The exclusion of residents from planning site visits introduced by Haringey’s Labour Council has been criticised by the Liberal Democrats. Local Lib Dem councillors have again expressed their opposition to the new measures at last night’s (3 rd September) planning committee meeting saying that barring residents is unacceptable and detrimental to the transparency of decision making. Lib Dems have called for a reinstatement of resident attendance and will continue to pressurise Haringey Council for this.

Cllr Bob Hare, Lib Dem planning committee member, comments:

“Planning site visits have always been an opportunity for residents affected by planning applications in their area to be involved in the process. The ban imposed by Labour is totally unacceptable.”

Cllr Jonathan Bloch, Lib Dem Planning Spokesperson, adds:

“Properly managed involvement of residents in planning decisions is fundamental. The ‘gold standard’ is the way the government’s planning inspectors carry out their site visits, where residents are given full opportunity to explain their concerns. Haringey Labour’s exclusion of residents is anti- democratic and will only serve to put more people off getting involved in local issues. The decision flies in the face of Council efforts to involve the local communities in area assemblies and I can only wonder how the council squares these two contradictory policies.

“We will continue to press Haringey Council to have these appalling rules withdrawn.”