Thank you. In November 2017 and again in May 2019, you wrote to Flintshire council stating that it was extremely disappointing that that authority had submitted a further request to extend the time taken to prepare its local development plan, especially in the light of previous assurances, and that this was particularly pertinent as that authority is continuing to suffer the pressure of speculative planning applications in the fields due to the lack of an adopted development plan. And, the longer the situation persisted, it would be to the greater detriment of local communities and the reputation of the planning system. That's the end of your quote.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 introduced flexibility for councils to carry out their democratic and governance arrangements differently and proportionately, given the challenges faced, but as you know, this was not intended to diminish the voice of communities or weaken democratic accountability and representation. How, therefore, will you ensure that councils without LDPs do not pursue a challenging use of the emergency procedures to get them approved?