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The Evening Post reports that Neath Port Talbot cabinet member stormed out of a planning meeting after members refused to follow officers' advice. Instead they followed the recommendations of a site visit panel, which is made up of elected councillors.
A unitary authority cannot function without its paid officials. In addition to their administrative burden, they must advise on the law and on planning guidelines. However, they are not directly responsible to the people. The buck stops with the elected council.
2 comments:
I was at the meeting which was a calamity. I actually agree with the Cabinet Member on this instance which is a first. Why bother with a site visit to see a "mountain" when the application was for a wind-farm. Ummm... there is no wind-farm on the mountain so it's just a ... mountain?!? The officers make recommendations according to the law, rules and regs. If this is turned down it could be very expensive for NPT Council Tax Payers.
But what about the other application, where it appears that the councillors' local knowledge about drainage etc. seems to have been better than the officers'?
Unless the committee's decision was perverse or unreasonable, I can't see a court overturning it.
- Frank Little
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