Angry Cheshire East councillors have blasted government changes to the planning system as 'undemocratic' saying they effectively remove elected members from local decision-making.

Under the new national scheme of delegation, which becomes law for all councils at the end of this month, committee involvement in planning decisions 'becomes the exception, not the norm'.

This will see an estimated 80 per cent reduction in the number of applications going to Cheshire East's northern and southern planning committees and 25 per cent less going to the strategic planning board.

Instead, they will be decided by planning officers.

Councillors will also no longer be able to 'call-in' applications which they, and residents, feel should be determined by committees rather than decided by planning officers.

An alternative 'gateway referral process' could be used – but this would only be applied to certain applications.

Conservative group leader Stewart Gardiner (Knutsford), told this week's meeting of full council: "I am appalled by this abolition of councillors' powers within the planning system…

"These alterations of the system will do nothing to increase the number of houses built in Cheshire East or elsewhere, but it will increase the public distrust of the system."

Cllr Hannah Moss (Mobberley, Conservative), said: "Planning has always worked best when decisions are made locally by elected councillors who understand their communities, the character and the concerns of the residents they represent.

"While consistency and efficiency are important, they should not come at the expense of local democratic accountability."

She added: "Planning is not simply a technical exercise, it is shaping the places where we live, work, and raise our families.

"Those decisions should remain firmly rooted in local democracy and not with our officers."

Brian Reed, head of democratic services, reminded councillors they were being asked to vote on changes to the constitution to implement the new laws, not the planning amendments themselves, which had already been decided by government.

Cllr Craig Browne (Alderley Edge, Independent), said: "The government may be making it law from the end of this month, but planning authorities up and down the country are opposing this."

He said residents relied on their councillors to speak up for them when they had concerns about planning applications.

"Removing that power from them to attend planning committees, removing that power from councillors, is removing the voice of the residents," said Cllr Browne.

He added: "It is said that this government believes in devolution, well they need to demonstrate that, and let us decide how we manage our planning application process.

"We would like this council to talk to other planning authorities and the LGA, and collectively talk to government, rather than just accepting what is badly thought-through legislation, as if we have no voice."

Council leader Nick Mannion (Macclesfield, Labour), said planning committee members and residents often pick up on information that is incorrect in planning applications.

"Now that will be lost," he said.

He added the changes were going to come into force at the end of October.

"I think we should lobby, I don't have any issues with that," he said.

The council voted to amend the constitution so the new planning changes could be introduced at the end of October as required by law.