We challenged the Department on what it was doing to tackle the root causes of LPAs’ staffing problems. It explained that several initiatives were under way, and that it would provide direct funding of around £12 million for the recruitment and retention of planners. It also told us that LPAs were allowed to increase planning fees in 2025, and that the Planning and Infrastructure Bill (which is currently being debated in Parliament) contained provisions that would permit LPAs to set their own fees to 24 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.13–2.14 25 C&AG’s Report, para 2.16 26 ILA0005 27 MHCLG, Local Authority Planning Capacity and Skills Survey 2023, January 2025 12 recover their costs. The Department believes that, in the longer term, this will allow LPAs to properly fund their own planning departments and deliver a much better service.28