Commentary on Sections Part 3: Planning Control. Section 31: Local developments: schemes of delegation
This section requires each council to prepare a scheme of delegation, stating the application types where a decision may be taken by an appointed officer rather than a council. The scheme must be kept under regular review. The decision will have the same effect as one taken by a council. In individual cases a council will be able to decide that an application which would normally fall within this scheme be determined by a council.