Question

As councillor of planning (newly elected) can I report directly to the planning officer?

Answer 1

I assume that you mean a councillor serving on a PC planning committee. As a planning committee you are tasked with responding to planning applications placed before you for comment on behalf of the PC. The decision of the committee is one agreed by democratic methods based on compliance with planning law alone. You are also able to inform planners of local information to which they are not privy.

 As a member of the committee you are bound by the decisions made and can show your disagreement with that decision by registering your vote against or abstention from in the minutes of the meeting.

Once the PC comments are logged with the planners there is nothing stopping you making your personal comments known in communication with the planners usually online. But you must ensure that they are logged as a private individual and not as a member of the council.

Answer 2

Are you actually a Borough/District Councillor for a Principal Authority serving on their planning committee?

If you are a Town Councillor or Parish Councillor you can make as many comments as you like to the Principal Authority Planning case officer, but so can a member of the public for that matter.  What you can't do is make those comments in the name of the Town or Parish Councilt that you are a member of. They must be agreed by resolution of all members.