Issue - meetings

The Scrutiny Officer and the Chairman submitted a report which gave Members the opportunity to gain evidence regarding planning and health and wellbeing at a strategic level and which assured that the wider public health agenda was being appropriately integrated prior to the adoption of the District Plan in 2017.

The Head of Planning and Building Control introduced the report and summarised the key issues in respect of the current position regarding planning and health and wellbeing.  He reminded Members that the Authority was undertaking the penultimate stages of the District Plan preparation process.

The Chairman of the Development Management Committee, Councillor T Page, referred to negotiations that occurred before applications reached the Committee.  He commented on the Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) toolkit for Section 106 funding and referred to the importance of information regarding where this money should be spent in order to maximise community benefit.

Councillor P Ballam welcomed the comments that had been made and emphasised the importance of a more efficient system regarding Section 106 funding.  Councillor T Page confirmed that Section 106 funding was being monitored closely by a Director.

Members raised a number of relevant issues and Officers and the Executive Member for Development Management and Council Support responded to queries and questions from the Committee.  Members received the report and endorsed the recommendations now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) Officers be requested to further explore the service’s contribution to the wider public health agenda; and

(B)   Officers explore the feasibility of HCC public health being asked to comment on an interim basis on relevant planning applications at a useful point in the development management process prior to the adoption of the proposed District Plan.