Scottish Planning System Review: In September 2015 an independent panel tasked with bringing together ideas to achieve a quicker, more accessible and efficient planning process was appointed by Scottish Ministers to review the Scottish planning system.

On May 31, 2016, the report from the independent panel Empowering Planning to Deliver Great Places was published on the Scottish Government website.

The Scottish Government issued their response to the report in July 2016 supporting the six key outcomes within the report and setting out ten key actions which will be taken forward as an immediate priority, among the recommendations within the ten key actions two issues which are raised regularly by members of the PPSL committee are addressed – Increased planning fees for major applications and higher fees for retrospective applications.

The Scottish Government will now work with key stakeholders to develop detailed proposals of the 48 recommendations within the panel’s report and are aiming to consult fully on a White Paper in Autumn/Winter 2016 which will enable a Planning Bill to be brought forward in 2017.

As I write this article the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio has just taken place, it is hard to believe that four years have passed since Argyll and Bute hosted a Civic reception in Helensburgh in recognition of the achievements in sailing and tennis of Luke Patience and Gordon Reid at the London Olympics in 2012.

When this article is published Luke will be in the middle of the preliminary qualifying races in the Men’s 470 Class and it would be quite an achievement if he can go one better and improve on the Silver medal he won at the London games.

Gordon is having such a good year it would be incredible if he could add an Olympic medal to his earlier successes at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, by the time you read this the Helensburgh and Lomond Area committee will have considered a motion asking the council to mark Gordon’s world-class sporting achievements by awarding him the Freedom of Argyll and Bute – a proposal which has my whole hearted support.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of Team GB every success in Rio 2016 especially Luke and Gordon.