CALLS to ‘beef-up’ the planning enforcement work of Teignbridge Council are being made by local Liberal Democrat councillors following news that a planning officer is absent.

The councillors are concerned the council will build up a backlog of enforcement problems while one of the specialist two-person team is on extended leave.

In a message to all councillors, the head of planning services, Nick Davies, said the council would have to concentrate on the most serious planning breaches and other planning staff would help with enforcement work where they could.

However, Teignbridge’s Lib Dem councillors say this will store up future problems, leaving issues unresolved for longer and residents unhappy with delays in sorting out concerns.

They have asked for an urgent review and for Teignbridge to bring in additional help, either from another council or a skilled ‘freelance’ planning enforcement officer.

Cllr David Cox said: ‘We send our best wishes to the member of staff who is away at the moment.

‘However, planning enforcement is a busy service and if we are to deal with all the concerns and reports of planning breaches, we need to have the staff in place. A policy of covering where they can is likely to build up a backlog of cases and cause a lot of frustration.

‘We have asked the head of planning, and the council’s chief executive to look at this again. In short, we need to beef-up support for the planning enforcement service. To keep the service going the council should be looking to bring in experienced help.’

Teignbridge Council has two planning enforcement officers covering the district. Councillors were told at the last planning committee meeting on June 1 that it currently has 223 ongoing enforcement investigations.