PAPER B2

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE - 8 APRIL 2003

DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS FOR 2002/03

REPORT BY STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES

Background

This report should be read in conjunction with the last monitoring report submitted to this Committee six weeks ago.

Members are reminded that on major applications the Government has applied a performance standard to those authorities that determined 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 have received reports on this matter and related issues on a regular basis over the last six months. The Head of Planning Services has asked me to continue to report to Members on a regular basis to ensure that the significant progress which has now been achieved is properly monitored in terms of the Best Value Performance Indicators and also the assessment which goes forward to calculate the Planning Delivery Grant (PDG) now awarded by the ODPM.

Performance Indicators 2002/03

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. Although there has been significant progress during 2002/03, Members will note that we have narrowly failed to achieve our own locally set performance target of 45%.

The various service improvements outlined in earlier reports, and currently under scrutiny as part of the Best Value process, are designed to help to achieve the target of 50% in 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 is relatively limited.

Financial Implications

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 on major applications previously featured as a growth item in the budget for 2003/04, but is now being financed as part of the PDG. This new post has been advertised and it is anticipated that interviews will take place later this month with the successful applicant hopefully taking up his/her position before the end of May 2003.

Options

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 these reports has been to outline to Members the seriousness of the present situation and to 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 the number of major applications processed and determined within the prescribed timescale in this current financial year (2003/04).

The attached table is a revised and updated Development Control Performance Analysis which shows the various targets and standards, together with our overall performance in 2002/03 [see column(s) (6b)]. There are notes attached to assist Members in the interpretation of this information, but an overview is provided in column (6a) which represents our performance over the last quarter (1/1/03 to 31/3/03) 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 the number of decisions taken under delegated powers; but falling just short of our own local performance target for dealing with major applications within the specified thirteen week period.

Contact: Chris Hougham ☎ 823565

M J A FISHER

Strategic Director

Corporate and Environment Services

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