Open meeting on 3rd January
Ealing's
residents will be able to have their say on planning enforcement when
the special council watchdog panel next meets in early January 2006.
The Planning Enforcement Scrutiny Panel is inviting local residents and
other stakeholders to attend the meeting and describe how they view the
strengths, weaknesses, effectiveness and credibility of the council's
current planning enforcement system.
The objective of the panel is to examine the principles behind the way
the current system operates. This meeting will not address individual
complaints.
The
final meeting of the panel on 2 February will agree a report, with recommendations,
which will be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC).
The OSC will then make any final adjustments and submit the report to
Cabinet. Scrutiny committees do not have the power to make decisions on
policy or resource matters, nor can they instruct officers what to do
(although they may make suggestions and give advice).
Instead, scrutiny committees undertake investigations, question and constructively
challenge decision-makers (both elected members and senior officers) and
make recommendations. Cabinet is required by the council�s constitution
to consider and respond to all Scrutiny recommendations.
The meeting will be held at 7pm, Tuesday 3 January 2006 in
the Telfer Room, Ealing Town Hall.
Panel Chair, Cllr Tony Brown, said: "This meeting is a chance for
anyone interested in planning to tell us how they feel the council is
doing when it comes to enforcing planning decisions and regulations. We
want to know if residents are happy with the current system or if not,
and how they think improvements can be made.
"Feedback from residents and other interested parties is vital if
this panel is to comprehensively examine and assess the current system.
Our aim is to identify what needs to be done to enhance the council's
reputation as an effective enforcer."
The panel is supported by a Scrutiny Officer, Nigel Spalding. Members
of the public can contact him for further information (including panel
papers). Telephone: 020 8825 8182; e-mail: spaldingn@ealing.gov.uk. Panel
papers can also be viewed on the council�s website.
December 14, 2005