Plans outlined to close Peebles office

David Knox 1607 - 1607 • Published 26 Mar 2009 12:30 0 Comments

COST-CUTTING council chiefs will this week start closing its Peebles planning offices.

Officers and clerical staff from Rosetta Road will join colleagues from Galashiels, Hawick and Duns at head office in Newtown St Boswells.

The shake-up will see four jobs go across the region and a further three vacant positions put on hold.

But planning bosses believe the belt-tightening changes won"t reduce the service.

Brian Frater told thePeeblesshire News: 'The four offices have served their purpose but we now have a well-developed online e-planning system where people can get a lot more information from the comfort of their own home.

"We have found that most people are delighted to use the internet for looking at applications and making comments.

'And if someone doesn"t have access to the internet at home, they can access our e-planning system at contact centres and libraries. We will also be looking at holding regular surgeries in each of the four towns for people to still have face-to-face contact with officers.'

The shake-up comes as planning business falls and new legislation, giving the department even more responsibility, is about to be introduced.

Applications have fallen by 12 per cent since last year as the recession bites with revenue from fees down a whopping 30 per cent.

Under the soon-to-be-implemented 2006 Planning Act many smaller property changes won"t require planning permission, reducing income further.

But the new law will make neighbour notification the responsibility of the local authority instead of the developer and also introduce a heft of new measures for larger applications.

Mr Frater added: 'The area office review will help us deal with the loss of income as well as some of the cost of the new legislation which will come into force this summer.'

Scottish Borders Council"s e-planning system has already won much praise for its ease in both viewing and commenting on applications.

And around 15 other councils in Scotland have already visited Newtown St Boswells for inspiration as they attempt to take their planning departments online.

Councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre, spokeswoman for planning, told us: 'Scottish Borders Council has led the way in e-planning in Scotland.

'Having our planning team all in one office will help us to deliver a more efficient planning system, in line with important changes in national planning legislation.'

One planning officer, one building standards officer and two clerical assitants will lose their jobs.

The changes will take six staff members from Peebles, nine from Galashiels, seven from Hawick and eight from Duns to Newtown St Boswells over the next two weeks.

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This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 26 Mar 09

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