§ 7. Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby)If he will make a statement on the role of parish and town councils in his planned revisions to the planning system. [81544]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Tony McNulty)Parish and town councils will continue to have an important role under our proposals for reform of the planning system. Where proposals or policies in a draft local development framework document affect a parish or town, we expect the council to be consulted and its views to be taken into account. Similarly, we shall continue to require local planning authorities to notify town and parish councils of any relevant planning application if requested to do so.
§ Lawrie QuinnDoes my hon. Friend accept that the type of skills and training that might be needed for parish and town councils to give planning work full consideration might demand extra resources? Will the proposals allow for such training and additional resources to be made available to those authorities?
§ Mr. McNultyWe are aware that the skills base in the planning profession has been denuded over successive years. We are keen to ensure that parish and town councils remain engaged in local planning and UDP—unitary development plan—processes. Yesterday my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced, for the first year, £50 million for the planning development grant, aimed principally at local planning authorities. Clearly, however, if the skills increase in the local planning authorities, their interface and interaction with the parish and town councils will be all the more efficient, and that is what we want to encourage.
§ Mr. Henry Bellingham (North-West Norfolk)Does the Minister agree that parish councils are a vital part of democracy in counties such as Norfolk, and that parish councillors do tireless work on behalf of the community? Why, then, are the Government undermining them with the new draconian code of conduct and audit requirements? Why do they not simply leave the parish councillors to get on with the job they do so well?
§ Mr. McNultyIn terms of the planning process, which is the subject of the question, that is precisely what we are doing.
§ David Taylor (North-West Leicestershire)As a sitting parish councillor, I have often been in receipt of 632 rather odd decisions from the district level. Will the Minister reconsider the possibility of third-party appeals against permissions in certain circumstances?
§ Mr. McNultyI am afraid that my hon. Friend will have to wait for the presentation of the planning and compulsory purchase Bill, which was outlined in the Queen's Speech. I suggest that he also read carefully the substantial responses that we received to the planning Green Paper consultations on third-party planning rights.