TONIGHT'S meeting of Swindon Borough Council’s planning committee has been cancelled.

That's not a common occurrence and happens when there are not sufficient agenda items to make a meeting worthwhile.

There are no more meetings of the committee scheduled until the end of the year, although that is likely to change.

Not every planning application which is put into the council is decided upon by elected members on the committee. Most minor applications, such as a plan for an extension to a house or the change of use of a commercial or business premises, are handled by planning officers.

Applications known to be contentious will be debated and decided by the committee. Councillors or parish councils can request that a particular proposal can be called in to be decided by the members, or any application made by the borough council itself must be heard by the committee. This allows objections to be heard in public.

Meetings are added to the calendar page on swindon.gov.uk and the agenda for each is published a week before it starts.