Agenda item

Urgent request for a dispensation – Ann Holmes

A written request from Ann Holmes for a dispensation to speak at the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Committee on 17th September 2013, in objection to an application before the Committee, was tabled and considered by Members.

The Committee was advised that, in the absence of a dispensation, the Localism Act prohibited Ms Holmes, as an elected Member of the authority, from participating in the discussion of item 5a Barts Square at the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Committee on 17^th September 2013.  Consequently, she was seeking a dispensation to be afforded the same rights as a member of the public to speak at the meeting and raise an objection to that specific planning application.  In noting that Ms Holmes had a disclosable pecuniary interest, the Committee considered whether the request to speak in objection to the application was in the public interest.  The Committee felt that on this occasion, denying Ms Holmes the opportunity to raise the objection at the Planning and Transportation Committee meeting would deprive residents of the benefit of Ms Holmes’ knowledge of the area.  A key part of the platform on which she stood for election had been her commitment to work for improvements in the Barts Square application.  The Committee also gave weight to the fact that Ms Holmes was not a Member of the decision-making Committee in question and was only seeking to be given the same right to speak as a member of the public, not any greater right to speak.

On this basis the Committee approved the request for a dispensation for Ms Holmes to be afforded the same rights to address the Planning and Transportation Committee on 17^th September 2013 as a member of the public.

RESOLVED:- That Ms Ann Holmes be granted a dispensation to speak, as an objector, at item 5a – Barts Square Planning Application which would be considered by the Planning and Transportation Committee on 17th September 2013.