Issue - meetings

Whilst performance in relation to ‘Major’, ‘Minor’ and ‘Other’ planning applications which are reported to central government remains very strong, there is a backlog in dealing with other work undertaken within Development Management, including types of applications which are not reported to government and applications for works to trees.

The report seeks approval for additional resources to enable the Planning Development Management Service to procure consultancy support to clear the current backlog in tree and planning-related applications.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Agree to procure consultancy support to clear the backlog of tree and planning-related applications.

(2)      Approve the allocation of up to £60,000 from the Corporate Projects Reserve to the Development Management Service budget to enable the additional resource.

(3)      Note that when the outcome of government’s proposed planning fees increase is known, a further report will be produced to consider the impact on planning resourcing and budgets.

The Committee received a report seeking approval for additional resources to enable the Planning Development Management Service to procure consultancy support to clear the current backlog in tree and planning-related applications.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Clearance of backlog. Following a question from a member, the Committee noted that the procurement of consultancy support would enable the existing backlog of applications to be cleared. The Committee  also noted that the Government had proposed to undertake a review of planning fees and that once this had been completed, the future resourcing of the service would be considered.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Agree to procure consultancy support to clear the backlog of tree and planning-related applications.

(2)      Approve the allocation of up to £60,000 from the Corporate Projects Reserve to the Development Management Service budget to enable the additional resource.

(3)      Note that when the outcome of government’s proposed planning fees increase is known, a further report will be produced to consider the impact on planning resourcing and budgets.