Officers recommend. Members decide.
Here is what a Planning Inspector said about a recent decision.
‘“… Member’s Comments” demonstrate a disturbing lack of awareness of basic planning procedure and law.’
‘…it appears that Members simply failed to grapple with the material change of use issue.’
‘The Planning Committee’s decision, in particular its failure to heed the clear advice of its officers… was unreasonable, irrational and flew in the face of established planning practice and law.
This was not a major application for Portsmouth City Council. It increased the number of places in a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), a student house of similar size (presumably) from six to seven. Big deal. Students enjoy living in squalor, well at least I did and one more ‘Young One’ would make no difference.
But what was such a trivial application doing in front of the committee in the first place? It’s not that the officers of Portsmouth City Council are under-worked. There are major projects on the go in the City and they’re just received another £20 million from the Levelling Up fund.
The reason is that the leader, Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE, has insisted that all HMO applications go to committee. Surely, these minor applications should be decided on delegated powers…by the officers who know what they’re talking about.
Until recently all it took was three members of the public to object and an application had to be called in. In a brave move last year Portsmouth increased this to six. Wow. Progress.
All of this had caught the beady of eye of Mr Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, who is threatening to put the council into special measures over its tardiness.
Not surprisingly, Portsmouth has real problems trying to retain and recruit officers. The head of development management, three principal planning officers and three senior planning officers have all left over the last two years. Can’t say I blame them. And no replacements have been found. Members must be wondering why.
Almost 100 years ago, the Conservative Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin accused newspapers of having power without responsibility. The prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages, he called it.
The Inspector awarded costs against the council estimated to be about £40,000 and God knows how much in internal costs to the council.
Did that deter the councillors? Not at all. Last week they refused another HMO overturning officers’ recommendation to approve.
And who is going to pay for all this? Muggins that’s who. Surely it’s time to examine whether councillors who make unreasonable decisions should be financially accountable for them.
Have a good weekend.
Tom
by the Planning PR guru 