Somerset Council relying on enforcement officers from West Midlands councilIt has struggled to recruitView Image Somerset Council is using planning enforcement officers from outside the region (Image: Getty Images)Somerset Council is relying on enforcement officers from a West Midlands local authority to ensure that planning breaches are addressed. ‌The council has struggled to recruit enforcement officers in recent years, with more than 1,000 enforcement cases remaining open and unresolved as of September 2025 – a rise of nearly ten per cent on the previous year. She said: "We have appointed one additional agency enforcement officer in post to help to reduce the current backlog. ‌Councillor Matt Martin questioned whether using agency staff was the best way to try and attract permanent enforcement officers – and whether such an approach was cost-effective for the taxpayer. additional funding to incentivise recruitment in areas where the council is short-staffed, such as planning officers and social workers).