Status Quo for Local Planning and Licensing Committees

Highland Councillors have decided to continue with the way it considers local planning and licensing issues.

Since May 2007, the Council has operated Planning and Application and Review Committees as well as Licensing Committees and Licensing Boards in three geographical areas, namely Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross; Ross, Skye and Lochaber and Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey.

A detailed review of the planning and licensing functions resulted in three options being presented to the Council, including the status quo.

After debate and a number of votes, the Council agreed to a motion by Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of the Planning Environment and Development Committee to continue the existing network of planning and licensing committees, with the introduction of video conferencing to allow councillors to take part in meetings from a remote office.
 
The Council also agreed to maintain the current arrangements for the Inverness City Committee and review these at the end of 2009.

-Ends-