Not many people realise this but as a Council Tax payer, you can contact your local council & request a copy of the meetings of the Planning Dept, and a copy of the Planning Agenda that is issued monthly to your Councillors, be sent to you. This is a free service. I have received these for years....from all my local Council Departments.
So ,for your £420 a year, all they are doing is getting this free copy from the Council, disecting it a little & selling it onto firms.