Issue - meetings

Following the transformation work carried out by the planning teams at both Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove District Councils, changes to the scheme of charges are proposed to improve the service for staff and customers.

The Committee received a report on on-going transformation work in Planning and consequent proposed changes to the charges levied for permitted development enquiries and pre-application advice. The transformation project had determined that the interests of both the customer and the Planning Officers were not best served by the present arrangement.

It was intended to introduce a revised, hybrid process which was more customer-focussed but still retained an element of charging for some specific types of enquiries and the provision of advice. Members welcomed the new initiative whilst recognising that there would be a very small loss of income which would be offset by the redirection of Officer time to more productive areas of work.

RECOMMENDED that

the fees and charges scheme and schedule as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved to come into effect between 1st October 2013 and 31st March 2014 and Appendix 2 to the report be approved to come into effect from 1st April 2014.