Ethical Planning’s Post

The Government has published draft legislation confirming changes to planning application fees, following last year’s National Planning Policy Framework Consultation. MHCLG Digital These fee increases primarily affect three main application types: householder, prior approval applications, and conditions applications. While we understand these updates may present challenges for some businesses and applicants in the smaller development space, they also provide local authorities with a valuable opportunity to better resource themselves, improving service efficiency and planning outcomes—helping create a more robust planning system for us all. To help you stay ahead of these changes, we’ve published a schedule of the forthcoming fees, which we encourage you to explore: https://ow.ly/xkJw50UHBvq As always, we’re here to support all our stakeholders every step of the way, providing the necessary guidance to help you plan and prepare.

New planning application fees from 1 April 2025 is the latest blog from Jennie Baker and Seán Farrissey [Link in comments]. Following the Governments July 2024 consultation on planning fees, draft amendments to the Planning Fee Regulations have been published. If approved by Parliament, the new fees will come into force on 1 April 2025. In addition, the annual increase to planning fees will commence on the same day. This year the fee increase will be 1.7%, which will apply to the fees in the current Regulations. 

The Government is currently looking at creative ways to support local authority planning departments. Everyone is agreed more responsive and speedier application decision making is required to achieve improved delivery. I have often wondered why householder extensions aren’t self-certificating? Certificate of lawfulness and householder applications proliferate planning departments. These take up too much officer time and swallow up resources. Local authorities lose money on every application. Investment should be directed on a national system to deal with permitted development which would surely free up planning departments time and money. All that would be required is a compliance checklist and facility to upload the drawings for the record. Thinking further, legislative change could create local permitted development rights where current local plan policy for householder extensions are met. It would serve to speed up delivery for the public who suffer on a personal basis from delays and to whom the planning process can be overwhelming. A bit of speed and certainty could go a long way to helping house sales and moving the economy.

Seeking clarity on development costs? Look no further! Introducing Cost Logic's Council Cost Report for your Development Application (DA) needs. Whether you're constructing a dream home or embarking on a commercial venture, our detailed estimates help you navigate council fees with ease. NSW councils rely on our reports to calculate fees and levies accurately. Ready to streamline your DA process? Contact us today at +61 423 609 877 or drop us an email at info@costlogic.com.au. Learn more at costlogic.com.au. #CostSummary #FinancialReports #DA #ExpenseAnalysis #BudgetTracking #CostManagement #FinancialAnalysis #BusinessReports #DataAnalysis #CostEfficiency #BudgetReports #ExpenseTracking #FinancialInsights #CostTracking #FinancialSummary #Developmentapplication #AIQS #NSW #Localcouncil #Costsummaryreports #CouncilQSCostReports #CouncilQS #DACostReports #RegisteredQuantitySurveyor #CostSummaryReports #DetailedDAQSReports #QuantitySurveyorDAReports #QSEstimateReports #NSWCouncilDAEstimates #CostEstimate

The Government has laid a draft statutory instrument before Parliament this week, proposing significant increases in planning application fees in England. If enacted, these changes will nearly double the fees for most prior approval applications, the discharge of conditions, and householder applications. Notably, the fee for applications related to the enlargement, improvement, or other alteration of a single dwellinghouse would rise from £258 to £528 (an increase of 105%). For applications involving two or more dwellinghouses, the fee would increase from £509 to £1,043 (also 105%). In contrast, for fewer than 10 dwellinghouses, the fee would see a modest increase from £578 to £588. There is a new three-tier fee structure for section 73 applications: £86 for householder applications £586 for non-major development; and £2,000 for major development Unfortunately, planning fees are not ringfenced, meaning there is no guarantee that the additional uplift in fees will address the existing resourcing issues faced by LPAs. It is sensible to submit applications before 1 April 2025, when these fee increases are expected to take effect. 👍

Filing of 401(k) plans now breaks total administrative expenses into 11 categories.  We’ve summed and ranked the category sums across 50,715 plans that begin the plan year in Q1 and filed federal Schedule H. % of Total | Category | Dollar Amount 100%     total administrative expenses = $5,805,887,809 34.1%    investment advisory and management fees = $1,979,912,789 29.02%  recordkeeping fees = $1,685,151,482 22.41%  contract administrator fees = $1,301,304,322 9.43%    other administrative expenses = $547,775,285 2.3%      IQPA audit fees = $133,479,948 1.21%    bank or trust company trustee/custodial fees = $70,293,994 0.53%    plan salaries and allowances = $30,871,744 0.5%      legal fees = $29,113,768 0.4%      other trustee fees and expenses = $23,012,533 0.071%  actuarial fees = $4,099,340 0.015%  valuation/appraisal fees = $872,604 Use the Discovery Engine at any assets bracket to query for “Top insights across all plans for which ‘higher than the overall administrative medians’ is not empty.  E.g., at the $1B+ bracket (https://lnkd.in/gK45JWCx) and the $10M-$50M bracket (https://lnkd.in/g5zC3jHv). A sentence is worth 1,000 data.™ Unprecedented performance transparency via benchmarking done right. #401k #erisa #benchmarking #planadvisor #fiduciary #plansponsors

Changes to the Uniform Guidance are coming soon. Take a couple minutes to read this article on what to look for. #uniformguidance

Are administrative tasks of your HOA consumes too much of your time? Is making a financial report challenging for you? One key decision that significantly impacts an HOA's success is whether to opt for professional management. Here is a quick list of the benefits of having a professional partner in managing your HOA. #houstonhoamanagement #communityassociation #hoamanagement #propertymanagement #hoatips

Attention North Dakota LLC Owners! Quick reminder that your annual report is due by November 15th! Filing on time keeps your LLC in good standing with the state and ensures smooth operations. Here’s what you need to know: 🗓 Due Date: November 15th 💲 Filing Fee: $50 💸 Late Fee: $100 if filed even a day late ⚠️ Deadline for Good Standing: File by January 1 to avoid being marked "not in good standing" with the Secretary of State. Don’t wait—take a few minutes now to file your annual report and avoid those late fees! ***Note: Businesses that file with First Stop in the current year do not need to file until the following year. Log in to First Stop for more details! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your advisor.

Budget discussions can often display a curious pattern, as familiar to many finance professionals as it is puzzling. Picture this: hours of debate over a seemingly minor line item like office supplies, pondering if fewer printed emails could cut costs. Yet, this is swiftly followed by the rapid approval of a multi-million-dollar capital project with scarcely any discussion. This pattern is known as Parkinson's Law of Triviality, or "bike-shedding," highlighting our tendency to devote disproportionate time to trivial issues while more significant ones pass with little scrutiny. Recognizing this phenomenon is the first step. We can then tailor our approach to tackle and streamline decision-making processes effectively. Explore deeper insights and potential solutions ar GFOA - Law of Triviality -- https://lnkd.in/eZ8wQndk #publicadministration #gfoa #govbudgets