Minutes:
ML reported that at the last meeting it was discussed about the Council’s plan to introduce a fee for invalid applications. He stated that this now has been progressed and he wants to ensure the benefits of introducing this are felt by the Council but also Forum members as the Council has a low number of applications received that are fit for validation on first receipt and that creates an impact on the Council’s ability to validate everyone’s applications within the 5 day target.
ML stated that they have reviewed the process and members have approved that the following deductions will be made on invalid applications:
· £60 on major applications
· £25 on all other application types.
He stated that this cost will go towards the administrative costs of the application up to and including its return but will not meet the costs that the Council is experiencing.
ML advised that the process is to be changed so that the invalid fee is introduced from the 1 November 2024 and the time taken will be recorded and a more accurate fee will be introduced from 1 April 2025. He advised that the Local Validation List will be reviewed and updated to streamline the process and asked the Forum to inform him to any issues or comments during the 3 week consultation period. He added that the new Validation List needs to be agreed by Planning Committee.
GS made the point that as a planning consultant occasionally things do get submitted to the Council that have simple errors but having submitted a number of applications in Fenland in the last couple of years he has experienced invalidations for things like a drainage strategy is missing when it has just not been picked up in a document called Flood Risk and Drainage Strategy, there is a blank page in the transport assessment, really spurious things to invalid a planning application and when there is a reconsultation on the validation list there needs to be some sort of clarification on what will constitute an invalidation when things are so minor or getting missed or are errors on the Council’s part. ML responded that any errors on the Council’s behalf would not result in a fee and it is acknowledged that human error does occur. GS expressed the view that he has worked in the area for over 10 years and Fenland is the hardest place to get a valid planning application through. ML stated that experiences would be useful to know so that it could feed into the Local Validation List review to see if there is something on the list that is not needed anymore.
DL made the point that the Council has tried for over 3 years, for everyone’s benefit, to reduce the wait time in validation and statistically improvements have not been made, which is not for the lack of trying but there is a lot of information so it maybe needs to be checked on the website when submitting an application the documents that are required and the consultation reports. She stated that the Council actively wants to reduce the wait time and the resources it takes in the Technical Team. DL referred to an agent introducing in their company a £100 bonus so that whoever put the application together would give it to another colleague to proof read and check, which has been a great incentive and has changed their right first time statistics.
ML added that the Council is looking to go more paperless so there may be some changes to the Local Validation List that reflect this. He urged Forum members to provide their comments during the consultation as he wants to work together to make sure the list works for everyone.