The role of Government office for the north-east is to work with stakeholders and local authorities to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the planning system.
The Government office’s primary role on planning includes:
working with the regional planning body to develop the RSS, on behalf of the Secretary of State. A key responsibility of the Government office during this process is to examine the EiP Panel Report and bring forward the Secretary of State’s proposed changes for consultation and further consideration prior to the issue of the final RSS;
monitoring local authorities’ performance in preparing plans and determining planning applications;
advising local authorities preparing local development frameworks on what they need to do to produce sound strategies; and
advising Ministers on whether to use their powers to intervene in local development frameworks and planning applications in the light of national policies and any other considerations of more than local importance.