Cllr Vinny McCormack queried the level of activity around planning enforcement.

Staffing issues hinder council’s planning enforcement activity

The public is growing impatient, annoyed and frustrated because Westmeath County Council is not enforcing planning conditions as it does not have the staff to do so, the May meeting of the council heard.

Fourteen warning letters have issued so far this year, but no enforcement notices have issued, no prosecutions have been initiated and no convictions have been secured, the members learned. The issue was raised by Cllr Vinny McCormack who asked if a lack of resources was holding the council back.

He also called for more action on getting 36 vacant council housing units back in use.

So far this year, the council has received 28 complaints about planning breaches and warning letters have issued, but no further action has been taken. Director of Services Barry Kehoe explained that two permanent executive planners were assigned to enforcement earlier in the year and they were making progress, but one has left and the council is trying to replace that person as quickly as possible.

This is disappointing in terms of the work the council had hoped to get done this year, he said, but he insisted the council was prioritising the large number of enforcement complaints, it had.

He explained that cases that pose an environmental risk are given priority.

Mr Kehoe remarked that in many cases a warning letter resolves the matter and the person looks for retention and, if it does not have significant third party effects and is in line with the development plan, this is usually successful.

He said the council only went down the route of warning notices and prosecution where it believed there was a “clear and unequivocal breach” of the planning code which hadn't been rectified.

He invited councillors to let him know of any specific problems but he could not promise to solve them as the council is “somewhat restricted unfortunately”.

Cllr John Dolan reported that he too had a couple of enforcement issues that needed attention in his area.

Cllr Hazel Smyth was concerned about a situation in The Downs regarding compliance with planning conditions. Why is nothing being done?, she asked.