A HUGE surprise cash boost of almost £400,000 was last week awarded to West Devon Borough Council?s planning team, in recognition of its work in meeting targets.

The Government?s planning delivery grant (PDG) award follows performance figures released earlier this year, which revealed the service is one of the best in the country.

The award is based on achievements in a number of areas, including good progress towards adopting a new local plan, meeting and exceeding Government targets for determining planning applications and improving development control performances. The borough?s award was the highest per head of population than any other local authority in Devon.

David Incoll, borough chief executive, said the grant would be spent on sustaining improvements in the way West Devon ran its planning system.

?Obviously, investment in IT will be important ? and there is more work to be done on the Local Plan, ? said Mr Incoll. ?We are in the early stages of this and we will have to look at exactly what the terms are of this award, but we have to make sure we keep to our really high performance levels.?

New legislation due later this year will introduce reforms to the planning system ? a challenge the council hopes will be helped by the PDG award.

Cllr Roger Mathew, chairman of the council?s planning committee, said: ?I am very pleased and very proud of our team.

?West Devon?s planning team works very hard with very small resources. This is a fitting recognition by Government that our small council in West Devon can be a big hitter.?

Cllr Margaret Garton, chairman of the future planning and housing committee, said: ?This award commends our approach to the Local Plan process for West Devon, which has encompassed wide-ranging views to finally delivering a visionary, practical and pragmatic Local Plan for the development of this wonderful part of Devon.?

Nationally, the PDG is providing £350 million over three years to local authorities to help them improve the planning system. It is the second year the grant has been made.

After the award was announced, planning minister Keith Hill said: ?Planners need to be properly resourced if they are to deliver the radical reforms we have set out. Providing a quality planning service is not just about taking quick decisions, although that is important.

?Where an authority receives a large award it is because they are delivering in at least one important area.

?However, there is no room for complacency and authorities should be aware that they will not receive further reward unless they continue to improve or maintain high levels of performance.?