Resignations of key members of staff at Uttlesford District Council have put progress on a blueprint for 14,000 homes at "severe risk" of delay.

The publication of the first draft of the Local Plan is likely to be set back as a result of the resignations.

At a scrutiny meeting last night (January 17), director of planning Dean Hermitage said exit interviews with staff had not revealed consistent reasons behind the resignations, but nationally councils are experiencing a "brain drain" to the private sector.

Officers said the plan was only running slightly behind where it was anticipated to be this month and measures are being taken to recruit staff as an immediate priority.

Back up options were also suggested by councillors at the meeting, including outsourcing to the private sector and merging with other councils to cope with the workload.

A section of the report said: "Progress on the Local Plan is at severe risk as a result of resignations of key members of staff.

"This is likely to set back the delivery of the publication of the draft Local Plan for consultation from the agreed date of August 2023, with consequent knock-on effects for later stages of plan preparation."

This comes after the Local Plan was delayed in June last year and then again in October. Councils are legally required to pass local plans, which set out how growth will be achieved in the local area.

Uttlesford District Council has twice failed to pass a Local Plan under different administrations.

At the meeting, interim Local Plan and new communities manager John Clements said there had been three resignations of key members of staff, including himself.

He said: "I would expect that that if we can get the right people rapidly in post there should be very little delay. I would hope that one way or another if there is a delay it would not be beyond Christmas."

Mr Clements said he would be leaving this Friday, but would be staying with the council in a part time capacity.

Councillor John Evans, the senior councillor in charge of the Local Plan, said recruitment had been at the top of the agenda even before the current situation.

Uttlesford District Council was designated last year over the quality of its decisions on major planning applications, the equivalent of being put in special measures. This means developers can choose to bypass the council and apply directly to the government.

Councillor Geoffrey Sell questioned whether staff were being put off by the designation.

He said: "We have been placed, this council, in the naughty corner by central government. If you were a young person starting out in your career, that may not be so much of an issue. But if you are an experienced planner, is UDC the place you want to be?"

Mr Hermitage admitted being a designated authority may dissuade people from working at the council, although he had no evidence suggesting this.

Officers are expected to report back to the committee with an update before the pre-budget period in March.