The Local Enforcement Plan (LEP) provided information on how the Council’s Planning Enforcement Team undertook its monitoring and implementation duties, including how it addressed and investigated breaches of planning control.

The current LEP was found to be inconsistent and not fit-for-purpose and therefore required reviewing.  The updated draft LEP was attached to the report at Appendix A.

Cabinet raised a number of concerns with the revised document, namely:

•     numbering of paragraphs;

•     more detailed advice was required for listed building owners;

•     use of the term ‘expedient’;

•     public confidence in the service needed to be increased; and

•     the document was not easily readable.

Cabinet agreed that further work on the Plan was required with Member involvement and that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to set up a Task and Finish Group to undertake this work. The current LEP would remain in use for the time being.

Cabinet acknowledged the work of the Enforcement Officers.

RESOLVED: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to set up a Task and Finish Group to look at the development of the revised Local Enforcement Plan.