Planning Inspectorate Newsletter - Issue 9
Message from the Chief Executive
Welcome to the latest edition of the Planning Inspectorate Newsletter.
Since the publication of the 8th Newsletter details of our 2007/08 performance have been published.
Overall, we achieved 9 of our 15 key performance targets, including those applying to quality and customer satisfaction. In England we met our targets for timeliness for appeals determined by written representations and inquiries and in Wales we met our targets for all planning and enforcement appeals (7 out of 8). An excellent result.
The annual report on Ministerial planning decisions in England, published in Mid-May, showed that all 131 called-in cases and recovered appeals were completed on time.
The Inspectorate has also halved the waiting time for setting hearing dates to ten weeks.
This success has helped to improve overall customer satisfaction with the Inspectorate to 81% as measured in the Customer Satisfaction Survey 
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I am very pleased with these outcomes and the Inspectorate is now well positioned to face the challenges of the new year: to work towards meeting the new targets that will be set by Ministers for 2009/10, to meet the demands of the Planning Bill, and making a success of the Fast Track Householder pilot. More information about the pilot is available in this issue.
On April 1st Nigel Clark joined the Inspectorate as Director for Finance, Resource & Business Planning. I am sure you will join me in welcoming him to the Inspectorate.
As always, I welcome your comments on the items in this issue, or suggestions for future articles at KatrineSporleNews@pins.gsi.gov.uk.
Katrine Sporle
Chief Executive
June 2008
- Message from the Chief Executive
- Local Development Frameworks
- Tree Preservation Order and Tree Replacement Notice appeals
- Planning Conditions and Obligations
- Statements of Common Ground
- Incomplete Planning Appeals
- The Planning Casework Service (PCS) in the Planning Inspectorate Wales.
- Fast track approach to householder planning appeals.
- Inspector Annual Meeting
- Civil Service Live
- Stakeholder News
Contact
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Local Development Frameworks
Lee Armitage, head of Local Development Plans branch, discusses how far the Inspectorate has progressed in two years of examining Development Plan Documents (DPDs).
Read the "Local Development Frameworks – Taking Stock" Article >>
Tree Preservation Order and Tree Replacement Notice appeals
The Inspectorate has taken on Tree Preservation Order work from April 2008. Sarah Tudor, Environmental Casework Officer, examines what this means for the Inspectorate.
Planning Conditions and Obligations
Richard Holland, Section Manager, provides information concerning conditions that require parties to enter into a planning obligation and how our advice to Inspectors has changed.
Statements of Common Ground
The opportunity for a speedy and effective inquiry is being missed through the late submission of, or failure to submit, a meaningful statement of common ground. Wendy Burden, Assistant Director for Environmental and Specialist Casework, discusses the scope for improving practice in producing statements.
Read the "Statements of Common Ground – where’s the value?" Article >>
Incomplete Planning Appeals 
The number of incomplete, or improperly completed, appeals submitted is adding to delays in Registration. Si Bliss, Section Manager on Planning Casework Service Registration seeks co-operation from colleagues to overcome the problem.
Read the "Incomplete Planning Appeals Add to the Delays in Registration" Article >>
The Planning Casework Service (PCS) in the Planning Inspectorate Wales.
PCS was introduced in Wales during 2007. Isabel Nethell, Section Manager in PINS Wales, examines the introduction and development of the electronic appeal processing system.
Fast track approach to householder planning
appeals.
The new streamlined approach will see householder appeals decided in 12 weeks or less. This is at least 4 weeks quicker than the current process. Sean Canavan, Head of Quality and Special Projects, discusses how the current pilot works and the benefits to be gained by adopting this approach.
Read the "Fast Track Householder planning appeals" Article >>
Inspector Annual Meeting
Mike Rathmell, Section Manager for Inspector Training, outlines events at the Inspector Annual Meeting held in April 2008.
Civil Service Live
Civil Service Live took place in London on April 1-3. John Hammond, Head of Change Management and Communication, describes the event.
Stakeholder News
Stakeholders
Sheila Rice, PA to the Chief Executive, provides feedback from the Regional Bodies Stakeholder meeting.
