FIVE different planning systems will continue to be used by Somerset Council until 2028 before a single platform can be brought in.

Chief executive Duncan Sharkey said it was a legacy from the merger in 2023 of Somerset’s former county council and four district authorities.

The council has been gradually streamlining and standardising services, including a new, consolidated revenue and welfare service which has just gone live this month.

Now, Mr Sharkey has confirmed the different areas of Somerset will be subject to different planning systems for a further two years.

Mr Sharkey said: “There are a number of issues which we have encountered which have been encountered by other councils who have gone through this same reorganisation process.

“There are issues, though, about people having expectations.

“On day one, when we were vested as a council, as an example, we had several different planning systems.

“The earliest date contractually we can bring together all those planning systems is April 1, 2028, in terms of operating a new single planning system in Somerset.

“I think the expectation in lots of parts was that we would have sorted that out within the first couple of weeks.

“We have just launched our new, single unified revenues and benefits system.

“I am really pleased with the work that has gone on there, but we had a contract with an external partner which ran until late last year or early this year, which meant that we could not have brought together a single system until that point.

“Those things were not really well understood in the original business case planning.”

Cllr Henry Hobhouse said the council could save £1 million a year by changing to one instead of five separate ICT systems for housing and planning, but he saw no indication that would happen.