Issue - meetings

An interim report was presented regarding the first phase of the planning service transformation project. This explained that:

·         work was underway to analyse the activities currently undertaken by Development Management staff with a view to informing future team structure, job titles, training needs, capacity and resilience

·         a benchmarking exercise to compare performance against planning authorities of a similar size was in progress and would form part of the business case to be presented to the Committee’s meeting on the 25^th November 2021

·         external reviews of the planning validation process and performance reporting would be undertaken (planning enforcement statistics and ‘government live’ planning application  tables would be included in future performance reports)  

·         various staff training & development initiatives and planning related IT and website improvements were being pursued

·         it was still intended to revise the Planning Protocol (a Member Working Group had been formed for this purpose) and establish an informal Planning Forum for Councillors.

The Chair reflected that the transformation project should help mitigate some of the risks highlighted in the performance report for the previous agenda item. Indicative costings were also presented and, during the debate, the need for the Committee to find savings within its budget envelope to fund the transformation work was discussed.

Officers referred to recent improvements to the planning sections of the website and agreed to summarise these in an e-mail to all Councillors, together with advice about how to navigate the respective pages.

The potential impact of the Environment Bill was discussed, and Officers acknowledged that the forthcoming Act would have significant implications for the planning process. Government guidance was still awaited and advice from Surrey County Council about how it might be able to assist Districts would be sought. 

            R E S O L V E D – that the interim report be noted.