SIXTEEN decisions by Barnsley Council to refuse planning permission over the last four years have been overturned by inspectors, new statistics show.

But another 83 appeals against decisions made by the authority have been rejected by the inspectors, who review cases where the applicant believes the reasons for refusal are unjustified.

In cases where applications are successful costs can be awarded against the local authority, but in Barnsley Council's case that has happened in only one year out of the last four, when they had to pay £9,600 in 2015.

Most of the cases where the inspector found against Barnsley Council involved decisions to refuse permission which had been based on the professional advice of planning officers.

Four of the cases where planning inspectors overturned the council decision to refuse planning permission were taken by councillors who sit on the planning board. In each case they went against the advice of their planning professionals to turn applications down.