Further to your email asking for ideas on what should be the priority for consideration by the Committee, received on the 28th July please find below some suggested topic areas for consideration by the Committee.

 Are Welsh Government ensuring that Local Planning Authorities and supporting services sufficiently resourced to both deliver the plan led system, including Local Development Plans and the four regional Strategic Development Plans and to ensure the timely determination of planning applications to ensure that the Government meets is affordable housing target and delivers the economic growth required to support the four regional city/growth deals.

 A timely review of Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, the mandatory use of SuDS on new developments and approval and adoption by the SuDS approving body (the SAB) both in terms of the resources available to Local Authorities and the use of  and cost of commuted sums and how this might delay the delivery of the Governments affordable housing target.

I have also sent the same points to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee request.

Over the last ten years, staffing numbers in local authorities have fallen and skills deficits have emerged. Office for National Statistics data shows that the headcount in local government in Wales reduced by 19% from March 2010 to March 202015. Our work has identified that staffing reductions mean councils do not have adequate numbers of staff with expertise in cross cutting policy and planning areas, and planning authorities lack staff with specialist skills, such as in design and infrastructure.