“ We pay council tax in order to have the area we live in maintained to our wishes. If an employee of a company does not carry out the work they are paid to do, they will be dismissed. Residents and businesses within a Borough do not have that power and it doesn't make any difference if a vote is changed with the next election. We need more local power to prevent individuals and companies flouting the planning laws in the knowledge that they will get away with it. Currently the Government seem to be taking away the little local power that is available, with the plan to allow any development to go ahead without planning permission being necessary. The Green Belt and Conservation Areas were put in place to safeguard people's living environment - with good reason. What sort of future do any of us have if these safeguards are not enforced? ”