The Audit and Governance Committee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 14 October 2026 to discuss proposed reforms to the council's constitution and planning processes, driven by new national legislation. The committee indicated a preference for Option A, which involves dissolving the Local Development Committee and retaining the Strategic Development Committee as the sole planning committee, and requested officers to prepare a new report on this basis for further consideration.

Constitution Review and Planning Reforms

The primary focus of the meeting was the proposed changes to the council's constitution and planning committee arrangements in response to the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, which came into effect on 31 October 2026. These regulations introduce a national scheme of delegation for planning decisions, meaning that certain applications must be determined by officers, while others can be considered by elected members through a statutory Gateway process.

Officers presented three options for the council's planning committee structure:

• Option A (Preferred by Committee): Dissolve the Local Development Committee (LDC) and retain the Strategic Development Committee (SDC) as the sole planning committee. This option was favoured by officers due to its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and minimal disruption, aligning with the anticipated reduction in the number of applications requiring committee determination. The SDC's membership could be increased from nine to a maximum of thirteen councillors.
• Option B: Dissolve both the LDC and SDC and establish a completely new planning committee. Officers advised against this option due to the significant constitutional and governance changes required, which would delay the council's ability to operate a lawful planning function.
• Option C (Alternative considered): Retain both the LDC and SDC, making necessary amendments to their terms of reference to comply with the new legislation. Officers argued this would be inefficient given the reduced caseload for the LDC.

After extensive debate and questioning, the committee voted to indicate a preference for Option A, subject to officers bringing back a new report with full appendices for consideration of all the recommendations. This means the LDC would be dissolved, and the SDC would continue as the council's sole planning committee, with its terms of reference amended to reflect the new legislation and Gateway process. The committee also noted that the size of the SDC (9 or 13 members) would be subject to consultation with political groups and further consideration.

Key aspects of the proposed reforms discussed include:

• Gateway Process: A new protocol will be adopted to assess whether applications meet statutory significance tests for referral to the SDC. This process aims to be transparent and auditable, with decisions recorded and published.
• Nominated Officer and Member: The Director of Placemaking will be designated as the Nominated Officer, and the Chair of the SDC will be the Nominated Member. Their role will be to participate in the Gateway process, with disagreements escalated to the Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy and Housing.
• Member Training: Mandatory training will be provided for councillors involved in the planning process, covering the national scheme of delegation, the Gateway process, and constitutional changes.
• Transparency: Concerns were raised about transparency, particularly regarding the publication of Gateway meeting minutes and the notification of ward councillors about applications. Officers agreed to explore proposals for improved online accessibility and notification systems.
• Committee Size and Membership: The potential increase in SDC membership to thirteen was discussed, with a commitment to consult political groups on the preferred size. The committee also debated whether the Chair of the SDC should be a member of the Executive and whether they should be able to decide on applications in their own ward.

The committee acknowledged the urgency of the decision due to the impending legislative deadline and agreed to reconvene to finalise the recommendations and consider revised documentation.

Year Ahead Forward Plan

A Member raised concerns about the length and substance of future meeting agendas, suggesting that the current allocation of time per item might not allow for adequate scrutiny. The Chair agreed to review this matter and provide an update at the November meeting. It was also noted that the Council Procedure Rules review would not be presented at the November meeting due to ongoing consultations with political groups.

Date of Next Meeting

The next ordinary meeting of the committee was scheduled for 4 November 2026 at Newham Town Hall. An additional extraordinary meeting would be scheduled in the coming weeks to conclude the business from this meeting.