HC Deb 24 June 1968 vol 767 cc208-11

LOCAL AUTHORITY COMMITTEES AND JOINT BOARDS

Lords Amendment No. 55: In page 51, line 38, at end insert: ( ) A least one of the members of a joint board or joint advisory committee or a planning committee or sub-committee of a planning committee referred to in sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph, who is appointed by each county council, shall be a county district councillor from a county district wholly or partially included in a National Park.

Read a Second time.

Mr. MacDermot

I beg to move, That this House doth disagree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

The effect of this Amendment would be to require representation by county district councils, one representative for each constituent council, on National Park planning committees, sub-committees, joint boards or joint advisory committees. I believe that this Amendment was sponsored by the Rural and Urban District Councils' Associations and the A.M.C. I know that this is a matter about which the rural district councils have felt strongly for a long time, and I had the pleasure of receiving a deputation from their association just before the presentation of the Bill, and heard their views.

The composition of national park planning authorities provides that not less than one-third of the members shall be appointed by the local planning authority or authorities on the nomination of the Minister, the remaining two-thirds being appointed by the planning authority. The reason for this division was that it was intended to get a proper balance between the representation of the interests of preservation, enhancement and development of the area as a national recreational amenity, and the maintenance of a reasonable standard of living, commercial opportunity and tolerable levels of rate-borne expenditure for the local people.

11.15 p.m.

We accept that local interests should be represented on these boards, but we do not think the right way to achieve that is by a provision of this kind. Planning authorities may appoint a city councillor who may be living in a national park and be fully aware of and able to represent local interests. Some county councillors are also rural district councillors. Some flexibility needs to be preserved.

I did, however, tell the deputation which came to see me—and I had it confirmed later by letter—that when this Bill passes into law and we issue circulars to local authorities about its implementation, we would commend the practice of including district council representatives among the membership. That practice has been adopted by Dartmoor National Park and it is one of which we would generally approve, but, for the reasons I have given, we do not think it one which we should try to spell out rigidly in the way it would be by this

Amendment. For that reason I ask the House to disagree with the Lords in this Amendment.

Mr. Channon

This matter was fully debated in another place when much the same arguments were put by the Government. It is very sad that the Government should decide to disagree with the Lords about this important matter which has been a matter of controversy for about 19 years. I thought, and I believe my noble Friends in another place thought, that a satisfactory agreement had been reached. The hand of the Minister would be strengthened if this Amendment were made. I did not find the argument of the Minister of State convincing. I therefore hope that my hon. Friends will support their Lordships and not accept the Motion.

Question put, That this House doth disagree with the Lords in the said Amendments:—

The House divided: Ayes 103, Noes 72.

