Success in securing funding for our planning service

West Berkshire Council has been successful in its bid for £90,000 in government funding to help clear a backlog of planning applications.

The funding will be used to clear around 150 applications, many of which have been awaiting allocation to case officers for some time. The delays have been caused by capacity and capability challenges felt across all involved in the wider planning sector. The fees we charge developers, which are set by the Government, only cover about three-quarters of the cost the Council incurs as a Local Planning Authority.

Work to clear the backlog will begin soon, with the Council commissioning Capita to support the process. As a result of clearing the backlog, the planning application process should soon return to normal with planning applications considered within normal timescales.

Katharine Makant, Service Lead for Planning and Economy at West Berkshire Council, said:

"This funding will get us back on track determining planning applications in a timely manner. Although the reasons for the delays were out of our control, we fully appreciate the impact this will have had on residents and business owners waiting for a decision. As a result of proactively bidding for this additional funding, we will soon see a marked increase in the Council's performance in this area."

Stephen Ottewell, Director of Planning at Capita, said:

"Our resilience planning service is all about supporting Councils when they need us, and we are delighted to be able to assist West Berkshire Council through our new partnership.

"Our team of planning experts are looking forward to working through the backlog so that decisions can be shared with residents and business owners as soon as possible."

The funding, which we bid for, has been allocated from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) under their Planning Skills Delivery Fund (PSDF).