Councillor Virginia Gay
Contact Officer, telephone number, and e-mail:
All
Steve Oxenham, Head of Planning and Building Control
Ext 6135 email steve.oxenham@north-norfolk.gov.uk
1.
1.2. Members will recall, following consideration by this Committee on 21 April 2010, that Full Council the following week resolved that in the interests of the efficiency of service delivery, a newly constituted single Development Committee structure comprising 14 Members be adopted; that political group leaders bring membership of the combined Committee for approval to Council on 29 June; and that the Committee structure be reviewed at the meeting of this Committee on 2
March 2011. Members are referred to the attached Table (xx) which sets out a schedule of meetings of Development Control Committee held during the current financial year, during which twelve scheduled meetings and one special meeting
(to deal with the Sheringham supermarket applications) have been held.
1.3. Leaving aside the special meeting, it will be noted that some 112 applications and 37 other matters have been considered at the 12 meetings, giving rise to a total of 149 items. The figures indicate therefore that an average of some 9.3 applications and 3.1 other matters were considered at each meeting. Nine of the meetings were completed by lunchtime, with three running into the afternoon period.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 March 2011
1.4. Changes to the Committee structure have enabled a restructuring of officer support arrangements to take place and this has contributed to a saving during the year 2010/11 in Planning and Building Control of some £198,000.
1.5. Clearly Members will wish to balance a number of factors in reaching a recommendation as to whether the single Committee arrangement is continued, but from the point of view of staffing and resourcing it is pointed out that following the Planning and Building Control restructuring a move back to more than one
Committee would be considerably more difficult to achieve and would require additional resources to be sought or staff diverted from other work.
1.6. It is also considered that the evidence in terms of Committee workload does not in itself justify the need to revert to a two area Committee structure.
1.7. Finally it is pointed out that the designation of reserve dates in the Council’s calendar means that the option exists to include additional Committee meetings in exceptional circumstances should the workload require this.
2. Financial Implications
2.1. The most efficient outcome would be the continuation of existing arrangements for Development Control Committee structure, involving continuation of the saving of approximately £15,000 per annum. These savings would be eliminated in the event of the Council deciding to revert to the two area Committee structure.
3. Risk to the Council
3.1. In the light of the experience of the year under the current arrangements it is considered that risks to the Council have, if anything, been reduced through greater efficiency of process and consistency of decision-making.
4. Sustainability
4.1. Continuation of the present arrangements has no impact on the Council’s carbon footprint.
5. Equality and Diversity
5.1. It is not considered that this proposal would have any impact on equality or diversity issues for anyone in the community.
6. Section 15 Crime and Disorder
6.1. It is not considered that this proposal would have any implications for the
Council’s crime and disorder responsibilities.
7. Recommendation
7.1. In the interests of the continuing efficiency of service delivery, it is recommended to Council that it retains the single Committee structure comprising approximately
14 Members (depending on political balance) with effect from May 2011.