Agenda and minutes

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

No substitute Members were reported.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

None Declared.

Attached.

At the last meeting the Panel requested information on the implications of a three weekly cycle for the Area Plans Committees.

The OSC is currently reviewing this issue and is due to receive a further report at its next meeting. All Members will receive a copy of this information when produced on the agenda.

The Panel also requested information on the Development Control Process from start to finish which is attached.

Noted.

Attached.

The Terms of Reference and Work Programme were noted and agreed.

To receive a presentation from Dan Evans of MVM, the originators of the new IT systems, and Malcolm Baker from Terraquest, the implementors of the systems.

It is anticipated that the representatives will describe what has been done and what will be done with Planning's IT.  They will also be able to compare performance against other areas and experience with past projects.

The session will also provide an opportunity for questions.  

The Panel received a presentation from Northgate Solutions the suppliers of the Planning Services IT System. The Panel heard from Mr D Evans (Project Manager) Mr M Baker (Account Director) and Vicky Lindon (Management Consultant).

A full copy of the presentation was circulated to Members.  

In response to the presentation, the Panel asked for ideas for securing further improvement? In response, Mr Baker saw value in looking at existing work practices as there was potential for improving these systems. It was noted that J Preston was in the process of undertaking a further review of the services to identify improvements. A Business Review of the Service was also underway.

The Panel requested the following information:

• cost/benefit analysis of the IT system – details of savings, impact on performance, systems in place at other Councils –processes used, best practice,  future work;

• Performance Information – benchmarking data, costs/benefits;

• The Performance Delivery Grant (PDG) – details of allocation, success of the measures, approaches applied by other Councils with details of outcomes,

• Officer time spent on cases - It was questioned whether there was provision on the software for tracking the costs and officer time spent on cases?

• Costs per application;

It was stressed that the information should be prepared in a ‘user friendly’ format, short bullet points.

ACTION: Northgate Solutions/J Preston to prepare report

S Bacon reported that an order had been placed for the installation of the Anite System earlier on in the day. As  result it was hoped that the system would be up and running by April 2008. It was envisaging that the system would provide an opportunity for further cost savings.

A Member also reported on the systems in place at Hackney Council. For the past 3 years, the Council had provided an On Line Planning Portal. It was suggested that the Panel should look at the operation on the systems possible through a fact finding visit to the Council.

To consider the attached information.

Please bring this information with you to the meeting.

The Panel received details of the Planning Services Budget covering the period 2001 – 2008.

The Panel expressed a wish for:

• more concise details of the budget for the last two years - information showing how the budgets totalled up.
• the narratives to be expanded for clarification.
• Appeals Decisions -  to assess performance in this area,
• time taken to deal with Planning Cases, costs of an ‘average case’

Action: R Sharp to provide the information.

To received a progress report on the above.

Noted that officers were still preparing the information asked for by the last meeting. It was hoped that further information would be available for the next meeting.

To agree arrangements for this exercise. 

The Panel expressed a wish to canvass views on the quality of the Councils planning services:

They expressed a wish for this to cover;

• The Members of the three Area Planning Sub – Committees
• The Town and Parish Councils (including the clerks)
• Sample the views of individual applicants
• Role of Members invited to speak at appeal
• Planning Agents –

It was suggested that officers look at adapting existing surveys on customer satisfaction in planning surveys to avoid any unnecessary duplication of work. It was therefore suggested that steps should be taken to find out what already existed.

It was also considered beneficial to invite an appropriate Legal Services Officer to the next meeting,

None raised.

To be agreed.

20 March 2008 in Committee Room 1.