OTHER authorities would be interested in “buying in” Warrington’s expertise if the borough council’s planning department was part privatised, Town Hall chiefs have been told.
Setting up a commercial partnership between the council and a private firm would also offer planning staff more 
career opportunities, said Coun Bob Barr, (pictured) the council’s executive member for Planning, Regeneration and Housing
The executive unanimously approved recommendation to investigate such a partnership, to seek expressions of interest from potential partners and to consider the matter again at a future meeting.
Proposals to look into “strategic partnering” of the development control and building control services were greeted with some alarm when they were exclusively revealed by Warrington-Worldwide last month, as a result of a leaked email.
The idea was condemned as a knee-jerk reaction and “a short-sighted attempt to save money.”
But Coun Barr said the aim was to examine more effective ways of delivering council services.
An authority of Warrington’s size faced difficulties because it had to handle large planning applications but also a lot of routine work.
The idea was very much at an exploratory stage, but all council services would be subject to a similar sort of review.
It would be a very open and public review. But the council’s planning policy role and the work of the development control committee would not be affected.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt said she did not object to exploratory talks. Warrington’s planners were under tremendous pressure and, although they were doing a sterling job, a partnership arrangement might ease the pressure.
The executive was told although there could be significant cost savings, the aim was to maintain the standard of the service – and possibly create income for the council.
Warrington could become a planning “hub” – offering services outside the borough.
Council leader Ian Marks said Warrington was already successfully operating a joint Trading Standards service with Halton Council and was also operating in partnership with NHS Warrington.
Councils were under intense pressure from the Government to examine such initiatives and while it may be possible to save money, the driving force would be service to the customer.
When Warrington-Worldwide broke the story last month, there was considerable anger because many councillors – including members of the development control committee – knew nothing about it.
