MINUTES
Committee
TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE
TIS Planning
Date
Thursday 2nd March 2006
Venue
Wellington Room
First Floor
27 Queen Anne’s Gate,
London
SW1H 9BU
Present
Ron Percival (Chair)
John Anderson
Wendy Lane
Peter Geraghty
In attendance
Sarah Jeal (Secretary)
Action
1.
1.1
Apologies
Apologies were received from Steve Robson.
2.
2.1
Membership
It was noted that Mike Haslam had retired from the group.
2.2
The group agreed that there was a need to recruit more members to
the editorial board.
2.3
Sarah confirmed that the RTPI had published requests for
volunteers in their News pages in Planning magazine. She agreed
to continue placing adverts in this publication and on the POS
website.
SJ
2.4
The group suggested drafting an article on the editorial board for
publication in Planning magazine, which could also be used in the
POS newsletter. Sarah to progress with input from John.
SJ/JA
2.5
It was suggested that it might be possible to have links to the TIS
board in the RTPI CPD newsletters and websites, emphasising how
contributing qualifies for CPD schemes.
2.6
John suggested that it would be useful to have feedback on the
current content, and proposed future topics. Sarah agreed to put up
a news item on the proposed topics and collate any feedback for the
next meeting.
SJ
2.7
It was suggested that flyers or a display be used at the RTPI summer
school in September. John to contact Ian Ellis regarding this
possibility as well as asking him for a contact in the Planning
magazine editorial team.
JA
2.8
Peter agreed to raise the issue of recruitment at the committee
meetings he attends.
PG
2.9
It was suggested that IPF may want to sponsor an award at the RTPI
annual awards, to raise awareness of the TIS Planning information
stream. Sarah to investigate.
SJ
2.10
It was agreed that Sarah would contact Stuart MacMillan at
Bromley again regarding a London representative from the London
Borough Planning Officers Society.
SJ
3.
3.1
Minutes of the Last Meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 21st June 2005 were accepted as
correct.
4.
4.1
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising that were not covered elsewhere on
the agenda.
5.
Review of the Volume
5.1
Introduction (Ron Percival)
The introduction was published in July 2005.
5.2
5.3
5.4
Planning Legislation (Ron Percival)
This section requires updating. Ron to progress. He suggested that
he use the work that Amanda Beresford has drafted for the
Regeneration volume as a base. He aims to produce the draft by the
end of May.
Peter suggested that a member of the RTPI legal group may be
interested in participating. He agreed to think about a contact.
New Development Planning System (Wendy Lane)
Wendy presented a draft which will combine the regional spatial
strategies, spatial planning, local development framework and
community planning sections.
5.5
Wendy noted that there were some gaps in the section as these were
topics that would be picked up elsewhere in the information stream.
The group agreed that the draft needed to be expanded in the way
that Wendy proposed which included sections on annual
monitoring reports and sustainability and environmental
assessments. Ron suggested that the revised draft be published as
soon as possible, and in the longer term, Wendy could add some
contextual background on LAAs, Strategic local partnerships and
community planning.
5.6
Wendy to send a revised draft to Sarah for publication by the end of
this month, and have an enlarged draft with contextual information
ready for comment at the next meeting.
5.7
5.8
Europe (Dave Wood, Sandwell)
Sarah explained that John Sylvester had given her Dave Wood’s
contact details as a possible author.
Dave had agreed to draft a section on Europe, but had explained
that he was currently busy with preparations for a CPA inspection.
A draft would be sent on when this process was over.
5.9
Sustainable Communities
It was suggested that this be included in a new section on basic
principles (see later).
5.10
Housing (Steve Robson)
Sarah confirmed that Steve is working on a draft that will be
circulated via email after the meeting.
5.11
5.12
5.13
5.14
5.15
WL
Section 106 Agreements (Peter Geraghty)
This section was published in February 2005 but is now due for
review. Peter to update, explaining the current debate and include
recent consultations.
DW/SJ
SR
PG
E-Planning (David Addyman)
Sarah confirmed that the section on PARSOL had been received
from Martin Howell and was published in January 2006.
It was agreed that Martin should be asked to update the section
every six months to take into account the rapid changes in this area.
SJ/MH
Regeneration (Amanda Beresford, TIS Regeneration board)
A section by a member of the TIS Regeneration editorial board on
regeneration and planning was circulated for comment as the basis
of a regeneration section.
It was agreed that the draft contained some useful information, and
Ron proposed that he extract information for use in relevant
Planning sections and supplement this with some more background
on Regeneration aims and objectives (though this might simply be
a link through to the Regeneration volume). He agreed to do this
by the end of May 2006.
RP
5.16
5.17
5.18
5.19
5.20
5.21
5.22
5.23
5.24
5.25
5.26
Contaminated Land (John Anderson)
This section was published in January 2006.
