Dan Boyle (Green Party)

Of course, they are for material contraventions and amendments of the development plan itself. Because these things have happened, and in a quite cynical way, all of us who have been involved in local government have seen where political parties collectively have protected their representatives where a controversial planning application has been made to allow their three, four or five councillors in that area to vote according to their conscience while the other party representatives vote in requisite numbers to allow the planning either to change or to go ahead unhindered. That has reflected badly on the political process. In fact, the process should change to ensure that in voting for particular planning, the matter must have required support among the elected representatives of the area concerned.