A move to hold planning meetings for North Wiltshire to afternoons has been criticised for not giving people a chance to attend them.

But chairman Tony Trotman said the meeting has to move because Wiltshire Council’s Monkton Park offices close early – and it is too tiring for councillors to be out late.

The Western Area Planning Committee changed to afternoon meetings in May.

Chris Caswill, an independent councillor for Chippenham Monkton, said the decision disenfranchised people and was taken without any public discussion.

He said: “They are probably the only council meetings that the public want to go to, as they directly affect people’s lives and the places where they live.

“This huge change is all the worse for having been taken quietly, behind closed doors.”

Coun Trotman said the Monkton Park council offices are now locked at 6pm. “They had to get extra staff in to monitor the front door to allow people to come in and get out at different times during the meeting and it was very onerous,” he said.

Coun Ernie Clark, an independent councillor for Hilperton, said: “Why didn’t they make provision for an alternative venue?”

Coun Clark, who sits on the Western area planning committee, said: “I am concerned this disadvantages the public. The Wiltshire Council ethos seems to be, What’s good for the officers, losing sight of the fact that they were elected to serve the public, not to dictate. Planning meetings should be organised for the convenience of the public. At least for the western committee it was on the agenda, so people could have come along and spoken on it.”

Coun Trotman said members had to meet every three weeks whereas the public may only attend once in their lifetime. “I consulted the full committee. We’ve been discussing it for a month,” he said. “We didn’t vote on it but I asked for responses and there were two. There are substitutes who could take their place if they’re unable to get out of work.

“Evening meetings are all very well during the summer months but when it’s bad weather and the days are drawing in. Plus finishing at ten at night puts a terrific strain on councillors.

“As far as members of the public go, they perhaps only come to one meeting in their lifetime, when they object to someone building next door to them. I never see the same person more than once.”

Martin Naylor, 70, of campaign group Friends of Birds Marsh in Chippenham, said: “That sounds like a good way of keeping ordinary people out.

“Because I run my own company I do have the freedom to get away for an afternoon, but for the average working person, taking an afternoon off may not even be possible.

“The only people there are going to be professionals talking to each other in their own language and jargon that’s difficult to understand; there will be no view from the ordinary person.”