Planning is in need of an overhaul
PLANNING Service in Northern Ireland is under the microscope as never before with the Stormont Assembly's Public Accounts Committee and Environment Minister Edwin Poots far from happy about the track record of this traditionally bureaucratic department.
In uncharacteristic language, an Assembly committee report accuses the Planning Service of being "not fit for purpose", with applications unsatisfactorily conducted using a system described as a "postcode lottery".
Ominously, Minister Poots expresses dissatisfaction over the performance of staff in this wing of his department and he labels the processing of planning applications as "lethargic".
The damning observation may allude to the fact that the planning service is 12.8m over budget, with a service satisfaction rate of 34 per cent.
Planning is a public service which affects a very large section of the population and its functions need to be exercised in a manner that is scrupulously fair and objective to all applicants, and to objectors.
Undue delay in processing applications is a constant public complaint and, invariably, with our 26 district councils.
Under the reorganisation of local government, it is being proposed that the 11 enlarged local authorities will be given a greater say on planning issues and this may bring about an improved public consensus on the sensitivities and local knowledge in this particular field of decision-making.
However, it would be a mistake to allow the devolved and local government politicians to have full planning control. There has to be a reasonable degree of independence to ensure that all decisions are totally above board and stand the test, complying with the relevant legislation.
Political move
The Ulster Unionist Party has made a very interesting choice in selecting former television and radio presenter Mike Nesbitt as its General Election candidate in the Strangford constituency.
Mr Nesbitt, in his role as a Victims' Commissioner, showed considerable understanding of the traumas of those innocently victimised by the Troubles and his entry into politics to contest the safe unionist seat is an intriguing development.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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