In view of what Mid Suffolk district councillors said about not expressing an opinion at the public meeting on the Taylor Wimpey plan for Debenham, guidance in the House of Commons library is interesting.
The research note says:
- The Localism Act 2011 will abolish the Standards Board regime and the concept of predetermination. Councillors will no longer be prevented from expressing an opinion a planning applications and then taking part in the planning committee decision. The rejection of a planning application might still lead to an appeal to a planning inspector.