Division No. 237.] AYES [11.19 p.m.
Allaun, Frank (Salford, E.) Herbison, Rt. Hn. Margaret Peart, Rt. Hn. Fred
Alldritt, Walter Howarth, Robert (Bolton, E.) Pentland, Norman
Atkinson, Norman (Tottenham) Hoy, James Perry, Ernest G. (Battersea, S.)
Blackburn, F. Hynd, John Price, Christopher (Perry Barr)
Blenkinsop, Arthur Jackson, Peter M. (High Peak) Reynolds, Rt. Hn. G. W.
Booth, Albert Johnson, James (K'ston-on-Hull W.) Robinson, W. O. J. (Walth'stow, E.)
Braddock, Mrs. E. M. Jones, J. Idwal (Wrexham) Roebuck, Roy
Broughton, Dr. A. D. D. Jones, T. Alec (Rhondda, West) Shaw, Arnold (Ilford, S.)
Brown, Hugh D. (G'gow, Provan) Judd, Frank Short, Rt.Hn.Edward(N'c'tle-u-Tyne)
Buchan, Norman Lawson, George Silkin, Rt. Hn. John (Deptford)
Callaghan, Rt. Hn. James Leadbitter, Ted Silkin, Hn. S. C. (Dulwich)
Carmichael, Neil Lee, Rt. Hn. Frederick (Newton) Silverman, Julius
Coe, Denis Lestor, Miss Joan Skeffington, Arthur
Concannon, J. D. Lomas, Kenneth Slater, Joseph
Davidson, Arthur (Accrington) Loughlin, Charles Spriggs, Leslie
Dell, Edmund Lyons, Edward (Bradford, E.) Summerskill, Hn. Dr. Shirley
Dickens, James McBride, Neil Thomas, Rt. Hn. George
Dobson, Ray McCann, John Tinn, James
Doig, Peter MacDermot, Niall Urwin, T. W.
Dunwoody, Mrs. Gwyneth (Exeter) McGuire, Michael Varley, Eric G.
Eadie, Alex Maclennan, Robert Wainwright, Edwin (Dearne Valley)
Ellis, John MacPherson, Malcolm Walker, Harold (Doncaster)
Evans, loan L. (Birm'h'm, Yardley) Manuel, Archie Wallace, George
Faulds, Andrew Mendelson, J. J. Watkins, David (Consett)
Fernyhough, E. Millan, Bruce Whitaker, Ben
Fletcher, Raymond (Ilkeston) Miller, Dr. M. S. White, Mrs. Eirene
Fletcher, Ted (Darlington) Milns, Edward (Blyth) Wilkins, W. A.
Ford, Ben Morgan, Elystan (Cardiganshire) Williams, Clifford (Abertillery)
Galpern, Sir Myer Morris, Alfred (Wythenshawe) Wilson, William (Coventry, S.)
Gray, Dr. Hugh (Yarmouth) Morris, Charles R. (Openshaw) Woodburn, Rt. Hn. A.
Griffiths, Will (Exchange) Murray, Albert Woof, Robert
Hamilton, James (Bothwell) Newens, Stan
Hannan, William O'Malley, Brian TELLERS FOR THE AYES:
Harrison, Walter (Wakefield) Orme, Stanley Mr. Ernest Armstrong and
Haseldine, Norman Oswald, Thomas Mr. Joseph Harper.
Hazell, Bert Pavitt, Laurence
NOES
Atkins, Humphrey (M't'n & M'd'n) Channon, H. P. G. Elliott, R.W.(N'c'tle-upon-Tyne,N.)
Boardman, Tom (Leicester, S.W.) Clark, Henry Errington, Sir Eric
Brewis, John Costain, A. P. Eyre, Reginald
Campbell, B. (Oldham, W.) Deedes, Rt. Hn. w. F. (Ashford) Fletcher-Cooke, Charles
Foster, Sir John Lane, David Price, David (Eastleigh)
Gibson-Watt, David Langford-Holt, Sir John Pym, Francis
Glyn, Sir Richard Legge-Bourke, Sir Harry Royle, Anthony
Grant-Ferris, R. Lubbock, Eric Scott, Nicholas
Grimond, Rt. Hn. J. Maude, Angus Sharples, Richard
Gurden, Harold Maxwell-Hyslop, R. J. Silvester, Frederick
Hall, John (Wycombe) Maydon, Lt.-Cmdr, S. L. C. Smith, Dudley (W'wick & L'mington)
Harris, Frederic (Croydon, N.W.) Mills, Peter (Torrington) Smith, John (London & W'minster)
Harrison, Col. Sir Harwood (Eye) Monro, Hector Speed, Keith
Hawkins, Paul More, Jasper Stoddart-Scott, Col. Sir M. (Ripon)
Hill, J. E. B. Munro-Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Taylor, Edward M. (G'gow,Cathcart)
Holland, Philip Murton, Oscar Thorpe, Rt. Hn. Jeremy
Hordern, Peter Nabarro, Sir Gerald van Straubenzee, W. R.
Hornby, Richard Noble, Rt. Hn. Michael Vaughan-Morgan, Rt. Hn. Sir John
Hunt, John Onslow, Cranley Vickers, Dame Joan
Irvine, Bryant Godman (Rye) Osborn, John (Hallam) Whitelaw, Rt. Hn. William
Jopling, Michael Page, Graham (Crosby) Williams, Donald (Dudley)
Kaberry, Sir Donald Percival, Ian Wilson, Geoffrey (Truro)
Kershaw, Anthony Pike, Miss Mervyn
Kitson, Timothy Pink, R. Bonner TELLERS FOR THE NOES:
Knight, Mrs. Jill Powell, Rt. Hn. J. Enoch Mr. Anthony Grant and
Mr. Bernard Weatherill.

Subsequent Lords Amendments agreed to.

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