Agenda

That the Minutes of the proceedings of the Meeting of Council held on 25 May 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair of Council Business (or other person presiding) (Minutes attached).

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Council.

The Civic Mayor to make any appropriate announcements.

At this juncture the Civic Mayor will retire from the Chair and the Chair of Council Business shall assume the Chair for the remaining business.

To receive any announcements or communications from the Chair of Council Business, the Executive Leader, Members of the Executive Cabinet or the Chief Executive.

To consider any questions submitted by Members of the public in accordance with Standing Orders 31.12 and 31.13.

To receive the minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 28 April and 23 June 2021.

To receive the minutes of the Meeting of the Democratic Processes Working Group held on 5 July 2021.

To consider the attached report of the Executive Member (Housing, Planning and Employment).

To consider the attached report of the Executive Member (Housing, Planning and Employment)/Director of Growth.

To consider any changes to the membership of Council bodies.

Motion A in the name of Councillor Cooney:

That Tameside Council believes planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes; and therefore calls on the Government to protect the right of communities to comment on individual planning applications.

This Council notes:

·                The Conservative Government’s intention to change planning rules to benefit developers were set out in ‘Planning for the Future’ in 2020, and were immediately branded a ‘Developer’s Charter’ by housing campaigners. The plans are due to return to Parliament after this year’s local elections.

·                The proposals have attracted widespread criticism – except from developers. President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Alan Jones, branded the white paper’s proposals as “shameful”, the Campaign to Protect Rural England voiced concerns about community involvement, and the housing charity Shelter expressed concern at the reforms’ potential impact on social housing.

·                The Conservative Party received £11 million in donations from developers in Boris Johnson’s first year as Prime Minister and £891,000 from developers in the first three months of 2021 alone.

·                The House of Commons has called on the Government to protect residents’ right to retain a voice over planning applications, recognizing that the best way to get necessary new homes built is to support communities, councils and developers to work in partnership.

This Council believes:

·                One aspect that has raised particular concern is the proposal to remove local residents’ right to object to individual planning applications in their own neighbourhood.

·                The current planning system is locally-led, with councils and the communities they represent given a say over the way their neighbourhoods develop.

·                The ‘Developer’s Charter’ proposals would take away the right of local people to comment or object to development in their area, instead allowing the Secretary of State to grant developers planning “permission in principle” without any local consultation on the application.

·                These changes to the planning system would help developers avoid contributions for affordable housing, local infrastructure, and avoid existing standards on good quality design, allowing them to rack up hundreds of millions of pounds extra profit without building any more homes.

This Council therefore resolves:

·                To fight to ensure that Tameside residents do not lose their right to a fair say over future developments in our streets and our communities.

·                To ask the Chief Executive to write to Secretary of State and the Tameside Members of Parliament to express the Council’s belief that the ‘Developer’s Charter’ does not represent the best interests of our local residents.

To answer questions (if any) asked under Standing Order 17.2, for which due notice has been given by a Member of the Council.

To consider any other items which the Chair of Council Business (or other person presiding) is of the opinion shall be dealt with as a matter of urgency.