Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The new Wiltshire Council will try to muzzle parish councils.
On the one hand, we are told that WC wants to get decision making down to a local level and involve parish councils in the decision making process.

However, the other hand at WC is trying to arrange for parish councils to lose their power to have contentious planning applications decided by elected councillors rather than planning officers.

It would seem that the great god 'efficiency' is already winning the battle to ensure that democracy becomes a distant memory at WC.

If this scheme goes ahead it will be even more important that we elect the 'right' person to WC as they will still have limited rights to 'call in' planning applications.