An independent review into whether the Isle of Wight Council’s planning system works – or doesn’t as the case may be – is being conducted by mainland officials.
It comes after allegations of mistreatment were levelled at the council’s planning committee in the past few months.
The council’s planning department will be scrutinised this week when members of the Local Government Association (LGA) visit the authority to undertake a peer review. The review will provide a ‘critical friend’s view of the authority’s weaknesses and opportunities’, the LGA says, and will come at a cost of between £12,000 and £14,000.
Both the cabinet member for planning, Councillor Paul Fuller, and a council spokesperson said the review was part of the council’s corporate plan, which was approved in October last year.
It sets out a commitment to review, enhance and improve the planning department and see how it can improve outcomes and adhere to statutory obligations.
At a meeting of the council’s scrutiny committee for neighbourhoods and regeneration earlier this month, it was said the review was requested by the former chief executive, John Metcalfe.
Before Mr Metcalfe left, problems in the planning department had reached a head and it was felt there was a need for an independent review.
At a planning committee meeting in March, Councillor Geoff Brodie said he had had conversations with council officers who were “deeply concerned over their health and wellbeing in the light of the way in which they are being treated by members of this council”. In a question to the council leader, Cllr Brodie elaborated further that some officers were ‘living in fear of the sustained public attacks on their services and advice’.
Councillors have had their say in what they would like included in the review.
Speaking at the scrutiny meeting earlier this month, Councillor Chris Quirk, a former chair of the planning committee, said one of the biggest things not working in the department is the planning committee. He said councillors from across the chamber were coming to decision making meetings with preconceived ideas, which was not how the committee should work.
The LGA’s specialist team will look at documents and interview a range of key planning stakeholders including councillors, officers and outside bodies over 3 days this week.
At the end of the review, the team will report back to the council’s cabinet later this year. An action plan will then be implemented to address the recommendations.
Is this anything to do with the imminent judicial review regarding the planning fiasco of Westridge Farm? Notice how Cllr Brodie comments “some officers were living in fear of sustained public attacks” Should that not be some officers living in fear of sustained attacks from one certain Cllr ?
Another sheer waste of money and a comfortable little beano. These people all stick together and whilst this might not quite (a good 2nd place with honours) be the IWCs most useless department it sure as hell is the most corrupt one.
It appears to be the case that large, housing sprawl, which ruins the countryside, creates massive traffic issues, and adds to the burden of an inadequate sized hospital, too few dentist and doctors gains permission, albeit after a few ‘token gesture’ refusals which are easily rectified, then gain permission.
Yet smaller developments on some occasions get refused.
Now cynics may feel this is due to the fact that life changing sums of money are created by giving building permission on huge swathes on cheap agricultural land, and wonder if the planners are well thanked by their often close developer friends.
You,ve hit the nail on the head! There definately needs to be a review on the planning dept, check their bank accounts for large deposits from big greedy developers, while the little developments building nice homes as opposed to rabbit hutches with no character are either refused or made to pay 3% of value of the property back to the greedy council for so called affordable housing, that never seems to materialise!!
Under public attack !!!!!!
The only one’s under attack are those of us being mugged by the council !!!!
Every month as well with our council tax !!!!!!
That’s what I call under attack …
Difference is if you don’t like the heat you can stay out of the kitchen ( leave the council!)..
Us mere cash cow’s can’t leave paying for mess ups !!!!!.
Exactly, such a shame they have to deal with the real world sometimes !
So Metcalfe calls for an independent review, and they’re having a friend’s (peer) review. Not the same thing at all.
The problem with planning is people and politics. Friendly review won’t change that.
Does the Wight Council’s planning system work? No, because they are letting the NIMBY lot block all and any development. They are alright Jack, sod everyone else.
So what about the infrastructure then you idiot, can the hospital cope with more people, No, the roads, No, Sewage and water, No. I guess you like concrete and car fumes a lot then.
If you like the idea of a concrete jungle fred, go and spend some time in London or a similar large city. The island is a long way from perfect, or even rural, but, il wager youl be damn glad to return.
It’s clear that someone is corrupt in planning / Parish Councils – don’t allow people to paint their fence or put up a shed yet allow a large private house development off Strathwell Cres in Whitwell over looking others, blocking views from bungalows nearby and in a field that should never have any building on. But despite objections it got passed. Destroyed badgers passages, slow worm’s and red squirrels etc. Totally out of character for village.
IOW Planning is populated by a bunch of spineless individuals who have been bullied by Developers and Land Owners. By hiding behind the NPPF ‘Tilted Balance’ they have manipulated planning policy and Councillors into accepting dodgy land ‘kickbacks’ and S106 gestures to justify their contentious and inconsistent decisions. Local opinion and objecting has become an irrelevance and a waste of time and energy.
Michael Gove’s proposals might be making ‘some noise’ in the right direction but it’s never going to undo the damage done.Housing targets should be abandoned and the Island Plan should aim to provide appropriate housing for Islanders.
SO .The council are going to spend 14k, yes it will be 14k, to educate the planning department how it should be doing things. Hang on, shouldn’t the planning already know how to do things? If not why are they in that position ?
Beggars belief
corrupt reviewing the corrupt so we all no the outcome, Same as everything else this perfect cant do wrong sponging council does