Craig Whittaker MP has joined the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, in condemning Calderdale Council and its failing Planning department.
The Minister has written to Calderdale Council's Chief Executive, Robin Tuddenham, outlining his 'significant concerns' about the underperformance of Calderdale's Planning department in delivering homes, building and investment in the area. The Minister goes on to say that the 'very poor quality service' to local residents is simply 'not good enough' and if the Labour-run Council do not improve the service by June 2023, he will designate Calderdale.
Designation of a council means that they will be in 'special measures' and developers can submit applications in its area directly to the Planning Inspectorate to be determined.
Supporting the Minister's action, Craig Whittaker MP said:
We all know how much of a shambles Labour-run Calderdale Council’s Planning Department is, and the letter from the Minister is a damning indictment of the chaos that it is in.
I have raised the severe delays and extremely poor service that residents and applicants receive from the Planning Department and I’m pleased that the Minister is taking the matter seriously.
Calderdale Council is one of just a handful of councils who the Minister has written to with this ultimatum, and with a Local Plan that is facing a potential Judicial Review challenge, it's one disaster after another for Calderfail's Planning department.
Copy of the letter from the Minister to the Chief Executive of Calderdale Council, Robin Tuddenham: