CHRISTCHURCH councillors have agreed a compromise position over controversial changes to planning rules.

Proposals to increase the number of individual letters or signatures on a petition needed to trigger an application being sent to the planning committee had been criticised as an attack on democracy.

But council officers said change was needed to speed up procedures to meet ever tighter government targets.

Currently it takes 12 letters or 25 signatures to get a matter referred to councillors rather than being dealt with under delegated powers.

Officers had asked that the numbers be raised to 25 and 50.

But members of the resources agreed the figures should be set at 18 and 35.

The matter will go to full council next week.

The council's development management manager, Linda King, told the committee that planning decisions were not made on public opinion but on legal and policy grounds.

"The aim of our proposals to make decision making more timely efficient."

Jane Lynch, head of planning, said: "Despite the public perception to the contrary, it's not about the weight of objections in decision making process, it's the quality that's important."

Cllr David Jones, vice chair of scrutiny, said councillors had to be able to respond to public concerns over applications "for the sake of transparency."

He urged colleagues to back the 18/35 compromise.

But Cllr Colin Bungey opposed any change.

"We are elected to represent the residents. They don't elect officers to make decisions. If residents don't like what we do, they can rid of us.

"I see this as part of a slow and steady attack on the position of councillors. There are too many delegated powers across all areas of this council."

Cllr Trish Jamieson said: "We are here for the residents. We shouldn't be putting barriers in their way."