Central Bedfordshire Council secures £100,000 funding boost for planning skills delivery
Wednesday, 3 January 2024
We are delighted to announce the successful bid for a grant of £100,000 to enhance its planning skills delivery.
The funding, awarded as part of the government's commitment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, will play a role in bolstering our efforts to implement proposed reforms and ensure development is sustainable.
The £100K funding injection will be specifically directed towards upskilling staff and enabling delivery of our digitalisation agenda within the council’s planning teams. This includes implementing training for officers on mapping software, providing intensive design training (to reflect the increased focus on design and Design Codes), enhancing engagement and producing an infrastructure study. The goal is to build a resilient, skilled and adaptable workforce capable of navigating the increasing complexities of planning for the future, and to help support the development of the new Local Plan (a timetable for which was agreed at Council on 23 November 2023).
Councillor Mary Walsh, Executive Member for Planning and Development, said:
This funding is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team. It provides us with the means to strengthen our planning capabilities and contribute meaningfully to the approach we want to take with our new Local Plan, where achieving sustainable development will be of paramount importance.
We are one of just 63 local authorities that are receiving funding for skills development for financial year 2024-2025.