Council Assessment Panel (CAP)
Agenda and Minutes
Council Assessment Panel Information
The Council Assessment Panel (CAP) - formerly referred to as Council Development Assessment Panel, CDAP or DAP - is a committee that considers and make decisions on certain development applications on behalf of Council.
The role of CAP is to make impartial and transparent development assessment decisions based on the policies in the Planning and Design Code.
The CAP consists of five members appointed by the Council, four of whom are independent members with experience and/or qualifications in the development industry, with the other being an Elected Member of Council. All members have voting rights and decisions are made on a majority basis.
CAP members are required to abide by the Code of Conduct under Schedule 3 of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016. Some important stipulations in the Code of Conduct are that Panel Members can not:
- engage in consultation outside of the panel process with any party on a proposed development application that is likely to be heard by the panel;
- give advice to an applicant or other third party on a development application after it has been lodged outside of a panel meeting;
- enter a site even if invited by the land owner or a neighbouring property owner or any other person, except where required as part of the assessment of a particular decision such as a formal panel viewing of the site of a proposed development.
While one Elected Member does serve on CAP, the Elected Members of Council as a whole have no role in decisions made by CAP. The CAP will weigh up the pros and cons of a proposal by referring to the relevant provisions of the Planning and Design Code. Decisions are not required to be endorsed or ratified by the elected Council. The mixture of a Council representative and independent members provides a balanced view on the CAP combining local experience and technical expertise.
The Council Assessment Panel has a total of five members appointed by the Council. These are:
- Mr Michael Wohlstadt (Presiding Member)
- Mr Jake McVicar
- Ms Beth Merrigan
- Mr David Brown
- Cr Isaac Solomon (Council Member)
Council may also appoint Deputy Members to attend if one of the primary Panel Members is unable to attend a meeting.
- Deputy Members are:
- Ms Fiona Barr
- Cr David Hughes
- Cr Nathan Shanks