CONSERVATIVES have questioned why a number of planning performance measures have deteriorated at the Liberal Democrat-run Somerset Council.

Concerns were raised following the publication of Somerset Council's latest Corporate Performance Report, which shows several planning indicators performing worse than they were a year ago.

The percentage of minor planning applications decided within the reporting period has fallen from 85 percent to 76.7 percent, while other applications have fallen from 92.5 percent to 83 percent. The proportion of planning consultations responded to within 21 days has also declined, while the number of applications waiting within the system remains significantly above the council's target level.

Conservative opposition leader, Cllr Diogo Rodrigues said: “Planning is one of the most important levers Somerset Council has to support economic growth.

“If we want to attract investment, support businesses, deliver infrastructure and ensure the right homes are built in the right places, we need a planning service that is improving year after year, not going backwards.”

The concerns come almost a year after Somerset Council introduced emergency planning measures to tackle unsustainable workloads and a growing backlog of applications.

Cllr Rodrigues said: “Conservatives have consistently pushed for improvements to Somerset's planning service because we recognise how important it is to residents, businesses and the wider economy.

“While progress has been made in some areas, these latest figures show that improvement is not consistent across the service and going backwards in many areas."

During the Executive meeting, officers acknowledged that some planning measures had declined but noted that some indicators remain within the targets currently set by the council.

A Somerset Council spokesperson said: “Somerset Council recognises the importance of a well-performing planning service in supporting economic growth, investment and the delivery of new homes and infrastructure.

“The latest performance report to the Strategic Planning Committee provides a detailed picture of the service across a large and complex geography, and it is important that it is considered in full context.

“Planning performance remains stable overall, with the council continuing to determine most applications within statutory timescales and above Government intervention thresholds. In particular, major applications are being delivered strongly, with 92 percent determined on time in the most recent quarter, well above the national target.

“While the report highlights some variation in performance across different areas, most notably in non‑major applications in Area West, this reflects the complex workload and resourcing pressures facing the service. Across Somerset as a whole, performance over the longer term remains above national designation thresholds, and work is underway to improve consistency and reduce backlogs.

“The service is also seeing rising demand, particularly in enforcement activity and advisory work, and we are taking targeted action to address this while maintaining the quality of decision-making. We recognise there is more to do, but we are focused on delivering sustained improvement and supporting the growth and communities of Somerset.

“The Council also acknowledges the continued hard work of planning staff, who are managing significant workloads during a period of organisational change and wider sector pressures.”