Chief officer 'should be given new status'

The government should look again at its decision not to take on board economist Kate Barker's proposals that that chief planning officer ought to be a senior individual who is "statutorily protected", it has been claimed.

According to the Town and Country Planning Association, the suggestion from the Communities and Local Government (CLC) Committee that this rejection should be rethought is a good one.

"Skills capacity" may well be enhanced as a result of the possible changes, the association noted, with extra "recognition" for the individuals involved.

"It will also raise the profile of planning and strengthen its legitimacy as an accountable decision-making function within local government," it commented.

More positive planning could be available as a result of the move, it also suggested.

One of the biggest findings of a recent report from the CLG was that a lack of skills in the local planning community could mean housebuilding targets are not met.