The decision of the council's ruling group of Liberal Democrat councillors to cut staff in the area of planning enforcement is dangerous and irresponsible. That's the message from the council's main opposition Labour Group who say it is a dangerous move that sends out the wrong message to those who already see the council as a soft touch.

Labour's spokesperson for planning, Coun. Ruth Potter said:

"The area of planning enforcement is a problem for the city already, without cutting its resourcing as the Lib Dems have just done. If you wanted to give developers carte blanche to do as they please and not stick to conditions of planning applications, you couldn't find a much better way of achieving it.

"From a team of 2.8 full-time equivalent (FTEs) members of staff, the team will be reduced to 1.8 FTEs. The Lib Dems fail to understand that effective monitoring of major structural alterations to the built environment are important in keeping York special".

Coun. Potter said Labour had fought to reverse the cut at last week's budget council meeting, as Labour believed that with the current planning enforcement team struggling to tackle all the breaches of planning conditions, reducing the team would only make the situation worse.

"Planning could easily be seen as a free-for-all by developers after this decision. They will not be vocal about how pleased they are, but some will quietly get on with doing as they please, safe in the knowledge the council has not resourced effective and comprehensive planning enforcement across the city", she said.

"Garages built in the draft Green Belt, walls demolished and metal shutters installed in conservation areas and hideous dormer windows put in where it is not appropriate. These are just some examples of what is already happening, before this irresponsible cut.

"I would urge members of the public to report to the council and their ward councillors where they think work is taking place which seems inappropriate. The chances are the council won't have picked it up so the role the public plays will become increasingly important".