Council and democracy

This procedure relates to the consideration of a planning application as defined in the Members Referral Procedure. In exceptional circumstances, the procedure can be modified at the Chair’s discretion.

The Procedure is as follows:

1. (a) Before the meeting takes place you will be asked whether you wish to address the meeting, and if so, what item(s) you are interested in and in what capacity you will be speaking i.e. objector, supporter, applicant or agent. You are urged to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the meeting to allow the order of speakers to be prepared. Speaking at the meeting shall be at the discretion of the Chair.

Where it is clear that more than one person wishes to speak on a particular item, the Chair will ask for a representative to be nominated from amongst them to speak on their behalf.

(b) Any evidence presented by objector’s or supporters should be submitted to the planning officers at least 24 hours prior to the Planning Committee.
Acceptance of any late evidence would be at the discretion of the Chair.

(c) All those who can speak at Committee can do so for a maximum of 3 minutes on all applications.

(d) At the chair's discretion questions from Committee Member's may be put to those speaking at the Committee.

2. The procedure at Committee will usually be as follows:

(a) The officers will give a brief presentation showing relevant slides if appropriate;

b) The applicant or agent will then be given the opportunity to speak on the application for a maximum of 3 minutes

(c) An objector will then be invited to address the meeting for a maximum of 3 minutes.

(d) A supporter (to be unconnected with the application/applicant) will be invited to address the meeting. The Ward Councillors or a Member who has made a referral who is not on the Committee will then be invited to speak for a maximum of 3 minutes.

(e) A Member of Parliament and/or the Greater London Assembly Member for the Constituency within which the application site is located will then be invited to speak for a maximum of 3 minutes, but only on matters of strategic importance as defined in paragraph (f) below and in accordance with the procedure set out in that  paragraph.

(f) The Member of Parliament and/or the Greater London Assembly Member should identify in writing to the Planning and Transportation Department, 17th Floor North West Side, Taberner House, Park Lane Croydon or e-mail phil.mills@croydon.gov.uk  the matters of strategic importance they wish to raise. Although such matters may be raised in relation to any planning application, it will normally be expected that matters of strategic importance will only be raised in relation to applications of strategic importance within the meaning of the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000 which defines a strategic application as one involving either; a) Large Scale Development, b) Major Infrastructure, c) Development which may affect strategic policies or d) Development that may affect strategic sites or views.

(g) Applicants, Agents, Objectors, Supporters, Ward Councillors, Visiting Members, MP's and GLA Members will be invited to speak for a maximum of 3 minutes on all applications.

(h) At the Chair's discretion questions relating to matter of fact only from committee members may be put to those speaking at committee.

(i) Finally, Members of the Committee will debate the item.

(j) The meetings to start at 6.30pm and have a guillotine of 10.00 pm (one option would be to take a vote at 9.55pm whether to grant extra 30 minutes extension)