PART 4Other matters

Training for taking planning decisions

45Power to impose training requirements: planning authorities

1

A member of a planning authority who has not fulfilled the specified training requirements is prohibited from—

a

exercising any of the authority's specified functions on their behalf, or

b

being involved in exercising any of those functions on the authority's behalf as a member of a committee or any other body.

2

In this section—

a

specified” means specified by the Scottish Ministers in regulations under this section,

b

planning authority” means—

i

local authority, and

ii

National Park authority,

c

the reference to a member of a planning authority includes a member of a committee of a National Park authority appointed under paragraph 16(1) of schedule 1 of the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000.

3

Regulations under this section specifying functions of a planning authority may only specify functions conferred by the planning Acts as defined by section 277 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) 1997 Act.

4

Regulations under this section may in particular—

a

specify that completing a training course is a training requirement,

b

specify training requirements on the basis that the content and provider of the training must be accredited by the Scottish Ministers.

5

The Scottish Ministers may disapply subsection (1) in relation to a planning authority (or all authorities) by regulations under this section.”.