To consider a proposal by the government regarding changes to the planning fees.

THAT:

(a)    subject to the government implementing the option to adopt a national increase in specified planning fees, the increase will be applied in Herefordshire resulting in fees as specified at appendix 1 with effect from 1 July 2017 (or other date as specified by legislation).

The planning service in its entirety is not cost neutral, so this will assist in the council’s aim to move towards full cost recovery, whilst also supporting the Government’s aims outlined in the housing white paper to enable local authority planning services to support economic and housing growth.

To decline the option to increase planning fees is not recommended because the current levels of fees do not cover the cost of the entire planning service, these fees being last increased in July 2014. It is the council’s charging policy to move towards full cost recovery and a fully resourced planning service is required if Herefordshire Council is to be consistent with its policy to support the growth of the local economy. The 2017/18 budget has been set based upon Herefordshire Council accepting the nationally set fee increase. This would also better reflect a full cost recovery model for the service, which has not been the position in previous years. If the increase were rejected, compensatory income / savings (circa £300k) would need to be identified elsewhere within the service or the council.