Salford councillors have expressed deep frustration after being forced to ratify new government planning regulations that strip away local decision-making powers. During a meeting on September 16, elected members were compelled to vote through changes to the town planning process, a move they claim will shift power away from the public and toward council officers operating behind closed doors.
The new national rules mandate that specific planning applications—including those involving private properties, small-scale commercial operations, and “permission in principle” for small housing developments—must now be delegated to unelected council officers. Crucially, the regulations remove the ability for elected councillors to “call in” these applications for scrutiny, even when they attract significant opposition from local residents. Furthermore, the changes impose strict limitations on the size of planning panels.
Coun Andrew Walters, chair of the planning committee, admitted that the council had “very little choice” but to adopt the measures, noting that failure to comply would leave the local authority in breach of the law. However, he did not hide his disapproval of the directive. “The point of this legislation is to solve a problem that we don’t have,” Walters said. “It’s very disappointing that Salford is losing its powers to make its own decisions.”
The democratic implications of the change drew sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Conservative councillor Bob Clarke expressed strong opposition, arguing that the government had no mandate to erode local democratic rights. “One of the most distrusted parts of this council is planning, unfortunately,” Clarke said. “They all talk about ‘brown envelopes’ and decisions happening behind closed doors. Now, some applications will be done behind closed doors. I’m not in favour of anything that removes local democracy from the public and elected members.”
Critics fear the new policy will foster a climate of suspicion, suggesting that removing public and political oversight will inevitably lead to a decline in public trust.
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett acknowledged the concerns raised during the debate and indicated he intends to challenge the decision at the government level. Despite the visible discontent, the majority of the council voted to approve the constitutional changes to ensure the planning department remained legally compliant. A minority of councillors, primarily from the Reform UK group and select Conservative members, voted against the measures as a formal act of protest.
The government maintains that the reforms are intended to streamline and accelerate the planning process nationwide. The Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government has been contacted for comment regarding the local impact of these regulations. For now, Salford’s planning department must operate under the new framework, leaving councillors and residents to navigate a system that effectively sidelines the voice of the community on key development issues.
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