Originally Posted by
Whirlybird
People, numbers DO count, at least sometimes. Where I used to live, someone wanted to build a huge windfarm overlooking our beautiful valley. Never mind the details, but after a local campaign, all 50 councillors received over 100 letters each!!! Some were articulate and argued specific points, others just said they didn't want to see a windfarm out of the window - I know, I advised people on what to write, since some could barely put pen to paper. 80 of us went to the meeting and completely filled the gallery. They changed the order of things to put the windfarm first, since they knew why we were there. And they turned it down unanimously, saying it was due to the quite overwhelming local objections, and they felt we had suffered enough. They then addressed the gallery, saying we were welcome to stay, but they'd have a short break since they thought we probably all wanted to go. We filed out in a dignified manner, to sympathetic stares...and then celebrated!!!!
It is standard practice to re-order a council meeting agenda so that items for which members of the public are present are taken first, where this is possible - this is simply good manners. I do it routinely at meetings I chair.
And if a planning committee really did turn something down and give as the formal legal reason for the decision the numbers of local objectors, then the applicant would wipe the floor with them at appeal.
(Which is not to say that councillors might not have dressed up their decision, for electoral reasons, announcing it in the room as being due to "overwhelming numbers" whilst quietly putting a
real planning reason into the minutes.)