Training to be given on problematic planning portal

Help and training on how to use Powys County Council’s new public-facing property and land planning portal will be provided as planners hope the gremlins in the system have finally been banished.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday, councillors were given an update on work taking place to make the new planning portal more user-friendly.

In April, the council started using software by Arcus for its online “built environment public register”.

In July, the ability to view older planning applications on the Idox system, which were still being processed, disappeared, with a message appearing on the webpage simply saying “service unavailable”.

At Planning Committee meetings in both September and August, councillors brought up the issues they and residents, as well as town and community councils, had experienced when trying to use and navigate the new system.

And issues have continued into October, with the whole system being offline for several days earlier this month.

Cllr Huw Williams (Labour – Abercraf & Ystradgynlais) said he had been trying to contact the planning department for help.

Cllr Williams said: “I was having a difficult time getting into the portal, and in the end I didn’t.

“That makes it difficult to give an opinion on planning matters which are sent as a matter of course.

“It could be me; it probably is me, but there are problems getting into that site and I will welcome any support.

“It was easy before; it’s got more difficult.”

Cllr Deb Edwards (Powys Independents – Llangunllo and Norton) said: “It’s not just us as members of the Planning Committee.

“I’ve had members of the public, especially (town and community council) clerks, who are struggling to access the portal and get information.

“So, if we could have some training, we can then send it on to our local communities, as there are lots of frustrated people out there now.”

She explained that she had been to community council meetings where information on planning applications was unavailable for discussion because the clerk and councillors had not been able to navigate the new software to find what they needed.

“It’s really important that we’re open and transparent,” said Cllr Edwards.

Development management team leader Gemma James said: “I know there have been questions about the portal. All data and everything should now be available.

“All the data from our previous system has been inputted, so the documents should be live for those historic applications.

“In addition, we have also included new guidance on how to use the website, so that is also live now.”

She added that committee chairman Cllr Gareth D Jones had asked planners to conduct a training session with councillors on how to use the portal, but “unfortunately” that could not be done until January.

Next week, Mrs James said planners would make a video of themselves using the planning portal and explaining how to use it.

Mrs James said: “You’ll see a video of us navigating the system and we’ll circulate that to you all.

“So, then there will be video and text guidance available to you.”

Committee chairman Cllr Jones (Powys Independents – Llanfair Caereinion and Llanerfyl) said: “There will be an opportunity to share that video with town and community councils, so they benefit as much as ourselves.”

To find the guidance on using the new planning portal, visit: https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/23590/How-to-Search-for-Planning-Applications

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service