A CRITICAL report warning that councillors are too easily swayed by public opinion in planning matters has made the district auditor "reach for the yellow card".

The draft report recommends three changes to the culture of Worcester City Council's planning committee - more decisions should be delegated to officers, give councillors more time to look at tricky applications and cut the number of site visits.

"Councillors' responsiveness to public opinion may have contributed to an increased number of overturned officer recommendations and inconsistencies in the pattern of recommendations which conflict with national and local planning policy," said Mark Middleton, the council's head of planning and economic development, summarising the report.

The report called for the committee to allow officers to make more decisions to speed up the processing of applications and give councillors more time to consider complex plans.

Site visits should only be held if there were clear planning reasons to do so, the report said.

"Members should take into account public opinion, but it shouldn't be the overriding factor," said Councillor Geoff Williams.

"The district auditor is reaching for the yellow card. He hasn't shown it yet, but he's reaching for it."

Coun Mike Layland said the report was "the way forward".

But less than two hours later, the committee voted against officer recommendation for plans for a dental surgery at 2 Beech Avenue, Barbourne.

The recommendation was for approval, but almost two dozen objectors turned up to complain about parking overspill and claims the practice would not be in keeping with a residential area.

Following the public representations, councillors were minded to refuse.

Coun Williams criticised the decision.

"I was disappointed that after they said that we accepted the report, they voted against officer's recommendation where the public was present," he said.

Committee chairman Councillor Derek Prodger called for a working party to be set up to consider the report and its implications.