Planning peer challenge 2024
4.0 Context and background to the peer challenge
4.1 Gateshead's Planning Service sits within Climate, Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services, which is part of the Economy, Innovation and Growth Strategic Directorate. The broader service area includes its sister services of Building Control; Climate Change; Environmental Health, Environmental Protection and Enforcement; Licensing and Trading standards; Strategic Transport Planning, Policy and Active Travel.
4.2 The Planning Committee meets every four weeks. It comprises 23 councillors, based broadly on a third of the council's overall membership, with broadly one councillor per electoral ward being on the committee.
4.3 Like other councils, there have been challenges post-Covid in recruiting and retaining staff. Development Management has seen a large turnover of staff, with around half of its staff being in post for less than three years duration. However, the turnover seems to now be stabilising somewhat.
4.4 In common with other councils, Gateshead is facing budget pressures. The council estimates it has a revenue budget gap of nearly £50m over the next five years.
4.5 Early March 2024 saw Gateshead and the other six councils in the newly formed North-East Combined Authority sign a £4.2bn trailblazer devolution deal with government. This will bring new powers and investment to the region following the May 2024 mayoral elections.
4.6 Gateshead has a strong industrial heritage and there is clear pride in the borough. Its coal mining and heavy industrial past, however, have left their own legacy across a range of brownfield sites, many with severe contamination issues which present viability issues for their redevelopment. Around a third of the borough's residents live in urban Gateshead, the rest being more rural.
4.7 The government's new approach to Local Plans is expected to come into place in summer 2025. Like other councils, Gateshead needs to plan its delivery to meet the new framework. We heard that the council has already met with DLUHC/PAS to potentially pilot this approach, which is welcome.