Surrey Heath Pays the Price of Poor Performance

12.00.00am GMT Mon 29th Jan 2007

Surrey Heath misses out! Other Councils locally were awarded on average £40,000 each.

Surrey Heath Council has missed out on further Government grants because of the poor performance of its Planning Department.

In the first tranche of Planning Delivery Grant released for 2007, other Councils in the area were awarded some £40,000 each. Surrey Heath was awarded zero! Only 8 of around 400 local authorities achieved the same dubious distinction.

Planning Delivery Grant is awarded in two tranches each year by Government to all local planning authorities according to the performance of their planning departments. Some £135m was distributed last year, and £120m is budgeted for 2007/8. The money itself is not ring-fenced and can be applied to any purpose provided 25% is spent on capital projects.

The first 2007 award (or lack of it) confirms Surrey Heath's abysmal record over recent years in planning matters. Last year, Surrey Heath received on average £250,000 less in grant than the surrounding authorities. In the previous year it was £400,000 less. In total, the loss over the last three and a half years has been £875,000 compared with its peers!

Cllr Bob Smith said: "These simple numbers show the stark truth about the way Surrey Heath Council is run by the Conservatives. Their poor performance is costing the residents of Surrey Heath real money."

Cllr David Whitcroft said: "Every time we challenge them, all this Tory administration seems to be able to do is blame the Government or their own residents. They haven't learned that the cheapest solution is to sort the problem. Well, Surrey Heath residents have lost patience with this Council. And in May 2007 they will have the opportunity to sort the problem themselves through the ballot box!"