Over the recent past DPC has submitted increasingly complex and detailed responses to planning applications. Until May a number of parish councillors had some interest in, experience with, complex planning applications but a lot of that experience was lost at the May elections. I have heard that the current councillors are considering employing an external planning consultant to prepare responses for individual planning applications which the parish council might approve. I don’t know the cost of that but I don’t think that level of expenditure was precepted for the current financial year. Also planning consultants with a local connection might not want to be conflicted out if they have a sole retainer for the DPC and non local planners will not have the local background so are unlikely to to bring the points which local knowledge would do. Also appointing any external adviser will need to be subject to the procurement rules requiring a number of independent proposals.
But is this all necessary? If a parish or town council do not have the necessary detailed planning knowledge surely it is perfectly OK for a more general response.
As an example this link takes you to a cumulative response recently submitted by the Cranleigh Parish Council. I would suggest that a response along these lines should be within the abilities of the new parish council without having to respond in technical detail provided by an external advisor at an expense Bourne by the Council. The Parish Council is supposed to be a public consultee bringing local knowledge more than setting out technical detail on planning issues.
planning360.waverley.gov.uk/civic…820621
Just an idea. What are your thoughts?
James
Liberal Intellectual Dunsfold 