Former local authority planning boss STEVE BARKER has joined Blackett Hart and Pratt solicitors, making its town and country planning team one of the biggest for a law firm in the North-East.

He joins the firm as a planning consultant.

Mr Barker has 18 years' experience in the public sector, having worked for local councils across North Yorkshire and the Tees Valley as well as the North York Moors National Park and the Environment Agency.