BARNSLEY is being shaped by unelected bureaucrats, claim the councillors who should be responsible for granting planning approval.

Months of frustration over the councillors’ perceived impotence spilled over into a heated debate in the council chamber on Tuesday.

Members voted against a recommendation by planning officers to allow two houses to be built off Laithes Lane in Athersley because they did not want the land to be developed.

But minutes later they found themselves in a stand off with the officers who told them their reasons for rejection were not good enough.

The board's legal advisor then stepped in and warned councillors there could be a cost to the authority if a successful appeal was launched against their decision.

The discontent is breaching the usual party divide and long standing Labour councillor Charlie Wraith agrees with the opposition's sentiments.

Coun Wraith, who has sat on the planning board for more than 30 years, says members are becoming ‘intimidated’ by threats of financial penalties if councillors' rulings are overturned on appeal.

He added: “It’s getting to the stage where people are almost frightened to voice their opinions.

“Over the last year all these new rules and regulations are coming out of central government and it means we can’t look after the interests of Joe Bloggs and his amenities, which is a big part of the job we are supposed to be doing.”

Many of his colleagues share his view and the consensus seems to be that there is no other option but to do what officers say.

Liberal councillor Ian Guest says in the past officers gave councillors advice on how they could reject applications, if this was what they wanted to do.

This is no longer the case and Coun Guest says asking members to formulate technical planning reasons on the spot was unreasonable and he is calling for a review of the system.