Planning service needs radical overhaul

A review of Guernsey's planning service has resulted in a very long list of recommended changes.

They include making the service more open; better resourced and clearly led.

Chris Shepley, an independent expert, was appointed in February to carry out the review.

He's found a picture of low morale within the service because staff are overstretched. He recommends hiring extra staff and setting out time targets for dealing with applications. Funding, he says, should come from charging fees for applications.

Mr Shepley wants the service to become less secretive, with the media and public kept better informed. Journalists should be allowed to attend planning application meetings.

He says the planning service should stand alone, headed by its own minister.
And he makes a plea for the Chief Minister, as a priority, to find common ground between planning and the commerce department.


So what has he found that everybody already knew?

some of then could not plan a Ann summers party!