40. Section 246 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) in subsection (1), by substituting the following paragraph for paragraph (b):

“(b) the payment to planning authorities of prescribed fees in relation to the making of submissions or observations respecting applications for permission referred to in paragraph (a), with the exception of local authority members who are exempt from all fees in relation to the making of submissions or observations respecting applications for permission referred to in paragraph (a), insofar as it concerns applications made within the local authority members’ local electoral area.”.