Across all of the wide range of potential factors, there is one issue that stands out above all others, that being the importance of the roles of Planning Officers in assessing and evaluating applications, and in Planning Committee Councillors making decisions, based only on material considerations, and not as a consequence of any inappropriate information and/or interference.
Much relies upon the Councillors knowing and understanding the planning process, and the Planning Officers giving them sound advice and making recommendations against the material considerations. So, whilst the Council will itself have issued guidance, these are primarily founded upon the guidance and training that is provided by bodies such as the Local Government Association Planning Advisory Service (LGAPAS).
Three of the LGAPAS guides are of particular relevance, and you might want to take look at these along the way:
- How planning works: Introduction for Councillors
- Planning and GDPR guide
- Probity in Planning