The power to decide planning applications in Oxford could be taken away from community meetings and given to two centralised comm- ittees.

Some city councillors have expressed concern that the six area committees are not suitable to decide contentious planning applications.

So on Monday, councillors will vote on creating two development control committees - each dealing with applications relating to one half of the city.

Labour city councillor Antonia Bance, who has proposed the shake-up, said it would create less formal local forums in which decisions about planning applications could be made.

But Liberal Democrat council leader John Goddard has branded Ms Bance's idea "anti-democratic" and his party looks set to defeat the motion with the help of the Greens.

Meanwhile, Labour will be supported by the Independent Working Class Association in wanting to take planning away from area committees.

Ms Bance, who represents Rose Hill and Iffley, said: "Earlier this year, the draft report from the Audit Commission on area committee and planning performance criticised the system.

"It said it failed to make clear the different functions of the area committees as a quasi-judicial development control body and as an effective community engagement body."

But Mr Goddard said of her proposed change: "It's a terrible idea.

"I said in our manifesto we would fully restore to area committees their powers for dealing with planning applications "I would leave the system alone at the moment and not take the direction that others seem to be suggesting.

"The public prefer to see decisions being taken by people who know about them.

"It's anti-democratic to shelter councillors from having to take uncomfortable decisions."

Earlier this year, the Oxford Mail reported that all 48 councillors were to be given a crash course in planning, because many did not know the law.

Concern was raised after planning officers said some members were not applying the correct planning law or giving satisfactory reasons for refusing applications.

Senior officers were alarmed at the amount of money wasted each time councillors ignored officers' advice on applications that were later won on appeal.

Green group leader Craig Simmons, chairman of the east area committee, said: "We have seen a massive increase in the involvement of members of the public in planning meetings since the decisions were decentralised to area committees.

"It's true councillors are regularly constrained by national planning legislation and can't always make the decisions they want.

"But surely it's better to educate objectors and applicants about these constraints, rather than make these important decisions behind closed doors."