From 31 October a petition will no longer send a Sefton planning application to committee, and councillors lose call-in. Here is what replaces it and who decides.

From 31 October, residents in Southport and across Sefton lose two ways of getting a planning application in front of councillors. A petition will no longer send an application to the Planning Committee. Councillors will no longer be able to “call in” an application either.

Full Council approved the changes to its constitution on 17 September. The vote was unanimous. The council says it had no choice: a new national scheme of delegation, set by the Government, comes into force on that date. (Sefton Council, Proposed Reform of Planning Committee, report to Council, 17 September 2026)

The report says the regulations behind it were “still draft” when it was written.

What changes

Now From 31 October
Petitions A petition of 25 or more Sefton residents, endorsed by a councillor, lets a spokesperson address the committee No petition trigger for sending an application to committee
Councillor call-in Councillors can call an application in to committee No call-in
Who sends an application to committee Officers’ scheme, plus call-in and petitions The Planning Committee chair and the Chief Planning Officer, and only if both agree
Public speaking Through the petition route Up to five members of the public, three minutes each, once an application is going to committee
Committee size 15 councillors 13 councillors, from the November meeting

The current petition rule is set out on the council’s planning applications page.

Which applications can still reach councillors

The rules split applications into two lists.

Always decided by officers. These can never go to committee. They include:

  • householder applications, such as extensions and loft conversions
  • minor residential schemes of up to 10 homes
  • minor commercial applications
  • certificates of lawful use and prior approvals
  • most reserved matters and applications to discharge conditions

Decided by officers unless referred. These include larger housing and commercial schemes, listed building consent, advertisement consent and works to protected trees. One of them goes to committee only if the chair and the Chief Planning Officer both agree it raises either:

  • an issue of “economic, social or environmental significance to the local area”, or
  • a “significant planning matter” under the Local Plan and other material considerations.

The council calls these the “Gateway Tests”. The chair’s deputy is the vice-chair, and the officer’s deputy is the Planning Manager for development. The report recommends keeping a record of each decision to refer an application, and says committee reports “could” explain why.

How speaking will work

Once an application is going to committee, anyone can ask to speak. You register with the Democratic Services Officer, up to the start of the meeting.

  • Five public speakers at most, first come, first served.
  • Three minutes each.
  • Speakers must not repeat ground another speaker has agreed to cover, and are expected to agree between themselves who covers what.
  • Ward councillors for the ward where the site is can also speak.
  • The applicant or agent gets three minutes in reply.

The vote

Cllr Phil Hart, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Highways, moved the changes. Cllr Simon Shaw (Birkdale, Liberal Democrat) moved an amendment recording the Council’s “profound concern” at the national scheme. It said most decisions would be “made behind closed doors by unelected officers”, and that the public would lose “their right to speak”. It was lost by 26 votes to 36. The changes were then approved unanimously. (Sefton Council, printed minutes of the Council meeting, 17 September 2026, minute 50)

Cllr Tom Spring (Netherton South and Orrell, Labour) stays chair of the new 13-member committee. Cllr Carol Richards (Formby West, Labour) is vice-chair. Southport’s members include Cllr Michael Braham (Dukes), Cllr John Dodd (Meols), Cllr Charles Denton (Norwood) and Cllr Lynne Thompson (Ainsdale). (Minutes, minute 54)

What it means for you

If there is an application near you that you want councillors to decide, the old route closes on 31 October. The committee still meets on 14 October, and a provisional meeting is listed for 20 October. The first meeting under the new, smaller committee is on 11 November. (Sefton Council, Planning Committee meetings)

After that date, the only way an application reaches councillors is through the chair and the Chief Planning Officer. Your comments on the application still count and still go on the file. Our Southport planning news page tracks the applications that matter in the town.

Sources