re-thinking performance & improvement martin hutchings, planning advisory service (pas) date:...

Re-thinking performance & improvement

Martin Hutchings, Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

Date: March 2015 www.pas.gov.uk

What is PAS ?

• PAS is a DCLG grant-funded programme but part of the Local Government Association

• Governed by a ‘sector led’ board

“PAS exists to provide support to local planning authorities to provide efficient and effective planning services, to drive improvement in those services and to respond to and deliver changes in the planning system”

Cycle of Speed

What matters

Gets measured

Reward / Punishment

Improve = go faster

What is important to your customers?

Why?

“We are excellent at hitting our targets – top quartile consistently – but all we get is poor customer feedback and councillors are always on our backs because of it.

• Miss targets & we’re in trouble• Use rigid checklists, not initiative• Lots of checks; we’re not trusted• Customer’s ‘interrupt’ us• Refuse, withdraw, and use

conditions to meet targets

• Call Centre (no direct no’s given out)• Call back when it’s convenient… for us• Talk to 2/3 people before a planning

officer• We’ll visit when it’s convenient… for us• We ask you for lots of info in case we

need it.

Customer experience

Can I build?

Application submitted

Application determined90 days

Validation3 people

We’ll stop if it isn’t perfect

Lots of computer data to input

Handed overseveral timesbefore officer gets

Committee =38 hand overs

Validation36 days 54 days = target met!

Quality?

A better performance pictureDecisions - How often is it a 'yes‘?

Planning Quality Framework

A better performance pictureValid on receipt – can get going on this?

A better performance picturePotential waste – withdrawn applications

Planning Quality Framework

A better performance picturePotential waste – ‘zero fee’ applications2

Planning Quality Framework

A better performance pictureProcessing – valid to decision

Planning Quality Framework

A better performance pictureCustomer or Target-driven?

GOOD

Decisions asap

BAD

Last minute

Planning Quality Framework

• Agents, Applicants, Neighbours, Peers• Staff, councillors, amenity group• Tied to an individual application• Helpful? Timely? Information? Clear decision?

A better performance picture‘Customer’ Surveys

Planning Quality Framework

“We may be slow, but we offer a quality service”

A better performance picture‘Customer’ Surveys

Planning Quality Framework

http://qualityframework.net/

Planning Quality Framework

Q: how many expensive process reviews focus on speeding things up but fail to notice that the service says ‘yes’ more often than its peers, creates less waste and has happier customers?

Planning Quality Framework the real performance story

Planning Quality Framework

Getting better shouldn’t be a ‘project’

• Systems thinking diagrams

1. Demand = Can I build?2. Appraise it3. Get the information you need (to make a

decision)4. Tell the customer they can do it (or why they

can’t)

Method

Value adding steps that enable the best development without delay

• Single story rear extension• Few minutes to appraise - clear something we’d support• Called the applicant (day 1) advised PP was likely in 28

days (21 days statutory consultation, 28 days corporate policy for Members)

• They were very pleased, asked a couple of questions• Sent out neighbour notifications – ensure we didn’t

break the law• Decision made via email on Day 29 – the earliest day

currently possible.

Case study…

• 77 householder applications • Average number of days from first contact to

decision being issued for householder applications was 59 days (2014) and with experiment is now 29 days

• Agents/applicants are more open to negotiation to improve schemes

Results so far…

“It gives us as agents maximum chance to help resolve queries or respond to suggestions”

This is absolutely fabulous – myClient will be extremely pleased at the speed and efficiency with which this has been dealt with. I wish a few more local

authorities were as helpful and informative as yours, I was very impressed. (I submit applications across the UK).

“There is nothing quite so useless, as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all”. Peter Drucker

CONTACT: martin.hutchings@local.gov.ukTel: 07917 202 319

Planning Advisory Service

Planning Quality Framework