Planning Inspectorate Newsletter - Issue 3
Message from the Chief Executive
This Newsletter was intended to appeal to a wide audience, so I am particularly pleased to have our first article by someone from outside the organisation. Martin Edwards, barrister, has written about Statements of Common Ground.
This edition also includes an article about a waste training seminar to illustrate what is hoped will be the Inspectorate’s new approach to training of Inspectors. Those of you involved with the Local Development Frameworks in England may be interested to read about the Inspectorate’s LDF strategy and how we intend to implement it. On a lighter note, a recently recruited Inspector shares some impressions and experiences of his new lifestyle.
I am delighted that the hard work and achievements of two of our Planning Officers, Alan Nettey and Judith Montford, have been recognised by external organisations. Full details are included in the Other News section.
Please continue to send any comments on this edition, or suggestions for future articles to me at KatrineSporleNews@pins.gsi.gov.uk.
Katrine Sporle
Chief Executive
August 2006
- Message from the Chief Executive
- Statement of Common Ground: A Missed Opportunity?
- The Local Development Frameworks Delivery Strategy
- Programme Officer Training Courses
- New Approaches to Training of Inspectors
- Customer Satisfaction Survey 2005/06
- Sample Conditions for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites
- A Day in the Life of a New Inspector
- Annual Reports
- A Child’s View of a Hearing
- Other News
Contact
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The Statement of Common Ground: a missed opportunity?
Statements of Common Ground should narrow the issues in dispute at an inquiry. As a consequence, both witnesses’ proofs of evidence and inquiries should be shorter. Barrister Martin Edwards considers what all too often happens in practice.
Read the "Statement of Common Ground: a missed opportunity" article >>
The Local Development Frameworks Delivery Strategy
Keith Holland, one of the Inspectorate’s Inspector Managers, sets out the Inspectorate’s Local Development Frameworks (LDF) delivery strategy and the measures put in place to implement the strategy.
Read the "Local Development Frameworks Delivery Strategy" article >>
Programme Officer Training Courses
Current estimates suggest that there could be as many as 500 LDF examinations in England next year. To help local authorities meet the inevitable increase in demand for Programme Officers, the Inspectorate has been running one-day training courses at various venues throughout England. The courses (which are free-of-charge), are for local authorities who wish to consider seconding a member of staff to act as a Programme Officer.
Confirmed dates and venues for future courses are: 12 September, Temple Quay House, Bristol; 12 October, Government Office for the West Midlands, Birmingham; 19 October, Government Office for the South East, Guildford; and 16 November 2006, Government Office for the North East, Newcastle.
To find out more about the courses, contact Janet Foster (tel: 0117 372 8948, or email: janet.foster@pins.gsi.gov.uk).
New Approaches to Training of Inspectors
On 24 February 2006, the Inspectorate held a waste training update seminar - the first event in what is hoped will become the standard approach to update training for Inspectors. The training session, which was part of the Inspectorate’s commitment to openness by providing briefing and opportunities for discussion on revised DCLG and Defra policy, was attended by representatives of all parties involved in waste management. Peter Robottom, Inspector Manager for Major and Specialist Casework, reports on the event.
Read the "New Approaches to Training of Inspectors" article >>
Customer Satisfaction Survey 2005/06
The Planning Inspectorate has commissioned an annual customer satisfaction survey covering all our main business areas since 2002. This year's survey (2005/06) covered a random sample of 4000 customers. David Halstead of the Inspectorate's Policy Unit reports some of the results.
Sample Conditions for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites
The Planning Inspectorate has recently published a number of sample conditions which it recommends Inspectors to use, where appropriate, in granting planning permission for gypsy and traveller caravan sites. The conditions would also be suitable for use in such permissions granted by local planning authorities.
A Day in the Life of a New Inspector
Tim Wood – a relatively new recruit - shares some of his experiences of life as a Planning Inspector
Annual Reports
The Inspectorate’s Annual Report and Accounts 2005/06 were published on Thursday 13 July.
The Twelfth Report by the Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate was published on 31 May.
A Child’s View of a Hearing
At a recent Hearing held during Half-Term week, the appellant was unable to arrange for care for her children, so brought them with her plus a supply of paper and felt-tip pens. To keep the children occupied, the Inspector suggested that they draw a picture of the proceedings. The Inspector was so impressed with the resulting representation of a typical hearing layout that he thought that it deserved wider circulation!
Other News
Annual Meeting of Planning Aid
The Inspectorate’s Director of Policy, Leonora Rozee, OBE was pleased and honoured to have been invited to be the main speaker at the recent Annual Meeting of the West Midlands Planning Aid Service held at St Philips Chambers in Birmingham on Wednesday 14 June.
The event was attended by around 50 people representing a range of organisations, including local authority planners and council members, Planning Aid volunteers, the Government Office for the West Midlands, local lawyers, and a local residents’ association. Clive Harridge, RTPI President, spoke about the Planning Aid Community Champions initiative launched by Baroness Andrews earlier this year.
Leonora pictured with RTPI President Clive Harridge and John Randall QC, Head of the St Phillips Chambers Public Law Group
Leonora spoke on the topic “The Role of the Planning Inspectorate and the new Development Plan System 
484kb”. Feedback from the event has been very positive.
The Planning Inspectorate is very pleased to support Planning Aid and the valuable work they do. Their work is becoming ever more important in helping those unfamiliar with the process to cope with the new “frontloaded” Development Plan system as they can act as a communication bridge between local authority planners and their local community.
Awards to Planning Inspectorate Staff
The hard work and commitment of two of the Inspectorate’s Planning Officers have recently been recognised by awards.
Alan Nettey was presented with a Walter Tull Partnership Award for Excellence & Outstanding Performance at a ceremony in Bristol on 6 May. Tony Hewitt, a Partnership Manager at the Centre for Employment and Enterprise Development (CEED) nominated Alan for the award for his efforts and achievements during the last three years in building a career in planning, with support from the Planning Inspectorate.
The award, in the career and academic development category, was presented to Alan by Carl Saunders (former Bristol Rovers footballer). Other well-known people who attended the event included Tony Bullimore (yachtsman and entrepreneur), Alan’s boyhood hero, John Barnes (former Liverpool and England footballer), Paul Stephenson (campaigner for equal rights and education for disadvantaged groups) and Grant Marshall (Massive Attack).
The Walter Tull awards, which celebrate the achievements of young people from a disadvantaged background, are becoming an established annual regional event.
At the PATH (Positive Action Training Highway) National Awards ceremony on 4 July, Judith Montford received the Path Trainee Planner of the Year 2006 award. Her nomination cited her limitless motivation, enthusiasm and continued hard work.
The award was sponsored by the RTPI and presented by Martin Willey, Chairman of the RTPI Regeneration Network. The Inspectorate was also nominated for Placement Provider of the Year 2006. Susannah Guest, one of the Inspectorate’s Higher Planning Officers was nominated for Placement Supervisor of the Year 2006.
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