A council's planning department is to come under closer scrutiny from the Government after it failed to hit targets for dealing with applications.

Craven District Council's planning department is set to be labelled a planning standards authority' which means it will not receive its full planning delivery grant.

The money helps to fund wages within the department, but the Council will now have to look elsewhere for the shortfall.

It also means the Government will intervene and set targets for the department.

The move comes after the department's performance figures for dealing with major, minor and other applications on time declined between June 2005 to June 2006.

Between April and June 2006, just 20 per cent of major applications had been dealt with in time, compared with a 60 per cent target.

Acting head of planning Helen Signol said: "We are going to be more closely monitored by Central Government.

"On the plus side, we receive some help. If it can see we have taken measures to improve, it will withdraw the standards."

The Council is already heading in the right direction after surpassing all targets since July last year.