Januarys urges caution over new planning proposals
July 2011
Januarys says a degree of caution will need to be adopted in respect of new Government proposals which could open up the delivery of planning services to wider competition.
The proposals are contained in the recently published ‘Open Public Services’ White Paper, where the Government says it will consult with local authorities and the wider public sector about how to go further in opening up ‘locally commissioned services’ in planning.
Precise details as to how that might be achieved are only emerging gradually, but Director of Planning Colin Brown considers that care will need to be taken to ensure that local accountability and consistent decision making is not lost.
“From the Government’s point of view, I can certainly see the attraction,” he said. “With the public sector under tremendous pressure to save money, any ideas which might cut costs, yet deliver quality services and good outcomes, need to be explored.
“This notion also fits in with Mr Cameron’s notion of the ‘Big Society’ particularly as some responsibilities could devolve to local communities.
“I can imagine, however, that regular users of the planning system might require a little more comfort about the proposals before they are enacted.
“Whilst the planning system in this country is by no means perfect, it does have two very important things in its favour – firstly, it is, for the most part, accountable, and secondly, Planning Committees are made of elected Councillors, so there is generally a strong link between local needs and what is realised on the ground.
“There is a potential risk of watering down these benefits if decisions were to be farmed out to third parties, unless it can be made clear that democratic accountability remains central to any devolved system.
“Breckland Council outsourced its planning and building control services to a third party just under two years ago – and are said to have saved a substantial sum in doing so.”
“I will be intrigued to discover how this arrangement works in the longer term but will need a degree of convincing that a better resourced public sector is not the most appropriate vehicle to deliver these important services.”