A new report has revealed that Powys County Council has fully implemented recommendations to improve its planning services.

Audit Wales published its follow-up review on Thursday, November 14, and found that the council's planning service has responded quickly and effectively to the recommendations.

The report concluded that the service is now better placed to sustain improvements.

Councillor Jake Berriman, cabinet member for a connected Powys, said: "I was not surprised to read the Audit Wales’ findings when they conducted their review into our planning services back in 2023 and we fully accepted them at the time.

"On becoming the portfolio holder for planning, it was evident to me that when we were coming out of the Covid crisis, we were not offering the best planning service to applicants, planning agents or to the general public.

"I very much welcomed the Audit Wales report in 2023 for the opportunity it provided me to conduct a full review of the service."

Mr Berriman also highlighted the proactive approach taken by the planning service to transform development management and enforcement.

He said: "What the follow-up review by Audit Wales tells us is that the service has successfully owned the problem and brought forward multiple ideas and initiatives, delivering service improvements and changing the culture of the team to one which is far more proactive and engaged.

"Not only have the initial recommendations from Audit Wales been met in full, but I am proud to say that in some areas of our work, our planning service is now being held up as an exemplar to others."

The Audit Wales report is available on the Audit Wales website.

The council’s governance and audit committee will consider the follow-up review by Audit Wales on Wednesday, November 20.