§ 41. Sir Percy Hurdasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning to what extent local authorities are dealing with their planning problems through joint committees in coterminous areas; and 1570 what is the scope and method of this co-operation.
§ The Minister of Town and Country Planninģ (Mr. W. S. Morrison)As the answer is necessarily long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:-
§ At present 862 out of 1,396 planning authorities are carrying out their planning duties through 158 joint executive committees, and the number of such commitees is likely to increase. Any two or more local authorities may be formed into a joint committee, either by their own desire or by an order made by me. A joint committee may have conferred upon it all or any of the planning powers of a local authority except the power to borrow money or to levy a rate. Such a committee will be responsible for the preparation of a scheme covering the areas of the constituent local authorities, and for this purpose will normally employ a planning officer, or consultant, who will be in close touch with my Regional Planning Officer for the area. In the preparation of their scheme a joint committee consults each of the constituent authorities and considers their observations before submitting the scheme to me for approval. In addition to the joint committees referred to, an operative scheme may provide for a joint body specially constituted to enforce or to carry into effect the provisions of the scheme.