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Tonbridge councillors have expressed their frustration over a lack of planning enforcement and frequent delays.
The planning enforcement department at the council provides guidance about planning applications and investigates those that have breached planning law, such as not having permission or not abiding by conditions set by the council.
Currently Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) have only three officers tasked with investigating alleged breaches.
Since the start of the year, nine appeals have been submitted against enforcement notices by TMBC which will also be dealt with by the three officers.
Speaking at the council's planning and transportation advisory board, Cllr Mike Taylor (Independent Alliance) said: “I fully understand the strain the planning department is under because of a lack of staff and everything else, but I’m sure other members are as frustrated with the planning enforcement system as I am.
“I can report a case, residents can report a case, it might sometimes come up on cases received, it might in the future come up as case closed.
“But we know nothing about what happens in the meantime. We as councilors have no oversight of this.”
Cllr Taylor suggested that a committee could be set up to oversee enforcement, similar to what happens at Kent County Council (KCC), or that a monthly report was given to councillors about the progress of major planning applications.
Cllr Howard Rogers (Con) agreed and spoke of his own experiences: “As soon as the case officer picks it up online, the presence of the case goes, and it could take weeks or even months to actually get round to investigating it.
“We members will see a report eventually, but members of the public aren’t privy to that, because they’re confidential.
“Three or four days later the member of the public is told the case is closed with no feedback, I don’t think that’s a good way to provide that service.”
While a report will be conducted into possible solutions, this will be sent to the overview and scrutiny committee, so Cllr Mark Davis (Con) asked for the report to come to the planning and transportation board as well.
Cllr Rogers said: “I followed up on an application for someone, and the case officer told me: ‘Yes I know we are behind, I spend half my time dealing with the backlog, the other half of my time dealing with complaints about the backlog.’
“I hope it is being addressed. I know it’s not an easy topic to address because we’ve got to find people able to do the job and who are not poached by planning consultants who pay more and give an easier time to the people we used to employ."
The development control manager, Emma Keefe, said: “We are aware that this is something we will look at in an overview and scrutiny report.
“If members have any suggestions, please do share them with me, and we’ll do what we can to move those forward and come up with some solutions.
“In the meanwhile if councillors have any particular concerns about any specific ongoing cases please do let me know."
