FOREST people will have half an hour for planning policy questions and can observe the rest of the proceedings when the Portfolio Holder's Support Group meets in public twice a year from this month.

The District Council group's role is to research matters in depth before recommending new policy to the Cabinet to decide. It will meet in the Council Chamber on Monday (January 21) at 5pm.

The group is a cabinet support group and is therefore not usually open to the public. However, the council says it wants to give residents opportunity to see planning policy taking shape, especially as one of the key issues the group will be looking at is wind turbines.

Cllr Brian Robinson, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for Efficient Council and Planning Policy, said: "We know issues like wind turbines are very important in our district. We are keen to take on board what the community says and through opening up the meetings to the public residents will be able to see the issues we are talking about and put questions to the group.

"In any change to policy the council builds on the existing planning guidelines in the core strategy and local development plan. Formal public consultation is carried out before policy is changed.

"This group is more informal and by opening some meetings to the public people will be able to see how we operate in forming our ideas."