THE Vale of Glamorgan Council has now agreed their approach to the Local Development Plan, which is to step back to their previous strategy – but not, as Labour’s election pledge, to scrap it. Another election promise was to give the public a bigger say on council issues. Let us hope they can keep to that commitment.

The council’s previous policy to consult the public about the LDP said they would provide clear choices; not lead people; ask how communities want to contribute; give all sections of the community a chance to express their views; be clear, honest, and accessible with information; use clear language; be timely when people can participate; listen, and feed back results and how they have affected decisions.

Many believe that the consultation fell well short of these fine words so it will be interesting to see how the Labour controlled Council improves on public consultation this time around.

I tend to assess those in power by what they do rather than how they present themselves or what they say.

Judgements need to be evidence based, and one very good measure of planning consultation is how often it changes anything.

Dennis Harkus FocusBARRY supporter