ACTION has been taken to make much needed improvements to a council's challenged planning department.

Eden District Council has identified areas of improvement in its planning department following a report by the Local Government Association.

The report called for "an urgent review of current vacant posts and the impact it is having on workload and customer service."

The council's leader Virginia Taylor has said that the authority is suffering from a national issue: soaring numbers of planning applications and a shortage of case officers to consider them.

In response to the review and national challenges, the council is set to invest a six figure sum in its Planning and Development Control department.

Plans are being tabled to recruit a new member of staff who will provide additional pre-application advice and support for major developers.

This will address the LGA's call to ensure reports presented to the planning panel are: "focussed, avoid duplication and repetition, that they are no longer than necessary and where decisions are not clear cut that situation is reflected in the tone of the reports."

Increased resources to deal with planning enforcement are also in the works, if funding is approved with the latest budget this week.

Specialist support for development management, policy and environmental sustainability will also be brought in.

Eden's planning process will also benefit from the experience of a 30 year veteran, Richard Fox, who has been drafted in as the council's new Planning Services Development Manager.

Mr Fox said: "I have worked in many different environments from inner cities to the home counties, but none can compare with the unparalleled beauty of Eden. In spite of its position next to two national parks, the District has planning challenges: accessibility and employment opportunities being two of them.

"I am delighted to have been given a chance to live and work in an area I have been fond of all my life. I relish the opportunities and challenges ahead, for example local government reorganisation and hope that I can make a difference."

The final budget of EDC before it is preceded by Westmorland and Furness Council, is set to be approved by cabinet today.

As well as improvements in the planning process, it includes investment in play areas and funding for events marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Cllr Taylor said: "We've got considerable investment in the planning, we were criticised for it but we were already on the case and investing the best part of half a million."