Town councils cannot make planning rulings

Richard Endacott’s letter regarding the Borough Wide Panel (Viewpoint, October 29) highlights the misconception that many residents have about planning, development management panels and the role of parish/town councils.

Councillors on any panel are not there to represent their residents; they are there to be part of an essential democratic process and to represent the total electorate.

Any decision that they make must be supported by the relevant planning law.

It can sometimes happen that all residents in an area do not want a development but unless planning law supports that wish then there is nothing a councillor can do.

Without a sound reason the decision will be overturned when it goes to appeal or to the Secretary of State. If members wish to make a decision against an officer’s recommendation, then the officers will try their best to find reasons to support that wish, but if there are none they will say so.

Mr Endacott goes on to imply that a Windsor Town Council will change this.

Sorry but no town or parish council has the power to make planning decisions.

It may be that a Neighbourhood Planning Group has prepared a specific plan for that area which has been adopted and become part of planning law, but the decision will still be made by the professional planners or in a very few cases the development management panel.

Planners do not have any interest in whether a parish approves or not, what they would really like is information about the site and area which might not be immediately obvious to the planners.

Cllr Hill is a respected member of the Borough Wide Panel and he did what all members do, which is to look at the maps and plans available so that an accurate judgement can be made of distances and positions not readily available to the passer by.

Cllr DAVID COPPINGER Lead member for planning, environmental services and Maidenhead