Travellers site appeal could hit taxpayers’ pocket Options

[Andy Capp]

I've said so before, and this just reinforces the view: planning applications shouldn't be decided by unqualified elected councillors, planning permission should be decided exclusively by professional town planners with reference to local and national planning policy. If the proposed development is sustainable and complies with the development plan then it gets approved, and refusals should be for objective failures to meet the requirements of the development plan and have nothing to do with the personal credentials of the applicant.

I'm not sure they are any more credible or democratic than what we have now. For example, the council and the planners endorsed the abortion that is Parkway and the vandalism that has caused.

[NWNREADER]

As far as I can see the council's decision was discriminatory and that shouldn't be tolerated.

Planning permission should be applicant-neutral - it's the development that the council is deciding upon, not the lifestyle, ethnicity or personal habits of the applicant, and it's appalling that an applicant for planning permission should be publicly vilified in these terms.

I've said so before, and this just reinforces the view: planning applications shouldn't be decided by unqualified elected councillors, planning permission should be decided exclusively by professional town planners with reference to local and national planning policy. If the proposed development is sustainable and complies with the development plan then it gets approved, and refusals should be for objective failures to meet the requirements of the development plan and have nothing to do with the personal credentials of the applicant.

There is still a role for localism in that process because councils can put together the development plan, though I suspect there would still be a need for central government to moderate the plans so that the broader public interest was served and not just the personal interests of the vocal locals.

Not legally possible. The Officers advise, the Councillors decide.
Be wary what you wish for

[Simon Kirby]

I'm not sure they are any more credible or democratic than what we have now. For example, the council and the planners endorsed the abortion that is Parkway and the vandalism that has caused.

Town Planners are trained professionals and I'd trust the profession to decide planning applications against objective standards and guidance.

The more challenging aspect is deciding on the standards, and here I think we'd do well to leave it mostly to town planners and architects to sketch out the guidance with our elected representatives contributing relatively little - and in general they have little to add. Where the local council might possibly have a role is in engaging at the parish level to understand the needs and aspirations of the local community - so a bit of direct democracy really.

But once we've decided democratically on the policy it seems anomalous to me to let unqualified politicians actually decide the applications.

As it happens I actually quite like Parkway - it's clean and safe and very much better than what was there before - but I suspect that's for another thread.

[Simon Kirby]

Not legally possible. The Officers advise, the Councillors decide.
Be wary what you wish for

Perfectly possible. A council is empowered by the Local Government Act 1972 to delegate any of its functions to its officers.

But I have in mind to take the town planning function away from local government altogether and put it in a national agency. I'd do the same with social services, public housing, public health, trading standards, education, waste, transport - pretty much everything that WBC does, just leaving it leisure really, and that could probably be done better at the parish level. I just don't see that local government is delivering the efficiency and local accountability that it should because most of the functions of local government would be done better by professionals without any local politics involvement. Where the national agencies need local policy then the parishes can provide that by engaging at the most local level.

[Andy Capp]

Town Planners are trained professionals and I'd trust the profession to decide planning applications against objective standards and guidance.

Like I said, being professional doesn't stop eye-soars like cinema, Kennet Shopping, or Greenham getting approval for mega-depots.

The more challenging aspect is deciding on the standards, and here I think we'd do well to leave it mostly to town planners and architects to sketch out the guidance with our elected representatives contributing relatively little - and in general they have little to add. Where the local council might possibly have a role is in engaging at the parish level to understand the needs and aspirations of the local community - so a bit of direct democracy really.

And then ignored, for the sake of district or national aspirations.

But once we've decided democratically on the policy it seems anomalous to me to let unqualified politicians actually decide the applications.

So long as councillors act as the voice of their constituents, I don't see it as anomalous .

As it happens I actually quite like Parkway - it's clean and safe and very much better than what was there before - but I suspect that's for another thread.

That may or may not be true, but at what a price for desperately needed flats to remain empty, and a park that has been damaged.

[user23]

Not legally possible. The Officers advise, the Councillors decide.
Be wary what you wish for

It's possible for MPs and councilors to delegate decision making powers to civil servants or officers.

[MontyPython]

It's possible for MPs and councilors to delegate decision making powers to civil servants or officers.

But hopefully not the incompetents in Market Street!