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Sutton Borough Liberal DemocratsWorking for you all year round
Beddington, Belmont, Carshalton, Cheam, Clockhouse, Nonsuch, St Helier, Stonecot, Sutton, The Wrythe, Wallington and Worcester Park. |
Lib Dems bring power over planning back to Sutton
July 21, 2009 12:00 AM
Sutton Liberal Democrats have called on Government to back their proposal to decide planning appeals locally, rather than have them decided by a government agency based over 100 miles away in Bristol,
The Liberal Democrats passed a motion at last night's Full Council meeting, demanding that planning appeals should be heard by a local Appeals Board based in Sutton and made up of local residents.
The proposal would mean Sutton becoming a pilot to try out the new system and would receive funding from Government to set up and run the panel.
Under the Sustainable Communities Act councils and residents can ask Government to take action which they believe would help them to improve the economic, social or environmental well-being of their area.
Proposals made by councils will be short listed by the Local Government Association, who will then agree with Government which ideas they will put into action.
Cllr Ruth Dombey said:
"The Sustainable Communities Act has the potential to give back more decision making to local people but the Government needs to show its commitment to making it happen.
"We have been talking to residents about the Act and their ideas to improve their local area. We know that residents often feel that decisions made over 100 miles away are imposed on them by people who do not understand the local area. Planning decisions affect the area and the street where you live and Sutton residents should have more say over what is being built and where.
"Local decision making is at the heart of what the Liberal Democrats stand for and I am determined that more of those decisions that impact heavily on Sutton residents are taken at a local level."
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