Conservative proposals for a new panel to give residents a public hearing on planning applications have been rejected at North Herts Council, prompting a political row over changes to the planning system.

The Conservative Group said Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors voted against its proposal for an advisory Planning Panel. Labour defended the decision, arguing the panel would use council resources and risk delaying applications without having formal decision-making powers.

The debate took place at a full council meeting on Thursday, October 8, ahead of the Government's National Scheme of Delegation coming into force on October 31.

The national changes will govern which applications are decided by planning officers and which can go before elected councillors. Existing arrangements allowing ward councillors to require an application to be considered by a planning committee will no longer be permitted.

Under the Conservative proposal, councillors could have referred applications which were ineligible for a committee decision to a new Planning Panel.

Following a public hearing, the panel would have made an advisory recommendation to the officers responsible for deciding the application. It would not itself have granted or refused planning permission.

Councillor Ralph Muncer, leader of the Conservative Group, criticised both the Government's reforms and the rejection of his proposals.

He said: "Labour's flawed planning reforms are an assault on local democracy, taking power out of our communities and placing it into the hands of unelected planning officials.

"Whilst the Government is reducing community involvement in the planning process, our proposals would have ensured not only that local communities in North Herts retain their voice, but that decisions taken about change in our communities are subject to the scrutiny residents rightly expect."

He added: "It's therefore disappointing Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors voted against these measures and failed to push the boundaries of this loathsome legislation for the benefit of our communities."

In response, the Labour Group described the national changes as a "long-overdue reform" intended to streamline planning, reduce unnecessary delays and improve consistency between councils.

Its statement said: "At a time when the country faces a housing crisis and a pressing need for new infrastructure, it is vital that the planning system is able to deliver the homes, jobs and investment communities need."

Labour said around 96 per cent of planning applications in North Hertfordshire were already decided by professional officers under delegated powers.

The group said applications raising significant planning, economic, social or environmental issues would continue to be considered by elected councillors, and residents would still be able to comment on and object to proposals.

It argued the suggested panel would require significant officer time and council resources while having no formal role in the statutory decision-making process.

"It risks blurring accountability, creating unrealistic public expectations and introducing additional delays into a system that the Government is seeking to make more efficient," the statement said.

Labour also questioned whether the arrangement would be compatible with the new legislative framework.

Although the Conservative panel proposal was rejected, the council agreed to ask officers to explore whether additional arrangements for councillor and public involvement in applications decided under delegated powers could lawfully be introduced.

Any resulting proposals requiring changes to the council's constitution would return to full council for consideration.