Show Notes
The role of local councillors in the planning system has been a familiar topic of conversation on the podcast in the context of, for example, overturning officer recommendations and the case for a national scheme of delegation. There is less talk about the role of MPs in the planning system, which is something that friend of the podcast Andrew Taylor wanted to remedy. This then is the first of what he and Sam Stafford hope will be five episodes exploring the role of a member of a parliament by way of conversations that Andrew records with representatives from the now five major parties. First, Labour, and a conversation recorded with Elsie Blundell and Mike Reader at Soho Radio Studios in March 2026.
Andrew, regular listeners will know, is Group Planning and Sustainability Director at Vistry, Elsie represents Heywood and Middleton North and Mike represents Northampton South.
Andrew explores with Elsie and Mike their journeys to Westminster and their role now in the space between national objectives and what is going on in their respective patches. They talk local government reorganisation, they talk infrastructure delivery and regulation, and they talk about skills.
Some accompanying reading.
Public Practice’s Associate Programme
Some accompanying viewing.
Planning Teams for the Future: What they are and how we get there
Some accompanying listening.
Politics – Personal Trainer
Any other business.
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Sam is grateful to Richborough, Town Legal and Tyler Grange for supporting the podcast; to Vistry for sponsoring the 50 Shades mugs; and to Adrian Meehan for recording and editing this episode.
More from 50 Shades of Planning
One of the most common topics of conversation that Sam Stafford heard at UKREiiF this year was the need for statutory chief planners. There are perhaps three factors behind that interest in building or strengthening leadership capacity within LPAs. First, the impending programme of devolution and local government reform will create larger teams covering larger geographies that will need to co-operate with newly emerging strategic authorities. Second; more authorities being in no overall control need guiding through the decision-making implications of that. And thirdly, the emerging need to manage the possibly contentious gateway test element of the soon statutory scheme of delegation. A role of statutory status, I also heard it suggested in the context of wider LPA capacity and skills, might be something to encourage a junior officer to stay in local government and work towards were they ever tempted to leave for the bright lights and coffee machines of the private sector.
When 50 Shades of Planning first covered nutrient neutrality in February 2021, Sam Stafford described the process of eutrophication as a bit like the podcast itself: a little niche, but very important.
The previous Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 introduced the legislative framework for a new system of local plan-making and in March 2026 the current Government introduced the regulations concerning this new regime.
Whilst in London recently Sam Stafford took the opportunity to catch up with old friends of the podcast Simon Ricketts, Andrew Taylor and Mike Kiely.
As regular listeners know there is often talk on the 50 Shades of Planning podcast about the role of local councillors in the planning system, in the context of, for example, overturning officer recommendations or a decision to withdraw a local plan.