Criticism has been levelled at Wycombe District Council for taking the "undemocratic" decision to put the fate of the five reserve sites in the hands of just eight politicians, rather than the entire council.

The Conservative-controlled council will decide whether to release the five sites at a special cabinet meeting on Monday night.

This has been heavily criticised by residents and members of the opposition parties who feel the decision should be down to all councillors.

Jim Penfold, chairman of Bourne End Residents' Association, said that although his concerns were primarily over the Slate Meadow site, he believed WDC’s treatment of all the reserve sites was not appropriate.

He said politicians are misinterpreting the council’s own core strategy, which he said sets down that reserve sites should only be released after all other available sites have been built on – a situation which should still be some way off.

However, cabinet member for planning and sustainability, Neil Marshall, said the decision to release the sites now will give the council more control over what development is put there.

Mr Penfold criticised the move to bring the proposals to the district’s cabinet, rather than the full council.

Local council members who are not on the cabinet will be given just one minute each to address the committee over their concerns on Monday night.

Mr Penfold said: "The reason the cabinet are giving for making the decision on its own is flawed.

"They are refusing to put it before the full council."

He added: "I find this to be utterly, utterly undemocratic. I think this is utterly appalling. It should at least go before full council.

"It is a hugely emotional subject. They (WDC) are just not listening. To suggest the cabinet thinks it’s going to be a democratic meeting on Monday is laughable."

Mr Penfold also feared that even were the reserve sites to be released, developers might not want to use them, preferring to target other sites instead – meaning the areas will have lost their protection for no reason and the council may be taking an unnecessary chance in releasing them.

He said: "The developers might not play ball – I find (WDC’s) attitude optimistic in the extreme. They’re going to finish up by releasing all the reserve sites and very conceivably be no better off – but without the reserve sites.

"Developers are looking at the bottom line. To think they (WDC) can influence them to any extent is naive."

Brian Pollock, leader of the district’s Liberal Democrats, said: "It is an appalling situation, I will only have one minute to speak on behalf of the residents in my wards, which does not seem fair.

"My hope is they won’t (say yes), but it is difficult to tell, if everyone was allowed to vote it would allow everyone a chance to have their say and share their view fully.

"I hope they will consider all the opinions and evidence which people have put to them."

Councillor Marshall said the reserve sites are detailed in the core strategy and that the decision whether or not to release them does not involve a change in policy, meaning it does not have to go before the full council.

He added: "It is already in the core strategy. These sites are there for that purpose, there has been no change. When that core strategy was made in 2008 the democratic process was done then.

"The cabinet will be meeting on Monday and what they have got to judge it on is what is going to be the best decision for the district as a whole.

"We want to set the frameworks for the sites first with the community rather than let the developer come in with a scheme and control it.

"It’s not going to be easy. We can’t please everybody all the time."