The Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, Russell George, has supported three Powys County Councillors in their call to strengthen Powys County Council’s planning department.
In a joint statement, the three Welsh Conservative County Councillors who sit on the local authority’s Planning Committee have called on the Council’s leadership to provide additional resource to the planning department.
In the joint statement, County Councillors Graham Jones (Blaen Hafren), Gwilym Williams (Disserth & Trecoed) and Peter Harris (Newtown Llanwchaiarn West) said:
“The Planning Department of Powys County Council has attracted a large amount of criticism in recent years, much of it deserved.
“However, as County Councillors who sit on the Planning Committee, we know just how hard some of the County’s planning officers work, often under huge pressure.
“These officers are being let down by the Council’s leadership who have failed to provide adequate resource to the department. As a result, these delays can be largely attributed to the shortage of planning officers.
“We are aware that the lead officer is making improvements despite being under-resourced. While we support the lead professionals in their endeavours to make the department more efficient and acknowledge that the Council is experiencing significant pressure on its finances, the planning department is clearly under-resourced and this is causing significant delays in receiving replies to queries as recently highlighted by Assembly Member, Russell George, who has raised the issue with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
“The responsibility lies squarely with the Council’s leadership for the shortfall in Planning Officers and the lack of resources in the department. They should look to remedy this problem within this essential service at the earliest opportunity to avoid further reputational damage.”
Mr George added:
“My colleagues are right to highlight the need for Powys County Council’s planning department to be strengthened. It is a frontline service which is essential for the future prosperity of Powys and should be adequately resourced.
“We have heard about the intended improvements to the department for many years, but this needs to become a reality and have a tangible effect on the department’s performance.”