PLANNING chiefs at Warrington Borough Council could in future work in partnership with planners from other councils.
The idea is one that will be explored by Town Hall bosses as they search for ways of minimising costs.
But the controversial plan to “privatise” the planning department has been scrapped.
Members of the council’s executive board decided to call a halt to negotiations with consultants Capita Symonds over a suggested commercial arrangement for the provision of planning and development control services in Warrington.
The board was told bringing in a private firm to run the department could not be guaranteed to provide any financial benefit for the authority.
Andy Farrall, (pictured) executive director for environment and regeneration, said in a way it was good news that the commercial arrangement would not work as it showed the existing in-house planning team was providing and effective and efficient service.
Coun Bob Barr, executive member for planning and environment agreed.
At the end of the day, he said, the proposal did not provide value for money.
But it would have been wrong for the council not to check that there wasn’t a better way of providing the service.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt admitted she had always had doubts about the idea.
“It does not surprise me that we could not improve on the existing service. I think we have an extremely good development control service,” she said.
The board was told that alternative ways of working, either independently or with other local authorities, would continue to be explored in a way that minimised cost and at least met the minimum statutory requirements.
Future delivery of the service would be under continuous review through the normal business planning and budget setting processes.
Planning merger now under scrutiny
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
4 Comments
How much has it already cost to come to this conclusion? wouldn’t a more logical and cost effective method of working be for the officers/councillors to get to grips with the basics BEFORE entering into lengthy and expensive ‘negotiations’?
“it showed the existing in-house planning team was providing an effective and efficient service.”
That is so funny!!!!!!!!!
Just think how it would have looked if they had agreed to ‘privatise’ the system (although I saw it more as outsourcing to get a ‘better’ system)… egg on the faces of those who had been doing the jobs so far and no doubt loss of some/all of the jobs/positions within the planning department… wonder if that would have included Mr Faralls and Cllr Woodyatt always agress with ‘whatever’ decision is made as she has know for a long time that she is on borrowed time for past performance (job wise only of course). Is Mr Groves still there by the way… he’s a nice and knowleagle little man 🙂
man decides builds his own car…cost £2000
man checks price of new ford….£19,000
man concludes building his own car is cheaper
Man is Andy Farrall and so also concludes that t it was good news as that the commercial arrangement would be more expensive as it showed the existing self made car was providing and effective and efficient service thus better !