Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rory Colville, Lorna Douglas, Audrey Forrest, Roderick McCuish and Sandy Taylor.

There were no declarations of interest.

a)    The Minute of the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee held on 22 January 2020 was approved as a correct record.

b)      The Minute of the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee held on 29 January 2020 was approved as a correct record.

Report by Acting Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Scottish Government published a consultation on their proposals to revise the planning performance and fees regimes on 18 December 2019 and sought feedback by 14 February 2020.  A report identifying the potential implications for the Council that these proposals will give rise to, and setting out details of the Council’s response to the consultation paper, was before the Committee for consideration.

The Development Manager also advised that the consultation did not provide clarity on proposals for exemptions and reductions and further clarity was requested in this regard.

Decision

The Committee agreed to endorse the response to the consultation which was submitted on 14 February 2020 as per the commentary attached to Appendix A of the report.  This position set out the general support for the proposals on planning performance reporting, and sought to maximise the potential financial benefits to the Council from planning fee income.

(Reference: Report by Acting Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 31 January 2020, submitted)

Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth

Over the past 7 years a series of training sessions have been delivered for all elected Members with an aim to improve the knowledge of the planning system on a wide range of issues.  A report seeking endorsement of the training programme from April 2020 to March 2021 was considered.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    agreed to continue with an ongoing programme of planning related training for Members of the PPSL Committee, which should also be open to any other Members not currently involved in planning decision making;

2.    endorsed the initial subject areas for training and the provisional dates for delivery on the understanding that the programme may be varied to take account of any additional training requirements Members may wish to identify, along with any other particular training needs identified by Officers as a consequence of matters emerging during the course of the year; and

3.    agreed that the following topics should also be included in the programme for 2020/21 –

·         The Masterplan process

·         Industrial Growth

(Reference: Report by Head of Development and Economic Development, submitted)

Report by Head of Legal and Regulatory Support

This application was previously considered by the Committee at a hearing on 18 December 2019 where Members agreed to continue consideration of the application in order for the Applicant to present medical evidence to the Committee.  A letter from the Applicant’s G.P. was subsequently received by the Licensing Authority 24 January 2020. 

Consideration was given to a report inviting those Members present that attended the hearing on 18 December 2019 to consider this medical evidence submitted and determine whether or not a Taxi Operator Licence should be granted to Mr Miller.

DECISION

The Committee agreed to grant a Taxi Operator Licence to Mr Miller.

(Reference: Report by Head of Legal and Regulatory Support, submitted)

The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the press and public for the following item of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 13 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Report by Acting Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

Consideration was given to a report bringing to Members’ attention the request for a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) under The Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Orders and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2010.

Decision

The Committee agreed the recommendation in the report.

Having moved an Amendment which failed to find a seconder, Councillor George Freeman asked for his dissent from the foregoing decision to be recorded.

(Reference: Report by Acting Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 19 February 2020, submitted)