Councils could save £100m by speeding up the local plan-making process, according to a new government report. The report on the land use planning system, by economist Kate Barker, said £100m could be saved over three years, if the process was improved and speeded up from 36-42 months to 18-24 months. It also recommends halving the number of planning applications called-in by ministers from next year, and a new independent mediation service to resolve disputes to speed up the time it takes councils to process them. But Keith Mitchell, chairman of the South East County Leaders, said it was central government, not local authorities, which was blocking the building of new homes. Cllr Mitchell said last year 80% of all applications were decided by councils within eight weeks. Local Government Association chairman, Lord Bruce-Lockhart, said: ‘This review is a golden opportunity for a real and effective devolution of powers away from the national and regional level, and closer to people and the places where they live and work.'