The arrangements local councils have in place to counter benefit fraud are to be examined by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate as part of its latest work programme. The Inspectorate is also to make detailed recommendations on improving measures to beat fraud in some specified local authorities.The councils have been selected following recent Comprehensive Performance Assessment reports and include Gravesham Borough, South Buckinghamshire District and South Cambridge District. Inspections will also be carried out at Mid-Suffolk District Council and Flintshire County Council, as they take longer than the national average to process benefit claims.

Read more on COUNCILS FACE INSPECTIONS ON BENEFIT FRAUD MEASURES…

Consultation has begun on possible increases in the fees local authorities charge for processing planning applications, as the government believes councils must be allowed to recover more of their costs if they are to deliver a first class planning service.The consultation on the full structure of fees, which will run until December 6th has been announced by Planning Minister Keith Hill. He said that the planning delivery grant had gone some way to dealing with the under-funding of the planning system but the fees councils could charge were still far short of the costs of dealing with applications, particularly larger scale ones.

Read more on CONSULTATION BEGINS ON RISES IN COUNCIL PLANNING CHARGES…