Issue - items at meetings - Government Consultation: Proposed Changes to Planning Policy Statment for Traveller Sites

Report of the Executive Director, Environment, Development and Housing (copy attached)

RESOLVED - That the officer responses set out in Appendix 1 to the report be confirmed as the Council’s response to the consultation exercise and that Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) are notified to this effect.

60.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Environment, Development and Housing seeking confirmation of the council’s response to the Government’s consultation on proposed policy changes to the Planning Policy Statement for Traveller Sites.

60.2    It was noted that the Planning Policy Statement for Traveller Sites (PPTS)had first been published in March 2012 alongside the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), It set out national planning policy for traveller sites and as such needed to be taken into account in the preparation of development plans and in the determination of planning applications.

60.3    The Head of City Planning and Development confirmed that although it had not been possible to bring details of the officer response to the Committee at an earlier time there was an opportunity to discuss it and confirmation of the response was sought.

60.4    Councillor Brown stated that she was disappointed at the lack of consultation which had taken place with members, considering that the Chair, Deputy Chair and both opposition spokespersons should have been consulted prior to the response being sent. Whilst supporting the majority of the proposals she did not agree with the response to question 1A, as the Committee were being asked to agree the response in its entirety, she would abstain from voting because she unable to do so. Councillors Mears, Simson and Wealls concurred in that view.

60.5    Councillor Mears stated that people were either “travelling” or they were not. If individuals had ceased travelling, then their designation was different. Also, there are different categories of traveller, there are those who are van dwellers and there are those who are from a gypsy background.

60.6    Councillor Robins stated that he came from a gypsy background, those who had ceased to travel still recognised their heritage and in his view it was very important that the community was properly consulted in respect of any proposals/provision. He sought confirmation that arrangements were in place to ensure that this community was properly consulted. The Head of City Planning and Development  confirmed the consultation arrangements which were in place.

60.7    The Chair, Councillor Bowden noted the points made by Councillor Brown in relation to the consultation process, explaining that he was aware that the time frame for response had been very tight.

60.8    Councillors Deane and Randall concurred with the proposed response.

60.9    In answer to questions, the Legal Adviser to the Committee explained that it was not possible to amend the terminology set out in the DCLG document as this could not be done in isolation from other legislation which used the same terminology. The Executive Director of Environment, Development and Housing stated that the terminology used referred to the ethnicity of this group, whether they travelled or not, did not change their perceived ethnicity .

60.10  RESOLVED - That the officer responses set out in Appendix 1 to the report be confirmed as the Council’s response to the consultation exercise and that Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) are notified to that effect.

Note: Councillors Brown, Mears, Simson and Wealls abstained from voting in respect of the above recommendations.