NEW figures show Wales’ planning system is facing severe pressure, with more than two-thirds of public sector planners saying their teams do not have the capacity to keep up with demand.

An updated State of the Profession survey by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) found that 72% of planners working in the public sector in Wales report insufficient capacity within their teams.

A further 64% say they feel overstretched frequently or all of the time, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the service.

Workforce pressures

The survey highlights a looming staffing crisis, with 15% of planners indicating they expect to retire within the next three years, while 3% say they intend to leave the profession entirely.

RTPI says this combination of overstretch and attrition threatens the ability of planning authorities to deliver on key national priorities.

Impact on national priorities

According to RTPI Cymru, a lack of planning capacity puts Wales at risk of falling behind on major commitments, including:

• addressing the housing crisis
• delivering renewable energy projects
• improving water quality
• supporting resilient and sustainable rural communities

RTPI Cymru’s newly published Planifesto 2026 calls for renewed investment, stronger political commitment and a recognition that planning is “critical national infrastructure”.

Call for action

Mark Hand, Director of RTPI Cymru, said: “These figures paint a deeply concerning picture for planning in Wales. With so many planners overstretched and significant numbers nearing retirement, we cannot deliver the homes, infrastructure and climate action our communities urgently need without real investment in people and resources.

“Our Cymru Planifesto 2026 sets out a clear and positive pathway forward – but it requires political commitment and a recognition that planning is essential to Wales’ future prosperity, resilience and well-being.”

ANIMAL health officers are carrying out visits across the Pontyberem area after a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed in local poultry.

The Welsh Government has put in place a 3km Avian Influenza Protection Zone and a wider 10km Surveillance Zone around the infected premises. These controls are designed to limit any further spread of the disease.

Council officers will visit every address within the zones – including homes, farms, smallholdings and businesses – to provide information and ensure keepers understand the restrictions now in force. Any location where poultry or other captive birds are kept must follow strict movement and biosecurity requirements. A map of the zones and full details of the rules are available on the Welsh Government website.

The strain identified in Pontyberem is one adapted to birds and is considered to present very low risk to human health. Households and businesses that do not keep birds are not required to take any action.

Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, said:

“The confirmation of avian influenza in the Pontyberem area is very sad news for the keeper involved, but I want to reassure residents that the risk to people is very low.

“I would urge anyone who keeps poultry or other captive birds within the affected zones to follow the enhanced biosecurity measures. Keepers elsewhere in Wales must also comply with the all-Wales prevention zone that came into force on 13 November.”

Residents are reminded that dead wild birds – including swans, geese, ducks, gulls and birds of prey – should be reported to the Defra Helpline on 03459 33 55 77 (option 7).

PEMBROKESHIRE County Council, which has had many fears of budgets firmly in the red in recent years, is on course to end the financial year £1m in credit.

A report to be heard at the council’s corporate overview and scrutiny committee, meeting on November 20, will outline the financial position for the second quarter of the current financial year, with a projected outturn of £325.6m for the agreed £326.6m budget, representing a £1m saving.

However, that figure is lower than the first financial quarter of 2025-’26 picture, which predicted an underspend of an even more impressive £2.2m.

Pembrokeshire County Council actually ended the last financial year underspending by £2m, in part due to an extra £1.2m raised through second homes tax, councillors have previously heard.

In recent years the situation has been far bleaker, with third quarter projections for the 2023-24 budget of an overspend of £6.6m, £3m up from quarter two’s £3.6m, which in itself was a reduction of the previous quarter one figure of a £4.8m predicted overspend.

The end of the 2024 financial year reduced that to a £3m overspend, and by November 2024 – the 2024-25 year – the council was predicted to overspend by £3.9m, later, this February that prediction reduced to £1.4m, before the final underspend.

The November 2025 committee report, and any responses, will later by considered by Cabinet on December 1.

A report for members says: “The increase in rolling budget expenditure and income is due to the receipt of grants confirmed during Q2, where possible this has been used to fund core expenditure,” adding a reduced net contribution from reserve relates to additional appropriations made into reserves as a consequence of waste management Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) payment requirements.

It says a “continued increase in level of demand, complexity and cost of packages within our School ALN provision, Children’s Services and Adult Services experienced during 2023-24 and 2024-25 has been recognised in base budget increases in these service areas for 2025/26,” adding: “It is hoped that the work being undertaken to try to manage the increase in demand and reduce the cost of packages will help to flatten these demand levels into 2026-27 and over the medium term financial plan.”

It says pressures include a shortfall of £1m on budgeted assumptions in funding towards the increased cost of Employers’ National Insurance Contributions, and a 2025-26 teachers pay award resulting in an additional £0.4m pressure on school budgets in 2025-26 and a further £0.7m full year base pressure for 2026-27; but there is   a projected underspend of £3.281m in Capital Financing Cost.

Director of Resources Jon Haswell in the report says: “It is pleasing to note that we are still projecting a year end underspend at the end of Quarter 2, albeit less than that projected at Quarter 1, primarily due to an underspend in capital financing costs more than offsetting all other additional budget pressures.”

Members are recommended to back the budget monitoring report.