Somerset Council has confirmed it is relying on planning enforcement officers from a West Midlands local authority to help address a growing backlog of unresolved planning breach cases across the county.

At a Somerset Council strategic planning committee meeting in Taunton on Thursday 22 January, chief planning officer Alison Blom‑Cooper told councillors the authority has appointed an enforcement officer through Lichfield West Midlands Traded Services, a company owned by Lichfield District Council in Staffordshire, amid ongoing difficulties in recruiting permanent enforcement staff.

The planning enforcement team is responsible for tackling unauthorised building work, breaches of planning permission and inappropriate land use. Council figures showed more than 1,000 enforcement cases remained open in Somerset as of September 2025, almost 10 per cent higher than the previous year. Blom‑Cooper said the agency support is intended "to help reduce the current backlog" and that the council will publish an advertisement for permanent enforcement officer posts "next week".

Lib‑Dem councillor Matt Martin (King Alfred division) — whose ward covers villages including Glastonbury, Wells and Cheddar — questioned whether using agency staff paid by results was cost‑effective and whether it would help attract permanent recruits. Blom‑Cooper said Somerset Council believes it is the only south west authority using the Lichfield‑linked service and that the agency continues to seek applicants from within Somerset. She confirmed a pay and grading review planned as part of next year's budget will look at recruitment incentives for hard‑to‑fill enforcement roles.

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Original reporting: LDRS/Daniel Mumby