Ask at our planning helpdesk for our leaflet 'Guide to our planning committee meetings' for more detailed information on the planning committee process and public speaking at committee meetings.

What does the planning committee do? Our planning committee makes decisions on about 10% of the planning applications we receive. (The remaining 90% are decided by the Head of Development.) The planning committee makes decisions on applications:

• where we have received 10 or more letters or e-mails objecting to the officer's recommendation;
• that will have a considerable effect on the borough (for example, a large housing or retail development);
• that we have made (for example, redeveloping a building we own);
• that a councillor or a council employee has made;
• that the Director of Environmental and Planning Services or the Head of Development asks the committee to decide;
• that a councillor asks the committee to decide for planning reasons.

The agenda for each meeting contains reports that case officers have written for each application being discussed at the meeting. Members of the committee will have read each report before the meeting. They will also have looked a the case file and plans. 

Who is on the committee?  The planning committee is made up of 23 borough councillors.  The borough is divided into 22 wards (areas) and at least one member of the committee comes from each ward.  A further 11 councillors are named as substitute members. 

When and where do planning committee meetings take place?  Our planning committee meetings are held in the council chamber in Millmead House. There is public seating area at the back of the chamber. Committee meetings normally take place every 3 weeks and are on Tuesday evenings.  They start at 7pm. Alternatively, phone Michelle Peters, Committee Administrator, on 01483 444106 or e-mail [email protected]

Agendas are published five working days before a meeting and free copies are available at each committee meeting.  Minutes are available with the Council agenda, which is published a week before each Council meeting.

Can anyone attend a planning committee meeting?  Any member of the public can attend our planning committee meetings and listen to the discussions about applications and other public issues on the public part of the agenda. In certain situations, you can ask to speak at a committee meeting about a planning application you're interested in.  If you would like to speak, you will need to have arranged this with us before the meeting.