Councillors unite to protect local decision making
Government proposals which would give the Mayor of London greater planning powers, and take decision-making away from local communities, have been slammed by Hounslow Council.
Under the plans, which could be ratified as early as this November, the Mayor would be able to overrule any council's wishes, and effectively deprive local communities of their ability to influence what gets built in their own neighbourhood.
At a meeting of the Borough Council, councillors unanimously passed a Motion underlining their commitment to fight the proposals, which undermine the authority of London’s boroughs and damage local democracy in London.
Cllr Sheila O’Reilly, who proposed the Motion, and is also chair of Hounslow’s Sustainable Development Committee, said “Under these new plans, the Mayor will be able to take a personal decision on planning applications of strategic importance.
“His views on high density planning developments for the capital are well known, and the new powers, if approved, could open the floodgates to forcing major developments on councils and local residents against their wishes.
“Hounslow’s Area Committees and Sustainable Development Committee have worked well over the years to make decisions about what is built locally, providing a platform for local residents to influence the planning process. It has allowed us to successfully oppose plans supported by the Mayor, such as the proposed 28-storey block at Gunnersbury Station, and the controversial residential development on a site by Kew Bridge. This would not be the case if the new powers were granted."
The Council Motion echoes the findings of a recent London Councils (formerly the Association of London Government) survey, which found that 54% of Londoners oppose plans to award the Mayor of London extra powers to decide planning applications across the capital.
According to the report, an overwhelming 75% of Londoners named their local council when asked who should be mainly responsible for planning in the area.
Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Peter Thompson, added “We are also concerned that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and that granting the Mayor these powers could be setting a precedent, with decisions on local housing, social services and education needs the next to go. While the Government may be willing to ride rough-shod over the wishes of London’s residents and rubber-stamp these plans, we aren’t willing to stand by and let that happen. We will continue to work with the London boroughs to fight these plans, and keep local decision-making in local hands."
October 6, 2006