PAPER B1
ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE - 25 FEBRUARY 2003
BEST VALUE INDICATORS 2003/04
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
The Local Government Act 1999 provides powers for the Government to specify standards of performance that must be met. Failure to meet performance standard will normally be judged as a failure to achieve Best Value for that particular service.
Members are reminded that on major applications the Government have applied a performance standard to those Authorities that determine less than 28% in thirteen weeks in 2001/02. The standard that these Authorities are expected to reach is to determine 50% of major applications within thirteen weeks in 2003/04. This performance standard applies to this Council and 65 other Local Authorities.
Members last received a report on this matter and related issues at the meeting held on 19 November 2002. The Head of Planning Services has asked me to report to this Committee on a regular basis in order to ensure that progress is monitored by both Members and Officers.
Performance Indicators 2003/04
The attached illustration or table shows the progress that has been made in terms of processing major applications (see horizontal line (b)) starting from the low base point in 2001/02. A simple projection, based on the progress in the current financial year would seem to suggest that the target of 45% for 2002/03 will not be achieved although there has been significant improvement in performance when compared with 2001/02.
The various service improvements outlined in earlier reports are designed to help to achieve the target of 50% for 2003/04 but, it has to be said, this remains a significant challenge for the Development Control Section, particularly when you examine the number of ‘players’ involved, inside and outside the Authority, the objective of achieving a quality outcome and the degree of influence that the individual Case Officer can bring to the speed of the decision.
In the last twelve months the two Trainee Planner Posts have been created and filled by an external appointment and an internal transfer, utilising funds generated by increased planning fee income. A new or additional Planning Officer to lead all major applications features as a proposed growth item in next year’s budget and therefore it is unlikely that the successful candidate will take up his/her position before April/May 2003, assuming that the growth item is successful.
That the report be noted and that the Head of Planning Services asked to monitor the situation and report back to this Committee at regular intervals.
Conclusions
The principal objective of this report is to outline to Members the gravity of the present situation and give an overview of the measures that have already been taken and those that need to be taken to enable the Development Control Section to determine a substantial increase in a number of major applications processed and determined within the prescribed time period during the present financial year and, more importantly, 2003/04.
The illustration table attached is a revised and updated Development Control Performance Analysis which shows the various targets and standards, together with latest performance statistics. There are notes attached to assist Members in the interpretation of this information, but a simple overview is provided in vertical column 6(a) which represents our performance over the last quarter and therefore is effectively the current trend which shows that in terms of our own performance targets we are well ahead in terms of the eight week figure, dealing with minor applications, dealing with other applications and delegated decisions, but falling just short of our own local performance target for dealing with major applications within the specified thirteen week period.
RECOMMENDATION That the report be noted and that the Head of Planning Services is asked to monitor the situation and report back to this Committee at regular intervals. |
Strategic Director
Corporate and Environment Services