WEST Devon Borough Council has reinstated the free duty planner service at Okehampton after campaigning from the town’s borough councillors to see it return.

The original service offering members of the public the chance to speak to a planning officer in person in Okehampton was cut due to budget cutting measures, though campaigning from the town’s five borough members has seen it put back in place.

The service is designed to help people deal with any problems they may face during a planning application and also offer general planning advice.

Those wishing to speak to a planning officer will now be able to at the council’s customer service centre on St James’ Street in Okehampton. At the moment this service is available on the second and fourth Mondays of each month between 9am to 1pm.

Customers can book an appointment for an officer to call them back or book a face-to-face meeting at a time which suits them. Over the phone appointments are available Monday to Friday between 9am and 1pm.

Cllr Tony Leech, ward member for Okehampton North and long-time chairman of Okehampton Town Council’s planning committee said: ‘We knew the service was closed temporarily but we were not told it was permanent. When that came to light the ward members lobbied West Devon, arguing that if you’re going to have someone on the end of a phone, you might as well sit them in Okehampton some of the time.

‘West Devon relented and we have a six month trial period. We need to bring it to the attention of the public, because if we don’t use the service we will certainly lose it.

‘It is an extremely important thing to have in the town. Not everyone can use or wants to use a phone, nor get transport down to Tavistock to meet a planner in person. So we hope that people in Okehampton really make good use of this service.’

West Devon Borough Council’s ward member for Okehampton South, Cllr Julie Yelland, said: ‘I am delighted that this service is being offered again in Okehampton. It is excellent news for our local community that people can get support and advice from the duty planner in person and ask any planning related questions which they may need answering.’

Cllr Kevin Ball, ward member for Okehampton North, said: ‘I am delighted that West Devon has listened to us as members and reintroduced an appointment system where people can speak to a West Devon planner face to face here in Okehampton. This will give residents the opportunity to discuss a variety of issues including perhaps more complex aspects of their planning applications directly with a planning officer.’

Cllr Rev Mike Davies, ward member for Okehampton North, said: ‘This service had been withdrawn from Okehampton and it is brilliant that it is being made available, albeit on a limited service. I would urge local residents seeking planning advice to use the duty planning service in Okehampton or we may lose it again.

‘All of our Okehampton West Devon Borough Council members have pushed for this service to be brought back to Okehampton. I can appreciate that it originally stopped due to financial pressures but this is a valuable service not only to Okehampton but to the surrounding community.’

To book, customers should ring 01822 813600. Duty planner appointments are limited to 15 minutes each. This service is available to the public only, agents should use the pre-application service.

Further information about the service can be found on the council’s website www.westdevon.gov.uk/article/2389/Duty-Planner-Information