Issue - meetings

The report sets out the estimated level of income from planning-related fees that the Council can expect to receive and the required level of resource to maintain an effective help inform 2024/25 budget setting and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2024-28.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the current and predicted adverse variance in planning-related fees and the measures taken to address this, and the limited opportunities for mitigation for income that is market led.

(2)      Agree that the estimated budgeted income for planning related fees, which takes into account estimates from officers relating to market conditions, planning fees and the future pipeline of likely planning applications, provides a reasonable framework for budget setting.

(3)      Note the requirement for an additional planning officer post to enable the introduction of new income generating services.

The Committee received a report that set out the estimated level of income from planning-related fees that the Council can expect to receive and the required level of resource to maintain an effective planning service to help inform 2024/25 budget setting and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2024-28.

The following matters were considered:

a)            FastTrack Service. A Member of the Committee asked for further explanation of the FastTrack Service and new Planning Office Post. The Interim Head of Place Development responded to inform the Committee that there is a clear demand for a FastTrack service, which could generate a reasonable amount of income and help to achieve targets of dealing with applications in two months. The Interim Head of Place Development explained to the Committee that in terms of paying for the service, there is the fee that will be brought in to use the service and funding from Central Government to go towards decreasing backlogs and improving the application service.

b)            Autumn Statement. A Member of the Committee asked if Officers had an opportunity to consider and reflect on any changes and comments relating to Planning Fees in the Autumn Statement. The Interim Head of Place Development informed the Committee that there is still no localised fee setting, fees are set nationally, so the 25/35% increase is not a decision of this Council but of Central Government. The Interim Head of Place Development informed the Committee that the Autumn Statement announcement has not affected anything in the report because the announcement was known about beforehand.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the current and predicted adverse variance in planning-related fees and the measures taken to address this, and the limited opportunities for mitigation for income that is market led.

(2)      Agree that the estimated budgeted income for planning related fees, which takes into account estimates from officers relating to market conditions, planning fees and the future pipeline of likely planning applications, provides a reasonable framework for budget setting.

(3)      Note the requirement for an additional planning officer post to enable the introduction of new income generating services.