In the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, which comes into effect on October 31 2026, councillors, our local democratic representatives, will have the right to make planning decisions on behalf of their residents stripped from them. From that date planning applications will be divided into Schedule 1 and Schedule 2. Schedule 1 will be for small applications such as extensions, which, however controversial, will now be made by planning officers alone without consulting councillors. Both the CPO and the chair must agree in order for a Schedule 2 application to be brought to the Planning Committee. This means that unless the CPO agrees that the application can be considered by councillors, he can veto the suggestion.