Alleged planning breaches reported in the last 12 months
Case reference FOI2024/01987
Received 28 November 2024
Published 19 December 2024
Request
Thank you for your response to my original FOI Request, FOI2024/01814.
See attached, my amended FOI request, which recognises the limitations of the Council's reporting system.
On the assumption that the Council is unable to quickly code a report that matches my original request (?), please accept my reduced information request, as follows:
1) In the last 12 months, how many alleged planning breaches have been reported by:
a) members of the public?
b) and how many planning breaches have separately been reported by planning authority staff?
2) Split between reports from the public and reports from planning authority staff, how many were investigated?
3) Split between reports from the public and reports from planning authority staff, in how many cases did the planning authority take enforcement action, e.g. the issue of an enforcement notice, a requirement to submit a planning application etc.?
In addition, please provide an answer to my original question 4, as follows:
4) In a previous disclosure, the planning authority confirmed that its total annual budget for planning enforcement work comprised "Only staff salary within wider Development Management team; there is no dedicated budget for direct action/legal fees, etc."
a) In circumstances where the planning authority wishes to take enforcement action, how is that action funded?
b) Is a lack of dedicated funding effectively preventing the planning authority from fulfilling its enforcement responsibilities?
c) Over the last ten years, split by year, what was the cost of the Council's enforcement action, over and above "staff salary within wider Development Management team"?
Response
Thank you for your response to my original FOI Request, FOI2024/01814.
See attached, my amended FOI request, which recognises the limitations of the Council's reporting system.
On the assumption that the Council is unable to quickly code a report that matches my original request (?), please accept my reduced information request, as follows:
1) In the last 12 months, how many alleged planning breaches have been reported by:
a) members of the public?
Answer: 401
b) and how many planning breaches have separately been reported by planning authority staff?
Answer: The Service Area have advised we don’t record which department staff members are from when they report any planning breaches. However, the Service Area can aggregate how many planning breaches have been reported by all council staff and Councillors, which is 110.
2) Split between reports from the public and reports from planning authority staff, how many were investigated?
Answer: All cases were investigated.
3) Split between reports from the public and reports from planning authority staff, in how many cases did the planning authority take enforcement action, e.g. the issue of an enforcement notice, a requirement to submit a planning application etc.?
Answer: The Service Area have advised that all types of notices, including enforcement notices, 30 were served – 26 public and 4 Council instigated cases.
We do not measure how many letters are issued advising whether planning permission is required, though normally any case where a breach is established such advice is given. However, 16 cases were closed as a result of permission being granted – 12 public and 4 Council instigated cases.
If required, we can provide the number of cases closed in each of the categories we measure.
In addition, please provide an answer to my original question 4, as follows:
4) In a previous disclosure, the planning authority confirmed that its total annual budget for planning enforcement work comprised "Only staff salary within wider Development Management team; there is no dedicated budget for direct action/legal fees, etc."
a) In circumstances where the planning authority wishes to take enforcement action, how is that action funded?
Answer: The Service Area have advised any costs would be funded within the Development Management Cost Centre of which it is a part. The decision to fund activity is the responsibility of the Budget Manager at the time.
b) Is a lack of dedicated funding effectively preventing the planning authority from fulfilling its enforcement responsibilities?
Answer: No.
c) Over the last ten years, split by year, what was the cost of the Council's enforcement action, over and above "staff salary within wider Development Management team"?
Answer: The Service Area have advised we are unable to run report on this as specific enforcement costs are not separately costed in Council accounts.
If you have a specific case, or action, or type of spend, we may be able to identify further information. Please let us know if this is something you require, however please bear in mind, depending on the volume of data, this may take over the appropriate time limit.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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