Ans: YES, but please read on……
If I find revised information I will add to the post at a later date. Hope you find it helpful.
Of the five planning submissions by the parish council in 2025, four of the submissions are directly from the parish clerk (without being discussed by the councillors at a meeting – no evidence on minutes). FYI: the full list of applications in 2025 can be found here: (see this page).
Whether or not a formal meeting has to be held to decide on a response would be dependent on the specific arrangements agreed by the Parish Council, when the clerk was appointed. No policy is published on the council website, and there is no record on minutes of such an agreement.
The Councillors must resolve by a majority to grant her the duty of delegation. In theory, the SPC could agree to resolve the clerk, delegated responsibility to Planning Applications, but this would mean that the Principal Planning Authority would not be getting the views of all the Parish Councillors but by somebody without any electoral mandate. This is my concern, the views are not those formulated after a public meeting.
Until SPC has a policy that stipulates the Parish Clerk is authorised to respond on behalf of the Parish Council, I am unsure of the validity of said responses. Of course if there is a dated policy then I will amend this post accordingly.
| Planning Ref | Location | Specifics | Discussed at PC Meeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| S25/1468 | Brandon Wood | Use of land as shooting ground. | NO |
| S25/1168 | 6 Claypole Road | Proposed 2-storey extension. | NO |
| S25/1033 | Doddington Lane | Proposal for 4 dwellings | Response not presented to the PC before sign off following a public council meeting. |
| S25/0891 | Hill View, Stubton Road | Siting of a Mobile Home | NO |
| S25/0209 | 7 Claypole Road | Two storey extension + Single storey | NO |
- Planning Explained (NALC) – Click to Download
- How to Respond to a Planning Application (NALC) – Click to Download
The parish clerk does not normally respond to planning applications individually; instead, they submit comments on behalf of the parish council after the council has formally agreed on the comments during a public meeting. The parish clerk’s role is to administer paperwork and implement decisions, including submitting the parish council’s agreed-upon comments on planning applications to the local planning authority. Parish councils are statutory consultees, meaning they must be notified of applications in their area and are entitled to comment, but they do not have the power to approve or reject applications themselves.
Process for Parish Council Response
- Notification: The parish council is notified of any relevant planning applications within its parish by the local planning authority.
- Review: Parish councillors study the plans and supporting documents for the application.
- Council Meeting: The council discusses the application at a properly called public meeting.
- Decision: The council decides whether to support, oppose, or remain neutral on the application.
- Submission: The parish clerk submits the council’s formal comments in writing to the relevant planning authority, such as through the local planning portal.
Parish Clerk’s Role
- Administers council business, including paperwork related to planning applications.
- Ensures meeting papers are prepared and public are aware of meetings.
- Implements the decisions of the council, such as submitting agreed comments on planning matters.
