From February the rights of residents to speak in public session on planning applications that affect their own homes or livelihood will be seriously curtailed. Previously, if SODC officers held a different view to a town council or neighbour on the approval of a planning application then the matter would be decided in public at a meeting of SODC’s Planning Committee. Here the applicant, objectors and the town council could have an equal opportunity to present their views and the elected representative of residents (i.e. councillors) would vote on the final decision. But not any longer! - Conservative Cabinet councillors, encouraged by their SODC officers have now voted for “greater efficiency” by removing this step. In future the Head of Planning (a non elected Officer) together with the Chair of Planning and Ward members - in the case of Henley this is presently 3 Conservative district councillors, who do not seem to be very effective in voicing the views of their constituents, will now decide, in secret, if your objections to a planning application are valid.

Surely another nail in the coffin of democracy - all in the name of efficiency - but really it is another example of  the lack of respect for the residents they are supposed to represent by the Tory leaders at SODC. Many of you will have heard SODC Leader Cllr Ann Ducker (Cons) speak at a meeting in Henley Town Hall in July 2009, called to discuss the new 2-weekly waste collection. Basically, she said that the new system had been decided on by the SODC Cabinet and if we did not like it then “hard luck” and we could always reflect our views at next year’s local elections!

I hope we will use our votes wisely in the up coming by-election and next year’s local elections to show the Tory Cabinet we have all had enough of their total disregard for local democracy!