Council moves meetings into ‘modern age’

A DECISION to hold open planning meetings at Teignmouth town council has been described as a move into the 'modern age'. Councillors unanimously agreed to create an open planning committee at Tuesday's finance and general purposes committee. It means that an inspection panel will pore over plans with advice from a Teignbridge planning officer and with the benefit of views from statutory bodies. But instead of the recommendations being ratified as an agenda item at the finance and general purposes meeting, a planning committee of ward members, the mayor and finance and general purposes chairman will forward recommendations directly to the district council. Discussions will be held in public and members will be able to directly address the committee. Sean Brogan, a Teignmouth resident who started a petition to open up the meetings, said it is 'wonderful news'. 'It is high time that Teignmouth moved out of old policies and into the modern age. 'The council acts as a guardian for Teignmouth and this is better late than never,' he said. Town council planning chairman Cllr Sylvia Russell said it was a response to the changing nature of development. 'I think that having plans raised just as an agenda item on F and GP does not do justice to the work of the planning sub-committee. 'Planning is big business these days and I know I'm asking a lot in asking for an additional meeting but it will give proper evaluation of what is being put before us,' she said. Cllr Russell stressed that the change to policy was in the pipeline for some time and not in response to recent criticism of 'secret meetings'. 'Over the past 12 months there has been much debate about the procedures currently in place to produce a recommendation on planning applications received by this council. The last time the terms of reference were changed was in 2003. She added that at the time, district solicitor Simon Barnes advised that exclusion of the public was acceptable. It is yet to be decided whether the meetings will be convened in the evening or during the day. A public information leaflet will be produced. Cllr Susan Dawe said the changes were 'long overdue'. 'We are now in the era of very big development and we have a lot of buildings that we should look to protect,' she said. Cllr David Cox said the move was 'important for the transparancy and openness of local government. 'It is important that the people who have an interest can have a say on matters that affect them,' he said.