Enforcement (Peter Geraghty)
This section had been allocated to Mike Haslam, who has now left
the group. Peter agreed to draft this section, with input from John,
in time for the next meeting. It was agreed that the section should
include some contextual information on the anti social behaviour
agenda and possibly inks to other volumes such as Environmental
Health (FOOTNOTE Apparently POS are doing some work on
enforcement – John East (Southwark) can supply contact details)
PG/JA
Appeals (vacant)
There was debate as to the nature of this section, with general
agreement that it would be a factual section tied into the legislation
section with signposts to other sites detailing case studies and good
practice guidance.
However, it was agreed that it would be more appropriate if this
information was included under the legislation section, rather than
as a stand-alone section.
Planning Aid (Steve Robson)
Steve had confirmed that this section was in progress and would be
circulated via email for comment after the meeting. (FOOTNOTE
contact Debbie Sorkin at RTPI for an update n what the Institute is
putting in place – Debbie.sorkin@rtpi.org.uk)
RP
SR
Planning Delivery Grant (Sarah Jeal)
This section would need to be updated to include the new figures.
It was agreed that PDG could be referred to under the Budgets
section rather than as a section on its own.
Heritage/Historic Environment (John Anderson)
John volunteered to draft this section for the next meeting.
JA
Resource Management (John Anderson)
John presented his draft on resource management, which the group
agreed was ready for publication pending some small additions.
John agreed to include some further references to good practice,
including Woking’s good practice guide, the GLA toolkit, and the
consultation paper on energy efficiency, and return the draft to
Sarah for publication.
Best Value and CPA (Ron Percival)
Ron agreed to update this section to take account of changes since
November 2005, and have a draft ready for comment at the end of
May.
JA
RP
5.27
5.28
5.29
Performance Management (Peter Geraghty)
Peter confirmed that he would update this section, but would
incorporate the process mapping information, rather than drafting it
as a separate section. He agreed to have a draft ready for the next
meeting. (FOOTNOTE check out the PAS benchmarking material
on their website)
John to send Peter information on performance management that he
produced for the audit commission.
PG
JA
Process Mapping (Peter Geraghty)
See above.
5.30
Procurement (Ron Percival)
Ron agreed to review this section to include information on
partnerships, with a deadline of the end of May.
RP
5.31
Equality and Diversity (Ron Percival)
Ron agreed to review this section to include information on the
Gypsy and traveller agenda, with a deadline of the end of May.
RP
5.32
John stated that he had a colleague who may be able to provide
information.
JA
5.33
Business Plans (Steve Wilson)
It was agreed that Peter would review this section with a view to
incorporating it into the Performance Management section.
PG
5.34
Budgets (Steve Wilson)
Ron agreed to review the sections to see whether any changes need
to be made, but could not commit to updating it at this stage.
RP
5.35
It was agreed that the PDG, including exit strategies, should sit
under this section.
5.36
Sarah agreed to see if any of the TIS Budgeting editorial board
members were in a position to help.
5.37
It was also suggested that the budgeting section should include
strategic themes as well as the practical budgeting information.
5.38
Wendy noted that she had a diagram we could use, which may
clarify the structures. Wendy to supply.
5.39
Structures (Ron Percival)
It was agreed that this section could be replaced by a section on
partnerships, which Ron agreed to investigate, but could not commit
to write at this time.
RP
WL
RP
5.40
5.41
Sources of Information (Sarah Jeal)
Sarah confirmed that she kept these sections up to date on a rolling
basis, but was currently looking for a list of EU directives. Ron
suggested Will Werry as a source of information.
New Topics
Anti-social Behaviour and Planning
Wendy to provide contextual element to feed into the enforcement
section.
5.42
Basic Principles
It was agreed that there should be a section on the basic principles
of planning which could be referred back to in subsequent drafts,
rather than contributors having to repeat information in each draft.
This could include sustainable communities information.
5.43
Front-loading/Shaping Agenda
John suggested that there should be reference made to planning
culture, which Peter agreed to pick up in the performance
management section. John to send information to Peter.
5.44
Householder Consents
It was agreed that the board would need to review the content in the
future in the light of any changes brought about by the deregulation
agenda.
5.45
Transportation
John agreed to review the content on TIS Transport with regard to
making links between the two titles on common topics. Sarah to
confirm details of drafts in progress.
5.46
Climate Change
Wendy suggested that there should be a section within the basic
principles chapter on climate change.
5.47
Marine Planning
It was agreed that there should be a watching brief on this area.
5.48
Contingency/Emergency Planning
It was agreed that there should be a watching brief on this subject,
along with links to other TIS titles.
6.
6.1
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting was set for Thursday 28th September 2006 at
11am, and will be held in the IPF London offices.
7.
7.1
Any Other Business
There was no further business.
WL
JA/PG
JA/SJ