Barnsley planning board votes to keep Covid-19 delegation powers

The powers mean planning officers can make certain decisions without them being voted on by councillors on the planning board.

The changes were brought in in May 2020, to make sure that planning decisions were still being made throughout various lockdowns, and saw all planning matters delegated to the head of planning and building control.

This means unelected officers had the power to decide certain planning applications that fell within a criteria – usually smaller developments of ten homes or fewer, or where no objections had been received.

Plans to be brought to the planning board, made up of 26 elected councillors, were at the head of planning’s discretion.

Planning bosses say the changes allow the board to focus on “larger,more contentious planning applications”.

Decisions that will be delegated to the head of planning and building control in consultation with the board include planning applications submitted on behalf of the council for its own development, planning applications submitted by or on behalf of a member of the authority or any officer employed in development management, or their respective spouse or partner, or planning applications that would involve section 106 agreements.

During a meeting of the board on October 27, Joe Jenkinson, head of planning, said that the council’s delegation rates are “broadly in line” with other unitary authorities, and the changes mean decisions can be issued faster.

Between April 1 2020 and March 31 2021, 95 per cent of planning decisions, including approvals, were made by officers.

Councillor Dorothy Coates told the meeting she was worried that “people might not be getting the right to represent themselves or their area”.

Mr Jenkinson, however, said the proposals would mean the board is still responsible for applications in the “wider public interest”.

Councillor Ken Richardson Msc, chair of the meeting, added that he board only sees 10 per cent of applications, adding “so this is just formalising a system that’s worked well throughout the pandemic.”

Mr Jenkinson told the meeting that the planning department will continue to publish the outcome of planning decisions “for transparency”.