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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A better performance picturePotential waste – withdrawn applications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: [email protected]: 07917 202 319
Planning Advisory Service
Planning Quality Framework
