Lead member
Lisa Nandy
Labour, Wigan
Commons
Decision
Not called
The amendment was debated as part of a group of amendments, but not put to a vote.
Amendment text
To move the following Clause—
“Chief Planning Officers
(1)
The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is amended as follows.
(2)
After section 1 insert—
“1A
Planning authorities: chief planning officer
(1)
Each planning authority must have a chief planning officer.
(2)
The role of an authority’s chief planning officer is to advise the authority about the carrying out of—
(a)
the functions conferred on them by virtue of the planning Acts, and
(b)
any function conferred on them by any other enactment, insofar as the function relate to development.
(3)
The Secretary of State must issue guidance to planning authorities concerning the role of an authority’s chief planning officer.
(4)
A planning authority may not appoint a person as their chief planning officer unless satisfied that the person has appropriate qualifications and experience for the role.
(5)
In deciding what constitutes appropriate qualifications and experience for the role of chief planning officer, a planning authority must have regard to any guidance on the matter issued by the Secretary of State.””
Member's explanatory statement
This new clause would place a duty on local planning authorities to appoint a Chief Planning Officer to perform planning functions and requires them to appoint sufficiently qualified persons to perform them with regard to guidance from the Secretary of State.