Meeting between MS and Audit Wales over Powys planning
CONCERNS about the local planning authority will be discussed at a meeting between a Powys Senedd Member and Audit Wales next month, it has been revealed.
In April Montgomeryshire's Conservative MS Russell George criticised Powys County Council's planning department, and those comments were raised at a meeting of the council's governance and audit committee on Friday, May 23.
Audit Wales staff were updating members of the work they intend doing with Powys council over the next year.
Committee vice-chairman and lay member John Brautigam took the opportunity to bring up Mr George's comments directly with Audit Wales officers and asked if any 'progress' had been made on the matter.
Gareth Jones of Audit Wales said that discussions were taking place to decide whether or not Mr George's concerns fall within their remit and that arrangements were being made for a meeting.
Committee chairwoman, Lynne Hamilton said that her committee will be expecting an update on the issue in 'due course'.
Mr George told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): 'The meeting between myself and Audit Wales is taking place next Friday, June 6.'
In April, Mr George said that he had written to the Auditor General for Wales, raising continued and serious concerns regarding the performance of the planning service.
This follows the publication of two reports by Audit Wales on the council's planning service in the last two years.
In May 2023 Audit Wales published a damning report into the state of Powys council's planning service and issued a number of recommendations for the council to address.
In response, the council set up an internal board to help steer improvements in the service.
Last November, Audit Wales issued a follow up report which said that 'overall' they had found that Powys planners had 'responded quickly' to improve its arrangements.
Audit Wales said that the planning service has 'implemented the 2023 recommendations in full'.
Mr George believes that the follow-up review did not provide a 'comprehensive examination' of planning.
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