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Parish Councils (Planning)

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this worthwhile Adjournment debate. Does he agree that planning is one of the most emotive issues in a local community and that district councils and county councils often feel just as powerless as the parish council? The problem often concerns central Government planning targets, planning guidance and planning inspectors, who overrule the local authority’s decision in one third of cases. More power should certainly be given to parish councils and to local authorities generally, but the power should be taken away from central Government and given to local authorities and parish councils.