LAST week at an open meeting of all the parish councils in the district, the adverse impact which the recent removal of both the “Parish Trigger” and the distribution of paper plans is having on the way councils respond to planning applications was discussed.

Robert Long, MBE, former chairman of Maldon District Council, and historian, spoke about the history of the Trigger, and its relevance to local democracy and answered councillors’ questions.

The meeting was well attended and councils will now be working together on a number of co-ordinated initiatives going forward.

The outcome will be published in my next letter to this paper.

David Ogg, Chairman of the Maldon Town Council planning committee