3 - Renfrewshire Planning Performance Framework Feedback 2021-22_Redacted
Renfrewshire Council · 24 January 2023
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 24 January 2023 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Planning and Climate Change Policy Board On: 24 January 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Renfrewshire Planning Performance Framework Feedback 2021/22 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to inform the board of the feedback report from the Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth in relation to Renfrewshire’s Planning Performance Framework 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1. ________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Notes the positive feedback report on Renfrewshire’s Planning Performance Framework 2021/22. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 A system of performance management has been established between local authorities and the Scottish Government, whereby every planning authority is asked to produce an annual planning performance framework. 3.2 The framework was developed by the Heads of Planning Scotland to capture and highlight a balanced measurement of planning performance, showing commitment to the following areas: Speed of decision making; Qualitative analysis, providing case studies to demonstrate the years planning performance; Delivery and implementation of good quality development and design;
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Communication, consultation and engagement with our communities and stakeholders; The added value that planning makes in decision making; How policies and guidance have shaped developments; Use of project management in planning. 4. Feedback Report for Renfrewshire Planning Performance Framework 2021/22 4.1 It was the 11th year of reporting planning performance. This year Renfrewshire Council have received a very positive feedback report on Renfrewshire’s Planning Performance Framework, with all areas of the assessment awarded green for achieving the required level of performance in each area of review. 4.2 The planning performance framework demonstrates that Renfrewshire Council is committed to continuous improvement in the service it provides in its role as a local planning authority. 5. Next Steps 5.1 Planning will work with members, other council services and stakeholders in the preparation and shaping of the next Renfrewshire Council’s Planning Performance Framework 2022/23 which is anticipated will be reported to the Board in August 2023. 5.2 During 2023, the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 will continue to be implemented along with the wider reforms of the planning system and significant changes to planning regulations, guidance and practice which includes new duties on planning authorities. As part of these wider reforms the Scottish Government will introduce mandatory training for elected members in the planning system. Training of elected members in planning has already commenced at Renfrewshire Council and this will continue throughout the year with various training sessions being organised. 5.3 Notwithstanding the positive results outlined above, it is significant to note that recruitment of suitably qualified planning officers remains a challenge for all authorities across Scotland. We are currently carrying three vacancies within a team of eight dealing with planning applications (and related matters), and we are hopeful of successfully recruiting to fill the vacant positions in the coming months. However, the challenges faced are likely to impact the authority’s performance in the short term. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The extent and details of the additional duties in the newly published National Planning Framework 4 (Jan 2023) are still to be confirmed. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None.
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3. Community/Council Planning – None. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position - None. 13. Climate Risk – None. ___________________________________________________________________ Appendix 1 - Feedback Report from the Scottish Government on Renfrewshire Planning Performance 2021/22. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Sharon Marklow, Place Strategy Manager Tel: 0141 618 7835; Email: Sharon.marklow@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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Scottish Ministers, special advisers and the Permanent Secretary are covered by the terms of the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016. See www.lobbying.scot St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot Ministear airson Ionmhas Poblach, Dealbhachadh agus Beartas Còimhearsnachd Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth Tom Arthur MSP T: 0300 244 4000 E: scottish.ministers@gov.scot Allan Russell Chief Executive Renfrewshire Council 22 December 2022 Dear Allan Russell I am pleased to enclose feedback on your authority’s eleventh Planning Performance Framework (PPF) Report, for the period April 2021 to March 2022. The reporting period which these reports cover has continued to present challenges for people working within planning, in the development sector and across Scotland’s communities. Ensuring the system is appropriately resourced is key to improving the performance of planning, which is why in April I implemented the biggest change to planning fees in 8 years, with fees for most types of development increasing by between 25% and 50%. At the time I said I would expect to see this additional money invested in delivering improvements in Planning Services. It is too early to know whether that has occurred, however, I have heard positive feedback from some authorities who have managed to recruit or retain staff as a result of the additional income. I also committed to working with Heads of Planning and COSLA to identify how we could move planning fees closer to covering the full cost of their determination. That work is ongoing and I expect to receive some conclusions/recommendations early in the new year. I am also encouraged to see the fees for applications made under the Electricity Act also increasing on 13th December and the voluntary contribution of 50% of the fee, for certain types of application, being passed to planning authorities being maintained. However, I recognise that resourcing is about more than just money and having a pipeline of knowledgeable and skilled planners is essential to delivering on our ambitions set out in NPF4. This is why I supported the RTPI and Heads of Planning Scotland’s Future Planners Project which looked at proposals to help increase the numbers of people entering the planning profession. We recognise the importance of delivering on this vision and the resourcing and skills challenges for planning authorities, which we are taking steps to address.
