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The executive Mayor, Cabinet and full Council are responsible for decisions about the Council's Local Plan. Most decisions on planning applications are made by senior planning officers under powers that are delegated to them. Applications for the largest scale developments or those which have attracted significant public interest are determined by one of the Council's two planning committees - the and the . The terms of reference for both committees are set out below.

The minutes of the meeting will record the members and officers present at the meeting and record any declarations of interest made by members or officers.

Where a planning application has been recommended for approval by officers and the applicant or their supporter has requested to speak but there are no objectors or Members registered to speak, then the applicant or their supporter(s) will not be expected to address the Committee.

Where a Committee proposes to make a decision contrary to the officer recommendation (whether for approval or refusal) and that decision would not necessarily be contrary to the provisions of the Development Plan, in order to ensure that members are clear of the basis upon which they are proposing to vote advice from officers should be sought. That advice will be based upon the material considerations that have been heard by the Committee and whether there are grounds that could be defended in the event of an appeal or legal challenge.

Where a vote on the officer recommendation is lost, it is necessary for a new motion to either grant or refuse the application to be proposed. The Committee should receive advice from officers as to the appropriate form that the new motion should take.

If a Committee is minded to make a decision contrary to the officer recommendation (whether for approval or refusal) and that decision would be contrary to the provisions of the Development Plan, such motion may only contain the Committee’s initial view and must be subject to a further report detailing the planning issues raised by such a decision. Further consideration of the matter must be adjourned to a future meeting of the Committee when officers will present a supplemental report setting out the proposed new position and explaining the implications of the decision.

Where permission is needed to go on land, contact will be made with the owner by officers, but the owner cannot take any part in the visit, other than to effect access onto the site.

The Planning Code of Conduct has been adopted by Tower Hamlets Council to regulate the performance of its planning functions. Its major objectives are to guide Councillors and officers of the Council in dealing with planning related matters and to inform potential developers and the public generally of the standards adopted by the Council in the exercise of its planning powers.

This Code applies to Councillors at all times that they are involved in the planning process. This would include, where applicable, when part of decision making meetings of the Council in exercising the functions of the Planning Authority or when involved on less formal occasions, such as meetings with officers or the public and consultative meetings. It applies as equally to planning enforcement matters or site specific policy issues as it does to planning applications.

making comments to residents, interested parties, other Councillors or appropriate officers, provided they do not consist of or amount to prejudging the issue and the Councillor makes clear that they are keeping an open mind;