Development Control Best Value Review

Clackmannanshire Council's Development Control Service has consistently been amongst the top eight performers across local authorities in Scotland. The 1999/00 Accounts Commission figures place Clackmannanshire in sixth position in Scotland.

Review work has involved working closely to share and exchange information with two other local authorities, both among the top 5 planning application performers in Scotland. Formal benchmarking agreements with other local authorities, and with the Bank of Scotland Visa centre in Dunfermline were repeatedly sought but did not come to fruition despite the best efforts of Clackmannanshire personnel.

Extensive customer consultation was a significant aspect of this review. Amongst the main findings were that the service was largely meeting customer expectations, which are typically very high. Keeping applicants informed of planning application progress was the key issue where customer expectations were not being met. This was also the foremost customer issue for the local authority that Clackmannanshire benchmarked its customer consultation with.

Since the review was completed, we have made significant advances to implement the action plan improvements identified.

We have introduced a range of new procedures to improve workload management. The new Uniform IT (Information Technology) System is now in place and staff training has been undertaken. We now produce reports identifying undetermined applications that are at the 3 and 6 week stage with a view to ensuring that they are decided within the key 4 and 8-week deadlines. Authorisation procedures are also in place to ensure that applications are not carried over 8 weeks without prior Senior Management approval.
In light of the Planning Service Management Arrangements Audit and the findings of the Best Value Review, the Development Control team has been reorganised on a more customer/focused rather than the traditional geographical split.
We have overhauled staff Training and Development procedures and a new system, in line with Investors in People Principles, has been launched Service wide.
All Development Control staff have attended Customer Service Workshops, with further customer service training to take place in March 2001, building on the findings of a recent mystery shopper exercise.
We will undertake further analysis of costs in light of the Service's new operational structure. It has been agreed that an annual snap shot will be taken, with a 3-month study to take place from February to April 2001.
We are investigating options for training Support Team Staff to undertake aspects of the application process, thereby freeing up professional officer time and reducing costs.
Work is underway to produce a Development Control Charter as a means of better informing customers about the application process.
We are investigating the establishment of a Local Design Award as a means of encouraging improved quality of development.
Quality developments include the Head of Planning Services investigating the establishment of an annual internal audit of determined applications, the creation of a photographic library of developments, and proposals for Member training.
Customer service training has taken place and various other initiatives to improve customer service have been implemented. For example, the Weekly Planning Bulletin has been revised and improved, to be published weekly on the Internet. Acknowledgement letters advise applicants of when they can expect to receive a decision, and a Customer Service Agreement has been published, with a DC specific Charter in preparation. A further survey of customers was undertaken in 2000 while a Postal Survey Card has been introduced.

The initiatives implemented to date have led to improved performance against national performance standards.

There has been significant improvement in dealing with household applications with year to date performance standing at 91% determined within 8 weeks and final performance for the business year 1999/00 standing at 92.5%. This compares favourably to the national target of 90%.
There has been significant improvement in dealing with business applications with year to date performance standing at 91% determined within 8 weeks compared to 79.5% in 1999/2000. This is of particular importance in relation to generating new employment opportunities in the area. Indeed, the Accounts Commission has recently published council profiles for 1999/2000, in which they recognise that the planning service performance in relation to non – householder applications (typically for businesses) has improved by more than 15% over the proceeding audit years (1997-2001).
Improved customer satisfaction. The postal survey cards indicate that at December 2000 91%of respondents stated that the Service provided is good/excellent compared to 80.5% at the end of March 2000.
Improved service delivery. This was recently recognised when the Service received Charter Mark recognition. On February 14th 2001, the Team was also awarded a Commendation for their "Focus on Customer Service" from the Scottish Quality in Planning Awards 2000 scheme by the Minister, Sam Galbraith.

As is the case with reviews in every service, this review reflects a developing and continuing commitment to improvements, and in many cases excellence, in public service.