Broads Authority to take planning service in house
The Broads Authority is to take its planning service in house from April 2007 to provide a more efficient service and make it more accountable.
At the moment planning applications are handled by staff based at six district councils which creates confusion and a lack of direct decision making. Local government and the planning system have changed since the planning service was established in 1989, and following a study of its users, the Authority has decided it is not using its planning authority function to manage The Broads, a member of the National Park family, to full effect.
The new planning service means that the Broads Authority will work more closely with local residents and businesses.
Director of Planning and Development, Gillian Morgan, reports: “The Authority must now take ownership of its service delivery and define what is needed for the Broads. Local residents and businesses have told us the Broads Authority needs to adopt a more proactive approach to planning. We have now started to put in place changes which will support local enterprise with a higher quality service to ensure the future sustainability of the Broads.”
“Funding for planning through the planning delivery grant and our Defra core budget, plus our recent award of a Beacon Council for Sustainable Tourism, has encouraged us to take bold steps to take responsibility for managing the Broads.”
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has called for a “step change” in the performance of planning authorities and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) supports the improved use of local planning authority functions as a way to achieve integrated management in national parks.
The Broads Authority carried out a best value review of its current service, identifying its strengths and weaknesses and looking forward to the needs of the service in the future.
The Broads Authority’s decision has been strongly endorsed by the Council for National Parks (CNP).
Ruth Chambers, Head of Policy at CNP, said: “A full in house planning service will provide the Broads Authority with the right tools to deliver improved protection of the Broads, which is essential for current and future generations. We hope that this will enable the Authority to ensure that the Broads has a strong voice in the Eastern Region and that the protection of its special qualities is given proper recognition by other authorities and stakeholders”.
6/07/2004
