gets cash boost

PENDLE Council has been given £75,000 of government cash to improve its development control section, after being given only one star by audit inspectors.

A report released by the Audit Commission last month said that the development control service provided by Pendle Borough Council was 'fair' but with uncertain prospects for improvement.

Inspectors gave the service, which processes planning applications, one star out of a possible three because, since its first inspection in May 2001, they believed it had improved its internal systems and processes.

But they said the service was only making slow progress in achieving fundamental improvements for customers. The extra cash will be made available to the council for 2003/2004 to tackle the weaknesses, which included the need for some improvement in the speed of processing applications as only 63 per cent were decided within eight weeks in the second quarter of 2002/03.

Members will look towards establishing a member/officer working group to see how the council can best produce performance improvements in order to not only give an improved service for Pendle, but also to share in future performance grants which the Government intend to link to improved results.

The Best Value Inspectorate has revisited the development control department and a report is due to be published.

A report will be submitted to the next meeting of the executive to give details on these matters and to look into the working group.