A council has been placed in special measures for taking too long to determine major planning applications.

Worthing Borough Council dealt with fewer than 30 percent of major applications within a recommended 13 week timeframe between July 2011 and June 2013, making it the second worst performing council the country.

Figures released in July by the Department for Communities and Local Government, covering the first 21 months of the 24-month period, showed 14 authorities were in line for special measures - including Worthing.

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September’s updated figures show eight of those councils have escaped a designation due to improved performance.Under the Government’s special measures policy, councils falling beneath the threshold over the two-year period could lose some of their planning powers.

Developers behind new planning applications would then have the option of submitting their proposals directly to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS).

A spokesman from Worthing Borough Council said the authority received a pre-designation letter suggesting planning performance had fallen below the threshold set by the Government.

He continued: “The stance from the Government is very disappointing as it has not recognised that Adur and Worthing has a Joint Planning Service.

“Both councils have submitted joint planning performance data which demonstrates that the performance is above the Governments minimum requirements.

“As a result both councils are making representations to the Government that it would be highly inappropriate to single out one council as it is delivering a joint service and therefore should not be placed on ‘special measures’.

“I should add that both councils have received awards from the Government for its work on shared services delivering cost effective services saving tax payers money and therefore the Government’s current stance requiring additional work separating data for individual councils is illogical.”

Under the special measures policy, if data for seven or eight quarters are missing, an authority will be designated automatically.Hammersmith and Fulham, Adur and Lewisham councils were facing special measures on these grounds, but have since provided the missing data.