NEWS RELEASE

PR 1701

15th April 2004

Two stars for Planning Services

BATH & North East Somerset Council’s Planning Services has been awarded a two star rating – ‘a good service with promising prospects for improvement’ – by the Audit Commission in a Best Value Inspection Report published today (Thursday, April 15).

This means that the service is officially one of the best of its kind in the country - only three other local planning authorities in the south west have achieved a two star/good rating (Isles of Scilly, Exeter and Portsmouth). The highest accolade is a three star rating and lowest a no star rating.

The Audit Commission conducts inspections to enable the public to see whether best value is being delivered, to enable the Council to see how well it is doing, to enable the Government to see how well its policies are working on the ground, to identify failing services where remedial action may be necessary and to identify and circulate best practice.

The report says that the service is making a clear contribution to the Council’s corporate ambitions and has improved its customer focus by developing customer forums and improved frontline services.

It also says that the department responds positively to the challenges it faces and is likely to improve still further.

Cllr Rosemary Todd, Executive Member for Sustainability and the Environment, said: “I welcome the comments made by the Audit Commission and am very pleased that Bath & North East Somerset Council has been awarded a two star rating for its Planning Services department.

“The service has gone through a number of changes in the last two years and this rating is a well-deserved testament to the hard work and dedication of staff and managers within the team.

“There are of course a number of recommendations for improvement in the report which we welcome and have taken on board.”

Bath & North East Somerset Council as a whole has rated as a ‘good’ council by the Audit Commission since 2002.

Of the 12 Council services already inspected, eight have been rated as a two star service, three have achieved a one star rating and Heritage Services have been assessed as excellent (three star rating).

For more information, contact:

David Davies, Head of Planning Services, on Tel: 01225 394125 or e-mail david_davies@bathnes.gov.uk

For comment, contact:

Cllr Rosemary Todd, Executive Member for Sustainability and the Environment, on Tel: 01225 837314 or e-mail rosemary_todd@bathnes.gov.uk

Issued by: Bath & North East Somerset Press Office, tel 01225 477827 or 477283, email: pressoffice@bathnes.gov.uk