IN his View from the Commons piece (25 September) Mr Glen makes the extraordinary claim that “I favour devolving power to a local level so decisions can be made by those who know their area best”.
He then says the regional bodies – regional development agencies, (RDAs) had control of the planning system and 'this took power away from local people ...'
He omitted to mention that this power now resides with Eric Pickles, the minister in charge of planning.
Mr Pickles intervenes on a heroic scale with planning matters.
Decisions made “by those who know their area best” are regularly overturned by him if he doesn't like them. He “takes power away from local people” more or less every day.
Mr Glen is in prime position to know this as he is Mr Pickles' parliamentary private secretary.
He need only stroll down the ministerial corridor to see the piles of planning applications awaiting the minister's attention.
To pretend to be in favour of “devolving power” when he is working for a minister doing the precise opposite is, extraordinary.
Peter Curbishley
Great Durnford
Salisbury
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