Busiest planning department in the North West set to modernise its service

Cheshire East Council is set to outline its plans to modernise its planning service at an upcoming meeting of its environment and communities committee

The council’s planning department is the eighth largest in the country and determines the largest number of planning applications by any local authority in the North West.Council planners receive an above average number of applications from volume house builders, individual property owners, businesses and small developers, and the service needs to tackle an increase in work, alongside a backlog of applications. A service review has been undertaken and a detailed report is being taken to the committee meeting which, outlines a number of recommendations under the following areas:

• Capacity, workload and recruitment;
• Culture and leadership; 
• Processes and use of technology; 
• Customer experience; 
• Policy and governance; 
• Members; and
• Managing the transformation.

Key priorities include improving the customer experience, training and development, dealing with the backlog and restructuring the service so that it can better meet the demands placed on it.

Councillor Mick Warren chair of the environment and communities committee, said: “We welcome the review report and modernisation plans at our next committee meeting. 

“It is also important to highlight that a number of improvements recommended in this report have already been made while the review was being conducted, with a core focus on customer improvements, recruitment and capacity.

“Whilst we continue to be aware of the frustrations felt by our customers owing to the delays in getting applications determined and other planning-related matters being resolved, improvements are already underway and will continue as set out in the detailed report.

“I would like to thank the staff for their efforts during this time and all those involved in the review. I look forward to seeing the service move forward.”

Councillor Tony Dean, chair of the member advisory panel said; “We know how important planning and development management is to our residents and businesses.  We have great opportunities in Cheshire East and important architectural heritage and landscapes to protect.  

“This is an in-depth piece of work which, demonstrates our commitment to improving this key service to be open and transparent with residents. The local planning authority is ambitious and is working hard to modernise its offer to customers, while striving to grow and develop in its approach to retaining and recruiting the best talent through its recruitment plans”. 

The environment and communities committee agenda and papers can be found on the council website by visiting:

http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk

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