Issue - meetings

To update Committee Member on the progress of the Planning Enforcement Project.

The Enforcement Officer outlined the background to the report and informed the Committee that the project was a result of a proposal to the Planning Committee to reduce and manage the open planning enforcement cases.

The Officer updated the Committee on the current progress of the project.     In phase 1 of the project 475 cases were deemed to fall within the four year rule, any case where work was carried out over four years ago is immune from legal action and closed.  Phase 2 incorporated cases received from 2004 – 2006.  Phase 3 dealt with the remaining cases coming in to the project on a daily basis.  Since January 2007 876 cases had been received and 533 closed.  Overall the number of cases closed was 1319 with 1002 remaining open.  The department continued to review how effectively cases were managed and closed.  

Cllr Diakides entered the meeting at 7:20pm.

The Committee questioned the officer on how a case was closed and in response was advised that the case depended upon a number of factors; it could well be that there was no breach or that it was not expedient to pursue the matter.  The Committee further enquired what process was followed after the enforcement procedure was concluded and in response were advised that it was then difficult for the Council to get landlords to change the property back however, examples of successful enforcement cases were published in order to deter people from making similar mistakes.

The Committee acknowledged the work of the enforcement service to date and hoped that funding would be made available to continue this project beyond April 2008.

RESOLVED

That the progress of the planning enforcement project be noted.