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Scottish Ministers, special advisers and the Permanent Secretary are covered by the terms of the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016. See www.lobbying.scot St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot Work is also progressing on • the introduction of mandatory training for elected members in the planning system; • the implementation of statutory annual reports by planning authorities; and • the appointment of a Planning Improvement Coordinator for Scotland. Turning to the 2021-22 PPF reporting year, although, as expected, there have been some minor changes overall in the markings awarded, the figures indicate that performance has remained relatively stable. This is a testament to the hard work and flexibility of authorities during challenging times and I believe that overall, good progress continues to be made by Scotland’s planning authorities. If you would like to discuss any of the markings awarded below, please email chief.planner@gov.scot and a member of the team will be happy to discuss these with you. TOM ARTHUR CC: David Love, Chief Planning Officer
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St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot PERFORMANCE MARKERS REPORT 2021-22 Name of planning authority: Renfrewshire Council The High Level Group on Performance agreed a set of performance markers. We have assessed your report against those markers to give an indication of priority areas for improvement action. The high level group will monitor and evaluate how the key markers have been reported and the value which they have added. The Red, Amber, Green ratings are based on the evidence provided within the PPF reports. Where no information or insufficient evidence has been provided, a ‘red’ marking has been allocated. No. Performance Marker RAG rating Comments 1 Decision-making: continuous reduction of average timescales for all development categories [Q1 - Q4] Green Major Applications Your average timescale of 17.7 weeks is faster than the previous year and faster than the Scottish average of 44.6 weeks. RAG = Green Local (Non-Householder) Applications Your average timescale of 10.5 weeks is slower than the previous year but faster than the Scottish average of 13.5 weeks. RAG = Amber Householder Applications Your average timescale of 7 weeks is marginally slower than last year but is faster than the Scottish average of 8.7 weeks and the statutory timescale. RAG = Green Overall RAG = Green 2 Processing agreements: • offer to all prospective applicants for major development planning applications; and • availability publicised on website Green You encourage processing agreements for major or complex applications although take up is low. RAG = Green Processing agreements are advertised on your website. RAG = Green Overall RAG = Green 3 Early collaboration with applicants and consultees • availability and promotion of pre-application discussions for all prospective applications; and • clear and proportionate requests for supporting information Green You continue to provide a free pre-application advice service for prospective applicants, and uptake has remained relatively stable at 48%. You note that a majority of your applications are householder which do not require pre- application advice. RAG = Green You ensure that all relevant parties are involved so that when applications are submitted all the relevant information is there to enable neighbours to understand the proposals. RAG = Green Overall RAG = Green
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St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot 4 Legal agreements: conclude (or reconsider) applications after resolving to grant permission reducing number of live applications more than 6 months after resolution to grant (from last reporting period) Green You did not determine any applications subject to legal agreements without processing agreements during the reporting period. It is noted that you are considering developing a template for legal agreements in particular for housing developments. 5 Enforcement charter updated / re- published within last 2 years Green Your enforcement charter was 3 months old at the end of the reporting year. 6 Continuous improvement: • progress ambitious and relevant service improvement commitments identified through PPF report Green You have completed 3 out of 5 of your improvement commitments with 2 remaining commitments to be continued over the next reporting year. You have identified a range of tangible improvement commitments for the coming year. 7 Local development plan less than 5 years since adoption Green Your LDP was 4 months old at the end of the reporting period. 8 Development plan scheme – next LDP: • project planned and expected to be delivered to planned timescale Green Your LDP was recently adopted and therefore there is currently no new LDS prepared yet for the next LDP. 9 & 10 LDP Engagement • stakeholders including Elected Members, industry, agencies, the public and Scottish Government are engaged appropriately through all key stages of development plan preparation. N/A 11 Policy Advice • Production of relevant and up to date policy advice Green You have produced the Draft New Development Supplementary Guidance which was adopted alongside the new LDP. 12 Corporate working across services to improve outputs and services for customer benefit (for example: protocols; joined-up services; single contact arrangements; joint pre-application advice) Green You have provided evidence of a joined-up approach being taken across the authority in the preparation of your LDP, guidance and through Land Supply studies. You also participate in a number of corporate working groups including ‘Placeshaping at Renfrewshire’ which involves various housing and health service steering groups. 13 Sharing good practice, skills and knowledge between authorities Green You have provided a number of examples which demonstrate how you are sharing good practice including being part of the West of Scotland Benchmarking Group and Clydeplan Steering group. 14 Stalled sites / legacy cases: conclusion or withdrawal of old planning applications and reducing number of live applications more than one year old Green You stated that you cleared no cases during 2021/22 and had no legacy cases remaining. We however note that you had 1 legacy case remaining from the previous year.
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St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot 15 Developer contributions: clear and proportionate expectations • set out in development plan (and/or emerging plan); and • in pre-application discussions Green Your proposed plan and associated guidance sets out where developer contributions may be appropriate. RAG = Green You seek to discuss and investigate any potential measures to facilitate development early in the process with applicants and other stakeholders. RAG = Green Overall RAG = Green
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St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL Performance against Key Markers Marker 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 1 Decision making timescales 2 Processing agreements 3 Early collaboration 4 Legal agreements 5 Enforcement charter 6 Continuous improvement 7 Local development plan 8 Development plan scheme 9 & 10 LDP Engagement N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 11 Regular and proportionate advice to support applications 12 Corporate working across services 13 Sharing good practice, skills and knowledge 14 Stalled sites/legacy cases 15 Developer contributions Overall Markings (total numbers for red, amber and green) 2012-13 6 5 2 2013-14 1 9 3 2014-15 0 2 13 2015-16 0 3 12 2016-17 0 6 9 2017-18 0 3 10 2018-19 1 4 8 2019-20 1 2 10 2020-21 1 2 10 2021-22 0 0 13 Decision Making Timescales (weeks) 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 2021-22 Scottish Average Major Development 12.0 10.1 13.1 20.0 18.6 35.4 13.3 32.2 17.7 44.6 Local (Non- Householder) Development 8.7 8.3 9.4 9.8 10 8.9 7.4 8.0 10.5 13.5 Householder Development 6.9 7.2 7.9 7.6 7.6 6.9 6.1 6.9 7 8.7