NEW Government guidelines to speed up the planning process may mean parish councillors are not consulted in decisions, warns a spokesman for Three Rivers District Council.

His concern follows last month's introduction of new Government guidelines, which state at least 90 per cent of plans should be decided by district council officers. Only ten per cent would be determined by elected members of the district council's development control committee.

Under the new scheme, which aims to speed up the planning process, parish councils have just 21 days to consider plans.

The spokesman explained if parish councils want to have a say on planning matters, they would have to meet more often.

He suggested parish councils form planning sub-committees, meeting up to once a week to deal with the tighter deadlines.

Clerk Philip Truppin raised the alarm at a meeting of Abbots Langley Parish Council.

Mr Truppin said: "With the speed and volume of applications coming in, the situation with a monthly planning committee here means that decisions could be determined by officers before the parish councillors had an opportunity to consider them."

Chairman Mr Keith Williams said: "This is a very important issue which is going to deprive many of the parishioners of the opportunity to comment on plans."

Parish councillor Mr Barry Highland expressed concern Green Belt development could take place without proper consultation.

He said: "Green Belt issues are the biggest fear for our area."

Vice-chairman Peter Sanders said: "My only worry is there's going to be no checks or balances. If there's no one to oversee what the officers are doing it's going to be carte blanche."

Parish councillor Mr Keith Peutherer urged members to make sure they had enough time to look through applications.

Members agreed the matter be referred to the planning committee to come up with a proposal.

Parish councillors were concerned the district council had increased its targets from the recommended 90 per cent delegation to 100 per cent.

They had hoped that, allowing for applications being called in for consideration by the development control committee, the delegated figure would be nearer 70 or 80 per cent.

However, Mr Truppin explained the district council had set itself a target of 100 per cent to allow for the ten per cent of applications that might be called in and, thus, to meet the Government's guidelines of 90 per cent.

This week, a spokesman for the district council tried to reassure parish councillors.

He said: "We are not taking any powers away. We at Three Rivers will fully consult with the councils as before but they have to respond much quicker."

He explained all applications were in theory delegated to the director of planning.

However they can be called in to the development control committee if the parish council thinks it necessary.

May 20, 2002 17:02