The Shape of Things to Come

1st January 2007

T. Wyn Jones

Recent research claims that better and more regular training for Local Authority Councillors and greater involvement in forward planning would improve the predictability and quality of local planning decisions.

The Government commissioned report highlighted that many Councillors were poorly trained in planning matters and few were involved in forward planning to any meaningful extent. Some of the recommendations included: -

Deferring decisions where the majority of the Planning Committee was minded to make a decision contrary to the officer recommendation, and

Contested decisions are not sent to full Council but to a strategic Planning Committee, which is made up of members with planning training.

Everyone has an opinion on planning matters and many a discussion has taken place over why such and such application was passed or not as the case may be.

Perhaps if the general public knew that those people making the decisions had some form of training in planning matters the decisions made would rest easier with them..