Ipswich City Council is calling for submissions from planning, design and technical experts from relevant businesses and agencies interested in being a part of a new Independent Decision Review Panel.
The panel’s establishment was endorsed earlier this year and is a part of changes aimed at improving transparency around how council determines development applications.
Acting General Manager Planning and Regulatory Services Brett Davey encouraged experts to register their interest.
“In April this year, council announced it would establish a framework that will depoliticise sensitive planning decisions and achieve high standards of integrity, accountability and transparency for development applications,” he said.
“As part of this framework, an Independent Decision Review Panel will be introduced.
“This panel will be made up of experts relevant to the development proposal to be decided.
“To create the panel we need to put together a Register of Experts who can be called upon to sit on the panel from time to time.
“We’re looking for professionals with qualifications in areas such as urban planning and design, architecture, law, environmental science and engineering.”
The Independent Decision Review Panel will be convened from time to time to review recommendations made by council planning officers.
It will not be called upon for all applications but rather those which meet specific criteria, such as where council lodges an application to itself, if a development is particularly sensitive for the community or draws a high number of submissions during the public notification phase.
The panel’s recommendations will go to full council for consideration alongside those of council planning officers to assist with the decision-making process.
The Independent Decision Review Panel is expected to come into effect from 1 November 2019.
Experts wanting to register their interest can access the tender documents for tender 13980 at Lgtenderbox.com.au
Submissions must be made through LG Tender Box by 2pm on 22 October, 2019.
Also read:
>> Council makes changes to how development applications are handled
>> New councillor integrity package to help elected representatives
