I mean FFS, how many local council planning decisions are made without any undue influence of money? The whole premise of some of councillors' mates doing it limits it rather massively - that's "ambient" level of corruption if you like, some gets prosecuted, probably not enough but it happens and process is public - anyone who gives a tulip about local planning decision can object and if enough people give a tulip things can be affected thats democracy (sadly as 3rd runway at Heathrow should have been pushed through by central Govt but they ain't got stomach for it).
Proper corruption that affects ordinary people is when they are EXTORTED money to put through planning permission, that clearly does not happen in the UK - certain far less than "mates get rich" kind of thing that does occur but in my view not significant - look at TOTAL number of planning decisions and how many of them corrupt?
IMHO the main problem with planning system is that it requires permission for a lot of things that should not be - cut down red tape in planning laws and this would help reduce already small corruption to even lower levels.
Proper corruption that affects ordinary people is when they are EXTORTED money to put through planning permission, that clearly does not happen in the UK - certain far less than "mates get rich" kind of thing that does occur but in my view not significant - look at TOTAL number of planning decisions and how many of them corrupt?
IMHO the main problem with planning system is that it requires permission for a lot of things that should not be - cut down red tape in planning laws and this would help reduce already small corruption to even lower levels.
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