I strongly suspect that the real muppet councillors are in the "countryside" councils. I live under one of these and have met the people concerned, and most of them are either crooks or idiots.
One councillor (a Cons one) was phoning up locals in the village, the evening before the committee hearing, asking them to come along and object. Had this call got taped, he would have been in big trouble. Yet this seems commonplace. Another one (this time the Chairman) has been using certain trade connections to interfere with local architects (who obviously prepare most of the planning applications).
And it is in the countryside locations that strip owners will have the most trouble...
It's all very well saying one should stand for the committee (a sentiment I obviously agree with) but only another muppet with under the table ambitions will want to do this kind of job. One would need to replace the whole committee in one go.