SERIOUS concerns have been raised that members representing a national park have exceeded their responsibilities over planning applications.

A report by the district auditor into the Yorkshire Dales National Park examined a sample of planning committee decisions and found that half were made with "insufficient planning justification".

The official report on planning probity also highlights continued conflict between factions of members on the committee, irregularities in decision-making, both at meetings and on site visits, and a vulnerability to lobbying.

A number of members are also understood to have helped people who have submitted planning applications by visiting them and assisting in drafting letters of appeal.

It recommends planning officers should accompany members on site visits, otherwise it says members could risk accusations of "arbitrary or unfair action" and "covert lobbying".

The fact that the public has an opportunity to ask questions ahead of formal meetings and that planning officers can refer to a formal planning manual were singled out as positive points.

However, the report concludes the authority needs to introduce tighter controls on site visits, along with a better code of conduct for dealing with lobbying and more training for members.

The latest blow follows hard on the heels of two scandals which shook the authority last year.

Chief executive Heather Hancock quit, claiming she had been intimidated, harassed and undermined - although some of her staff were equally critical of her management style.

Weeks before, former chairman Robert Heseltine was sentenced to 270 hours community service and described as unfit for public office by a judge at Teesside Crown Court after he was convicted of fiddling his expenses.

The national park's chief executive, David Butterworth, said: "At the last meeting of the authority's planning committee, a decision was taken to defer a debate over the district auditor's report until next month to allow more time for consideration of the issues contained in the report.

"The district auditor's report into the planning process and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority highlights areas of both good practice and areas where improvements can be made, along with a number of recommendations."