Issue - meetings
National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions
Meeting: 16/09/2026 - Council (Item 9.)
9. National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions 
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Purpose
To put arrangements in place to amend the Constitution when national changes to the functioning of Planning Committees in England come into effect (on 31 October 2026).
Recommendations
That Council resolves to:
1. Agree that a 12-Member Planning Committee will replace the Strategic Planning Committee and Development Management Sub-Committee following the October meeting cycle and that the Planning Committee will meet on the dates currently scheduled for the Development Management Sub-Committee.
2. Delegate authority to the Director of Governance and Regulatory Services to appoint Members to the Planning Committee in accordance with political proportionality and the nominations made by political groups.
3. Agree that the Chair of the Planning Committee will be the “nominated member” under the Regulations with the Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee as substitute, and that the Head of Planning will be the “nominated officer”, with the Development Management Manager the substitute.
4. Agree that the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee will be paid the Special Responsibility Allowances payable to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Development Management Sub-Committee under the Members Allowances Scheme 2023/24 to 2026/27.
5. Agree that all own-interest applications will be considered by the nominated member and nominated officer for referral to the Planning Committee, meaning that no own-interest applications will automatically be delegated to officers.
6. Delegate authority to the Director of Governance and Regulatory Services, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee and the Chair of the Constitution Working Group, to update the Constitution (including parts 3C, 4F and 6Q) to put the new arrangements in place to ensure compliance with The Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, following consideration by the Constitution Working Group.
Additional documents: