Planning watchdogs have accused Cherwell District Council of snubbing democracy by fast-tracking planning applications and wasting taxpayers' money.

Banbury Civic Society has launched its own attack in the wake of an Audit Commission report into the council's planning department, which said CDC had a poor understanding of planning costs and planning enforcement was badly managed.

In its quarterly newsletter, the civic society, chaired by John Bell, said staff shortages had led to "flagrant breaches of planning consent conditions".

Council bosses, however, say massive improvements have been made and the future looks bright.

Mr Bell told the Oxford Mail: "Our criticism comes directly from the Audit Commission report, with one of two instances we can confirm from our own experiences."

The newsletter said the planning department had been "one of the most expensive in the country".

It added: "Of particular concern is the number of planning applications where the decision is delegated to planning officers.

"An important minority of applications, perhaps involving listed buildings or conservation areas, are contentious and should automatically be made to councillors.

"Local people are kept remote from the decision-making procedure by their inability to address committee meetings."

The council decides planning applications for Bicester, Banbury and Kidlington. Ninety-three per cent of applications are delegated to officers - three per cent above the national average.

Council spokesman Tony Ecclestone said the council had drawn up an improvement plan that addressed concerns raised.

He said: "The inspection also pointed to numerous strengths - good outcomes for local people, active approach to regeneration and good customer care."

Michael Gibbard, Cherwell's executive member for planning and housing, said his department had greatly improved since last year, so much so it had won a one-off Government grant of £400,000.

The money will be spent on an extra enforcement officer, an in-house ecology officer and a One Stop Shop at Bodicote House in Banbury.

Plans are also afoot to merge the council's two planning committees to make decisions more consistent.

The moves, Mr Gibbard insisted, would help prevent expensive appeals and improve the public service.