East Herts Council admits ‘insufficient publicity’ about first development management forum

East Herts Council has defended the covert introduction of its new development management forums (DMF), which are designed to give residents a new voice in the planning process.

The forums were introduced to the council’s executive last November as “a meeting where residents can present their views to councillors, planning officers and the applicant early in the planning application process prior to a decision on the application”.

The authority held the first DMF on July 31. However, its online calendar of meetings included no agenda or any details of the application to be discussed, leaving wider district residents in the dark.

Information was added only after the forum was over, following Indie questions to EHC executive members Cllr Vicky Glover-Ward (planning and growth) and Cllr Chris Wilson (resident engagement).

It was made clear that the press and public could attend as observers. However, the council did not publicise the forum until August 14 – the day after the Indie asked for an explanation.

Cllr Glover-Ward (Green, Hertford Kingsmead) responded: “It should be noted that the DMF meeting dates are placeholders rather than set meetings as the DMF can only be held if a petition to consider a planning application has been received that meets the requirements on our website.

“As the DMF is an informal meeting, it does not need to follow the usual timeframes around agenda publishing; however, the agenda will be the same format each time, albeit that the planning application under consideration will change.”

Cllr Glover-Ward conceded: “We are looking at how we can keep our digital space updated so that members of the public who have an interest in attending the DMF can do so.”

She said the council would ramp up its social media before further DMFs “so the public are aware and may attend if they wish”.

In a letter to the Indie, Cllr Wilson (Lib Dem, Bishop’s Stortford All Saints) admitted there was “insufficient district-wide publicity concerning the first forum due to a variety of factors”.

The first DMF discussed residents’ concerns about 200 new homes and a new medical centre in Buntingford.

Green Cllr Sue Nicholls, who represents the town, was the lead petitioner for the meeting. She said: “I am delighted as a member of this listening council, and also as a resident of East Herts, to be able to actively participate in the local planning process.

“We are concerned at the sheer level of speculative planning applications coming forward in Buntingford and feel that protecting our beautiful district’s character and identity is very important.

“This forum provides us all with a better opportunity to engage with what’s being planned for our communities, and for local residents and stakeholders to have a better say at an earlier stage during the planning process.”

Notes from a DMF will be a consideration when planning applications are assessed and will be part of any report to the council’s development management committee.

Cllr Glover-Ward said: “The DMF provides the opportunity for informal discussion rather than residents having only a few minutes to present their view at the end of the planning application process.

“This is an initiative to facilitate greater resident participation in the local planning processes and enables residents to have a greater impact on planning for their local community.”