Two More Fine Messes They Have Got Us Into!! (Surrey Heath Liberal Democrats

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Two More Fine Messes They Have Got Us Into!!

September 18, 2005 9:49 PM

Planning Delays can Impact Jobs and the Environment

Residents and businesses who have recently applied for planning permission will be aware of serious delays.

After making two of its senior officers redundant last year, the Planning Department has suffered from staff shortages and an increasing workload. Recruitment has been difficult as there is a shortage of suitable qualified candidates, and Surrey Heath is not seen as an attractive destination with its expensive housing.

The inability of the Department to meet national targets in its processing of applications has drawn the attention of Government who have penalised the Council. As a result Surrey Heath are receiving only around £115,000 this year as compared with the £560,000 received by neighbouring authorities like Rushmoor and Hart.

Meanwhile, the responsible Conservative executive member, Cllr Terry King, is quoted as saying "it's not our fault" and "it's impossible to predict when the situation would improve".

Recently it has come to light that income from planning applications is expected to be in excess of £150,000 more than predicted. The Council's Executive proposes to spend only £60,000 of this on addressing the staff shortages. Cllr David Whitcroft said: "The current situation is entirely the result of poor management by the current Conservative administration. On behalf of the residents of Surrey Heath, I call on the Executive to return the other £90,000 to the Planning Department to help them resolve this situation".

As if that were not bad enough, the Benefits Dept has also experienced staffing problems which have resulted in some of the neediest residents of the Borough having to wait long periods for their benefits applications to be processed.

"In spite of warnings from one of the Select Committees," added Cllr Whitcroft, "The Council Executive has done little to address the problems apart from to blame everybody but themselves for the problems. The Executive should be preparing targeted plans to deal with these problems and Residents should be told when matters will improve."

The Lib Dem Council Group is addressing these issues by calling a Extraordinary Council Meeting - on 26th September - where it will move Motions of censure on the Council's Executive for allowing the situations with the Planning and Benefits Depts to develop as they have.