WHEN it comes to dealing promptly with major planning applications St Helens Council is one of the best authorities in the country.

A Department of Communities and Local Government report revealed that the authority dealt with 80 per cent of major applications within set time scales.

A delighted Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Urban Regeneration, Housing, Planning and Community Safety, said: “Speedy planning applications supports economic development and ensures that major house building schemes can be developed to provide a better choice of housing in our borough.

“We are constantly striving to improve the quality of the service we provide as well as the measurable performance - and this is a measure of which we are very proud.”