LOCAL CODE OF CONDUCT FOR COUNCILLORS AND OFFICERS DEALING WITH PLANNING MATTERS

1. The Committee, together with the Regulatory Committee, has considered revisions to the existing local code of conduct for Councillors and Officers dealing with planning matters and which was adopted by the County Council in 1999. This document is usually known as the Planning Probity Code.

2. It is clear that planning is an area where the public expects increasingly high standards of probity from all those involved in the process. The review of the Code of Conduct has been conducted in the light of the new ethical framework for Local Government issued by the Government, together with advice from the Local Government Association and the Audit Commission.

3. The opportunity has been taken to introduce a number of technical changes which bring the Code of Conduct up to date, having particular regard to the County Council's decision making structure since September 2001. Important changes have also been made on the way in which site visits are conducted by Members of the Regulatory Committee. The vital principle here is that any comments or views made by any parties should relate solely to the physical and visual characteristics of the site which is the subject of a planning application. Should Members or any other parties wish to make representations on the merits or otherwise of the planning application, then the appropriate way to do so is by making a formal deputation to the Regulatory Committee when it considers the planning application. This will ensure fairness in that the entire membership of the Regulatory Committee, including any who may not have been able to attend a site visit, are aware of all representations that have been made by the applicants or the public, including any objectors, before they make their determination. The Code of Conduct therefore contains detailed procedures to ensure that the status of any site visit is clearly known to all participants.

4. A copy of the Code of Conduct is attached for the Council's formal approval.

RECOMMENDATION:

5. That the revised Local Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers dealing with planning matters, as contained in the appendix, be approved and adopted with effect from 1 January 2004.

COLIN DAVIDOVITZ

Chairman

5nR2521003

Appendix

Hampshire County Council

Local Code of Conduct

for Councillors and Officers

dealing with Planning Matters

2003