NEW Assembly Government statistics show Newport Council only manages to make decisions on 29 per cent of planning applications within the eight week time scale.

The council is the worst performing authority in Wales for speed of determining applications according to figures for July and September.

Caerphilly Council make decisions on 72 per cent of their applications within eight weeks and Blaenau Gwent Council made decisions of 67 per cent of their applications. Elsewhere Torfaen only manage to make 57 per cent of decisions and Monmouthshire 50 per cent. The Welsh national average is 63 per cent.