Delegation of planning functions
Councils are revising how planning decisions are delegated to comply with new national legislation taking effect in October 2026.
Brent Council's proposed constitutional changes, intended to align with new national regulations on delegating planning functions, failed to pass at a council meeting in September 2026. The council must now revisit these changes at an extraordinary meeting to ensure compliance by the October 31, 2026, deadline, as introduced by Councillor Matt Kelcher, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Planning.
Hackney Council is also preparing for new national legislation, with its Constitution Committee recommending significant alterations to the Planning Committee's powers in July 2026. These reforms, driven by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, aim to redefine which planning decisions are made by councillors and which by officers, with the Act coming into effect on October 31, 2026.
The changes across councils relate to the delegation of planning functions, which is the process of assigning decision-making authority for planning applications to specific individuals or bodies, often transferring powers from a committee to council officers. Councils are working to implement these new rules ahead of the October 31, 2026, deadline.
Key facts
- Brent Council's proposed constitutional changes regarding delegated planning functions failed to pass at a council meeting in September 2026. Source
- The Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026 introduce national rules on which planning applications must be delegated. Source
- Hackney Council's Constitution Committee recommended significant changes to its Planning Committee's powers in July 2026. Source
- The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, which comes into effect on October 31, 2026, introduces new rules regarding planning committee size and composition. Source
- Councils must comply with new national planning regulations by October 31, 2026. Source 1 Source 2
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.