Dartmoor National Park Authority
Public Participation at Meetings of Dartmoor National Park Authority
Meetings of the Authority
The main business of the National Park Authority is conducted at monthly Authority Meetings held normally on the first Friday of each month. Authority meetings commence at 12 noon or on the rising of the Development Management Committee, whichever is the later. The Authority's Development Management Committee commences prior to Authority Meetings at 10am. This Committee considers planning applications and other development management matters. The Audit and Governance Committee meets quarterly to scrutinise the activity of the Authority and the Standards Committee meets bi-annually to provide and maintain high standards of conduct by Members and Officers of the Authority.
All meetings of the Authority are held at the Authority’s Headquarters at Parke, Bovey Tracey.
With the exception of very occasional confidential matters, all of the formal business of the meetings of the Authority and its committees is conducted in public. The schedule of National Park Authority Meetings is available on request and can also be viewed on our website.
Agendas for all meetings of the Authority are placed on the Authority’s website 7 days in advance of the Meeting.
Public Participation at Meetings of the Authority
Standing Orders regulate the procedings, meetings and business of the Authority and its Committees. The provisions are summarised below and can be viewed in full on the Authority's website.
Members of the public including authorised representatives of Parish Councils and Meetings have the opportunity to make representations at every meeting of the National Park Authority.
You can address Members on any matter relating to the business of the Authority, including matters not specifically on the agenda for that meeting. The aim is to open up the democratic process and encourage public participation so that you can be more involved in decision making. Public representations may be in the form of a question, a statement, or a petition .
Procedure
You must give written notification of your intention to speak to the Member Services Officer at least 24 hours before the commencement of the meeting, including your name, daytime contact number, a brief summary of the matter or matters to be rasied and in the case of a Parish Council or Meeting, written confirmation that you are authorised to speak on its behalf.
All representations received will be dealt with at the appropriate part of the meeting, normally towards the beginning of the Agenda. You will be invited to read your statement or question, for which you will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. If you ask a specific question or ask for a written response from an Officer of the Authorty, it will normally be provided within 14 days.
Public Speaking at Development Management Committee Meetings
The National Park Authority wants to ensure that everyone, including authorised representatives of Parish Councils and Meetings, has a chance to make their views known before a decision is taken on planning applications and enforcement cases which are reported to its Development Management Committee. Everyone has the right to give their comments in writing, but if you have views about an item which is being determined by the Development Management Committee you or your representative are also able to present your views verbally at the Committee meeting. It is important to stress that there will be no disadvantage to those who prefer not to, or who are unable to present their views in person. All representations are reported in Officers' reports to Members and the Committee is advised of any representations received after the report is written. The invitation to participate is in respect of any site inspection report, application for determination by the Committee and monitoring and enforcement matter on the Agenda for the meeting.
Procedure
The following procedure is designed to ensure that this opportunity for public participation is fair and open and will facilitate the smooth running of the meeting:
1. The following persons will have the opportunity to address the Committee, in the order specified, in relation to any site inspection report, application for determination or monitoring and enforcement matter on the Agenda for that meeting:
(a) an authorised representative of the Parish Council or Meeting;
(b) any person objecting to the application (site inspections and applications), or any person supporting legal action (enforcement cases) (NB maximum 1 person);
(c) the applicant, agent or a person supporting the application (site inspections and applications) or the landowner, agent or any person opposing legal action (enforcement cases) (NB maximum 1 person).
2. If you wish to speak at the meeting, you must give notice of your intention to do so, in writing to the Member Services Officer by 4pm on the day before the meeting. Your written notification must include your name, daytime contact number, the application/matter you wish to speak on and whether you will be speaking in support of, or against, the proposal and in the case of a Parish Council or Meeting written confirmation that you are authorised to speak on its behalf.
3. At the appropriate point in the Agenda, the Chairman will invite you to speak (for a maximum of three minutes) in respect of the application or matter. Your statement should be confined to matters which are material planning considerations (advice on this can be sought from a planning officer beforehand).
4. Please note that public participation is limited to the right to speak at the meeting and no documents, maps, photographs or other written information may be distributed or displayed.
5. After your presentation, Members of the Committee may wish to ask you questions to clarify any points you have made
6. After the public statements and any questions, the Committee will debate the proposal in the normal way, with Officer advice and make a decision.
Public Participation at Meetings of the Audit and Governance and Standards Committees.
Members of the public, including authorised representatives of Parish Councils and Meetings, have the opportunity to make representations at meetings of the Authority's Standards Committee and Audit and Governance Committee
You can address Members on any matter relating to the business of the Committee, including matters not on the agenda for that meeting. The aim is to open up the democratic process and encourage public participation so that you can contribute more to decision making. Representations may be in the form of a question, a statement or a petition. You must give written notification of your intention to speak to the Member Services Officer at least 24 hours before the commencement of the meeting, including your name, daytime contact number, a brief summary of the matter or matters to be rasied and, in the case of a Parish Council or Meeting, written confirmation that you are authorised to speak on its behalf.
All representations received will be dealt with at the appropriate part of the Meeting. You will be invited to read your statement or question, for which you will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. If you ask for a written response from an Officer of the Authority, you will normally receive it within 14 days.
Please note that public participation is limited to the right to speak at the meeting and no documents, maps, photographs or other written information may be distributed or displayed.
Please send all written notifications of your intention to speak to:
Member Services Officer
Dartmoor National Park Authority
Parke, Bovey Tracey
Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 9JQ
tel: (01626) 832093
fax: (01626) 834684
e-mail: publicspeaking@dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
Adopted on 6 November 2009
Page updated 16 December 2009
