Planning - Dismay as Labour votes to cut residents out

3.55.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 6th Dec 2007

Lib Dem councillors have expressed their outrage as Labour members of the Planning Committee this week voted through new rules which will exclude members of the public from attending site visits concerning planning applications in their local area.

The new protocol relating to site visits limits the attendees of site visits to Officers, councillors and developers. In exceptional circumstances, local residents would be permitted to attend but only if the Labour Chair of Planning agreed.

One Labour councillor even went out of his way to congratulate Officers on the drawing up of the new rules.

The new rules, which have been drawn up without any input from opposition councillors were forced through by the 5 Labour members of the committee despite Liberal Democrats urging a delay so that there could be a proper discussion of the proposed changes.

Councillor David Beacham (Alexandra) comments:

"This makes a mockery of Haringey claiming to be a listening Council. If a Government inspector holds a site visit for a planning application appeal, members of the public affected by the decision are allowed to be present. Haringey should adopt this gold standard."