Civic Voice has undertaken a small-scale study of the publication of comments on local planning portals. That study has revealed a consistent pattern of preferences amongst civic societies. Societies want transparency in the publication of all comments, but also agree that personal details should be redacted and that comments containing abusive or other inappropriate language should not be published.
Societies express concern when public comments are not published or delayed, as has happened with some councils. Failure to publish the comments of individuals and local groups amounts to a serious loss of transparency whatever the issues about administrative costs. Societies are also seriously concerned and frustrated when technical and administrative errors lead to delays and failures to publish the views of statutory and other agencies.
For civic societies, therefore, the immediate priorities are first, to engage with local Councils to ensure that the Statement of Community Involvement covers the online publication of all material relation to planning decisions, local plans and other planning policies, including public comments; and second, where the material on the planning portal appears lacking or confusing, to challenge Councils to explain and put the documentation into some form of comprehensible order.
The results suggest that Government undertakes a further, more systematic inquiry of the administration of local planning portals.