Members of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Jane Davidson, Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, met yesterday to discuss action the National Park Authority must take to secure sustained improvements in the planning development control service.

Authority Members and the Minister agreed that the independent report on the Gilestone case had revealed very significant shortcomings in the Authority's procedures. These were very disappointing and urgent remedial action needed to be taken.

Action was already in hand and the Park Authority and the Minister reviewed the main steps being taken.

The Minister acknowledged that the Park Authority had reacted quickly and positively to the independent report and she confirmed that the Assembly Government was content, so far, with the actions being taken.

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It was agreed that regular monitoring would be required in the coming months to ensure that the improvements were made and a robust planning service put in place.

It was essential that this was done as quickly as possible so that public and business confidence in the Park Authority's Planning Service could be restored.

As a key part of the improvements needed the Minister stressed that the Authority had to improve its performance in terms of the time taken to determine individual planning applications.

To keep a close check on implementation of the required improvements, Welsh Assembly Government officials had arranged regular meetings with the Authority's senior management team to discuss progress. The Minister would also be meeting with the Chair of the Park Authority in May and all of the Park Authority in June on the issue.

The review should provide useful and objective reassurance to the Assembly Government and to the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority that the problems identified in the Authority's planning service were being effectively tackled.

The Minister made clear at the meeting that the Assembly Government had powers to intervene more directly if the Park Authority does not secure the sustained improvements required in the planning control service.

(JM)