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Westmorland and Furness Council cuts planning committees to one

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 10:14 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Westmorland and Furness Council will dissolve its three area planning committees and create a single committee.
The new committee, effective 31 October, will have 13 councillors instead of the current 46.
Council officers will decide most applications, including extensions under 50,000 sq m.
Councillors will lose the ability to call-in applications for public scrutiny under the new rules.
Labour councillor Beverly Morgan said the change should drastically reduce timelines.

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Story summary

Westmorland and Furness Council will dissolve its three area planning committees and create a single committee.
The new committee, effective 31 October, will have 13 councillors instead of the current 46.
Council officers will decide most applications, including extensions under 50,000 sq m.
Councillors will lose the ability to call-in applications for public scrutiny under the new rules.
Labour councillor Beverly Morgan said the change should drastically reduce timelines.