The Local Councils Network has responded to proposals to give elected mayors powers to overrule councils on planning.

In response, Cllr Richard Wright, Chair of the Local Councils Network, said:

“Local planning authorities have an unrivalled knowledge of local communities which ensures new homes and crucial infrastructure are appropriate for their area and meet the genuine needs of local people. This expertise should not be dismissed lightly.

“Councils’ longstanding accountability for planning has empowered us to ensure development contributes to the creation of cohesive places which support growth, health and wellbeing, as well as being loved by local people.

“The weakening of this accountability has the potential to diminish local places and at the same time do little to increase the building of the high-quality homes that councils know their communities are crying out for.

“While we support the Government’s enthusiasm for devolution, we should be clear that devolution entails empowering people at a local level, rather than taking powers away from councils and giving them to more geographically distant bodies.”