Fair Planning

For a long time your Liberal Democrat Councillors have argued against Newark and Sherwood District Council's approach to planning. Too many planning decisions by Labour and Conservative Councillors voting together have simply ignored the Council's own planning policies, and the clear advice of its own Council officers. One leading Labour councillor argued, "planning policy is just a guide to help us make decisions."

In the past six years 24 planning decisions in the Newark and Sherwood have been 'called in ' by the Government's Department of Environment. As a result many of the District Council's decisions have been reversed because they broke national planning guidelines.

Now local Labour councillors are complaining that planning decisions are being taken out of their hands. Late last year a Council deputation went, at local taxpayers expense, to find out why so many planning applications have been referred to the Government.

To the Liberal Democrats the answer is simple. Instead of complaining, the District Planning Committee should start abiding by it's own statutory planning rules and policies when decisions are made in order to be consistent and fair to everyone in the District.