A SECOND report has stressed the urgent need for Herefordshire Council to overhaul its planning services, particularly the part local area councillors play in determining decisions.

The Audit Commission review slams the council’s current committee processes as “cumbersome” and the way councillors work within them as has having a “negative impact” on the service.

Last week, the Hereford Times reported on a review by a council scrutiny committee that made the case for a single county planning committee replacing the present three.

The commission review raised specific concerns about the number of planning decisions the council was having over-turned by either planning inspectors or the courts.

A failure to address these concerns risked a loss of local sovereignty for decision-making and the reputation of the authority, the review said.

The roles of local area councillors and planning decision makers need greater separation, it added.

Herefordshire Council is thinking over changes to its planning system in line with the findings of both reviews.