Birmingham planning committee to shrink under reforms

Birmingham’s planning committee is set to shrink, with two members due to be dropped to comply with updated government planning guidelines.

National changes will see the maximum size of local authority planning committees set at 13, part of changes designed to “modernise” the planning system, and speed up decision making.

To comply with the new regulations, the city’s planning committee will be cut down from its existing 15 members, a meeting of Birmingham’s full council will be told on Tuesday, 15 September.

A council member and a senior officer will also be appointed to determine which applications are referred to committee and which ones can be delegated to planning officers, so-called Schedule 2 applications.

The updated rules also require members of planning committees to be trained and certified – not part of existing regulations.

If the plans are rubber stamped next week, the changes will take effect from the committee’s 12 November meeting.

The effect on the political balance of the committee, which to reflect the political makeup of the full council, will be discussed at November’s full council meeting, according to a report due to go before councillors.

Birmingham City Council will discuss the recommendation of the report on Tuesday, 15 November.

A link to the agenda and planning committee report can be found on Birmingham City Council’s ModernGov website.