Agenda item

The report provides the Resources, Overview & Scrutiny Committee with an update on the resources, performance, and current workload of the Council’s planning enforcement service.

Recommended          -   That the Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee note the content of the report.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning, Councillor Munsif Dad, and the Head of Planning and Transportation, Adam Birkett, submitted a report to provide the Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee with an update on the resources, performance and current workload of the Council's planning enforcement service.

Councillor Dad provided an overview of the report and pointed out that the Council had over 400 live cases but that the backlog of cases had been mainly caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Head of Planning and Transportation referred Members to Table 1 of the report, which showed outstanding live cases by year since 2025 to the present.  He explained that there had been an increase in the number of complaints submitted and that the service, typically, received approximately 250 complaints per year.  Since April 2025 Officers had closed 151 cases but receive 154 new cases during the same period.  The demand for the service remained high.  Resources to reduce the backlog had been put into place, including the appointment of an extra Officer.  He pointed out that a draft Planning Enforcement Plan had been presented to Cabinet on 3^rd December with a recommendation for adoption and implementation early in the New Year.  The Plan aimed to manage disputes and offences.  In addition, the Planning Department had also upgraded its software system, to manage planning application records and associated documents.  Despite the extra resources, he informed Members that the Planning Department still needed to make difficult decisions when determining how to deal with the volume of their workloads.

Advanced Questions and Responses:

1)     Accrington Stanley have breached planning enforcement rules for over four years.  Could you explain how they been able to breach the rules to a point that nothing can now be done?

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning, Councillor Dad, informed the Committee that a report was due to be submitted to the Planning Committee on 17^th December at which this item would be discussed in more detail.  The Head of Planning and Transportation explained how they dealt with the complaints they received and how they always aimed to keep complainants informed.

Councillor Addison expressed concern about the increasing number of people who did not think they should apply for planning permission and consequently, more were breaching regulations.

Councillor Smithson asked if there was a breakdown of data, per ward, showing where planning breaches were.  The Head of Planning and Transportation reported that these figures were not held. He did indicate, however, that there was an intention to report the number of Planning Enforcements to future Planning Committees and to carry out further monitoring to build a baseline of information.  This, he pointed out, would form a pool of data members could tap into.  

Councillor Clegg suggested a shared system with Planning so that Members could share back with residents and therefore, reduce workloads on Officers.  The Head of Planning and Transportation indicated that there may be GDPR issues with this.

2)     There are 130 outstanding live cases listed for 2025:

a)    What action is the Council taking to deal with these outstanding cases; and

b)    Table 1 in the report shows an increasing number of outstanding cases year upon year.  Could you explain why.

Councillor Dad reported that there were 130 outstanding cases but there was an increasing number of complaints which meant that the number of live cases remain similar.     

The Head of Planning and Transportation explained that the backlog of enforcement complaints had increased because of the Covid-19 pandemic but, in 2022, the Council had appointed a second Enforcement Officer to deal with the backlog and have, also, upgraded its software system with the aim of maximizing efficiency.  He aimed to maintain the integrity of the Planning system.

Resolved                               -   That the report be noted.