Resources

Latest Jobs

Planning Assistant (Policy): East of England; £26,067 to £28,919
Senior Town Planner – Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: East of England; £28k-£40k + Bens
OXFORDSHIRE – Waste + Minerals/Renewables: South East England; Up to £40k + Full Bens
Senior Waste Planner – Surrey/Manchester: South East England; Up to £45k + bens
Senior/Principal Planner: Central London; £38-42K
Associate Planner: South East England; To: £45k + benefits
Principal Planning Officer: East of England; £35,841 to £42,813
Head of Planning, Regeneration & Strategic Housing: Wales; £61,504 - £66,231
Corporate Director: Wales; Circa £106k
Planning Consultant: South East England; £28,000 + £3,000 car allowance

Tory attacks commission

Planning, 15 June 2007

Government proposals for an infrastructure planning commission (IPC) have been criticised by a member of the Commons DCLG committee for being too vague.

Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative MP Greg Hands accused housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper of "skirting around the issue" at an evidence session on the planning white paper this week.

"I started with a general line of enquiry and I became more concerned as it went on because I do not think even she knew what she wanted," he complained.

"I feel that we are going to get something that replaces the current locally elected planning committees and councillors with a large quango that will have 30 commissioners for a fixed eight-year term."

He added: "The only way that commissioners can be dismissed is due to misconduct and not the quality of their decisions."

During the hearing, Cooper argued: "We are trying to avoid a situation where members of the IPC feel they have to make a decision in a particular way or they will be removed from their jobs."

Hands also questioned how the IPC would remain independent. Cooper said the government would learn from other systems, such as the Planning Inspectorate, to ensure independence.