Assessment of bids
Additional Resources for Planning Authorities – Assessment – October 2012
In June 2012 Scottish Ministers recognised that some authorities were dealing with a significant number of applications for wind turbines which was placing a burden on the local planning system.
Following engagement with COSLA and Heads of Planning Scotland, officials invited bids from planning authorities for additional funds to assist them in dealing with wind turbine planning applications.
Two key tests were established to assist in allocating funds:
- will the proposal assist with determining planning applications for wind turbine developments?;
- has the authority provided convincing evidence that it is amongst those with the greatest need?
Bids were initially given a strength ranking of 1, 2, or 3 where those ranked 1 did not meet the key tests well, compared to those ranked 3. Those ranked 3 were also considered to have a sense of immediacy. Inevitably some bids when compared to others would meet the tests more or less well. Ultimately only 16 bids were received, which suggested that only those authorities considering themselves under greatest pressure had prepared bids.
Following the publication of the analysis of bids in February 2013 it became apparent that Moray Council had not received adequate notice of the bidding exercise. The bid from Moray is consistent with other bids which were awarded funds and as an exceptional case additional funds have been identified to support their bid. As per the other bids, funds will be made available through the Local Government Settlement
Initially £0.3 million had been identified, but given the number of bids received it has been possible to identify funding for all of them. The funding was announced in December 2012. A summary of the assessment of the bids received and funding allocated follows.
| Assessment Summary Table |
Authority | 2012 applications as a % of previous 5 years applications | Relative Bid strength 3 – Meets the tests well,
2 – Meets the tests acceptably,
1 – does not meet the tests well | Bid Amount £ | Award Amount £ |
| Aberdeenshire | 34 | 3 | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| Angus | 23 | 1 | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar | 47 | 3 | 62,100 | 63,000 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 19 | 2 | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| East Ayrshire | 58 | 3 | 55,000 | 55,000 |
| Fife | 33 | 1 | 20,000 | 20,000 |
| Highland | 46 | 2 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Highland and Argyll and Bute | 38 | 2 | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Joint Ayrshire | 44 | 2 | 15,500 | 16,000 |
| Moray | 22 | 3 | 51,960 | 52,000 |
| North Ayrshire | 34 | 1 | 800 | 1000 |
| North Lanarkshire | 72 | 2 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Orkney | 85 | 3 | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Scottish Borders | 28 | 2 | 75,000/65,791.44 | 66,000 |
| South Ayrshire | 39 | 3 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| South Lanarkshire | 44 | 2 | 70,000 | 70,000 |
| West Lothian | 27 | 3 | 21,229.20 | 22,000 |
| Total | 722,380.64 | 725,000 |