National park authority and county council strike deal over planning workload

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Powys County Council have agreed a partnership that will see the park authority take on some of the council’s Brecknockshire planning applications.

Under the service level agreement, the park authority will handle up to 25 minor and household cases within Brecknockshire per month. It is also anticipated that Powys will reciprocate in times of high demand and workload for the park authority.

The move follows the Welsh Assembly Government’s agenda for public bodies to “make connections, drive for efficiencies and improve joint working” and the Wales Audit Office’s recommendation that the park authority should engage in greater partnership working.

The SLA will see the park authority:

• Take weekly receipt of validated planning applications from the county council
• Process the validated planning applications which include finalising all necessary paperwork, site visits, consultation and client liaison
• Return the applications to the county council with a recommendation, although it will be up to Powys’ officers and members to make the final recommendation and decision.

Kathryn Silk, chairman of planning and access rights of way for the park authority, said: “What is unfolding between Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Powys County Council should be of interest to other local authorities within the Park. Not only have we improved our services to the wider communities but we are now pushing the boundaries on how we continue to achieve this – especially during times of economic downturn.”

Cllr Wynne Jones, Powys County Council’s board member for regeneration and development, said: “The SLA presents an opportunity for close working between the two authorities and for making full use of capacity available in the area. This is particularly valuable in these difficult times for public service finance and at a time when resources in the Powys team in the south are fully stretched.”