Residents in East Cambridgeshire are to have more transparent participation in planning decisions following the adoption of a new system. The Statement of Community Involvement, recently approved by the Secretary of State, was adopted at a meeting of East

Residents in East Cambridgeshire are to have more transparent participation in planning decisions following the adoption of a new system.

The Statement of Community Involvement, recently approved by the Secretary of State, was adopted at a meeting of East Cambridgeshire District councillors. It seeks to involve the community in developing planning policy and in contributing to consultations on planning applications.

The new procedures set out how the local community and other stakeholders will be involved in consultation on issues such as the Local Development Framework, which will guide future growth in the district, and planning applications.

These measures will include:

n Closer contact with the public through exhibitions and market stalls.

n Interactive questionnaires and all Local Development Framework Documents available on the council's website, together with summaries of responses received.

n Site notices for all planning applications and work to encourage developers to engage directly with local communities, before major applications are made.

East Cambridgeshire District Council's executive director for development services, David Archer, said: "We are conscious that we need to be open and trans-parent about the planning process, which is often perceived as being complicated and unwieldy. The Statement of Community Involvement effectively sets out how to actively, meaningfully, and continuously involve all sections of the community in the consideration of planning policy and applications.

"The statement will be available for anyone to view it in libraries, the council offices at The Grange and on the council's website over the next few days. We hope the general public will see a noticeable difference in the quality and quantity of information which is available to them, I personally hope they make as much use out of it as possible.