Planning: let’s have real democracy

CONGRATULATIONS on Caroline O’Doherty’s series (January 1/2) and your editorial on planning (January 2).

The role of councillors with vested interests in building or property, or who lobby for others with such interests, is the key. Such councillors, like officials on the take, expose an intrinsically corrupt system.

Corruption is not simply direct payments for favours. Corruption includes secret or unaccountable exercise of undue influence by some at the expense of others.