Item 7 - National Planning Improvement Framework Update
West Dunbartonshire Council · 6 August 2025
Back to Planning Committee — 6 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Manager Planning Committee: 6th August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: National Planning Improvement Framework Update 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to update Planning Committee on the recent work undertaken by the Planning Service in relation to the National Planning Improvement Framework and the endorsement by the National Planning Improvement Team of our Performance Assessment and Improvement Plan. 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee notes the outcome of the above process. 3. Background 3.1 The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced a new statutory requirement for a National Planning Improvement Co-ordinator to monitor the performance of Planning Authorities in the discharge of their functions and to provide advice to planning authorities on what steps might be taken to improve the performance. 3.2 The National Planning Improvement Framework (NPIF) has now replaced the previous Planning Performance Framework (PPF) and requires Planning Authorities to self-assess themselves against the 12 attributes of a high performing Planning Authority. In total there are 47 factors/indicators within those attributes that can be taken account of when scoring against each attribute. Whilst the statistics of the PPF mainly looked at speed of decision making, the NPIF looks at a broader range of matters. The assessment is split into 5 themes, comprising the 12 attributes, as set out in the diagram below. ITEM 7
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3.3 The self-assessment results in a score of 1-5, as set out in the diagram below. Scores of 1-2 suggest that we have good practice and we are asked to provide best practice examples to share with the National Planning Improvement Team. Scores of 3-5 would suggest that further improvement is required or a reprioritisation of current improvements. 3.4 All Planning Authorities were split into 3 cohorts and assigned a peer review partner. We were in the last cohort, cohort 3, and our partner was Clackmannanshire Council. 4. Main Issues Performance Assessment 4.1 Preparatory work for the NPIF commenced in December 2024 and was largely complete by April 2025. As the process is collaborative, the guidance requires a stakeholder meeting in order to test our draft documents and to seek feedback from our partners on both our self-assessment and our identified performance actions. This meeting took place on 15th May 2025 and included a variety of stakeholders alongside representatives from the Planning Service, including from Community Councils, Clackmannanshire Council, consultees, key agencies and a local architect. The National Planning Improvement Team were also in attendance and the event was facilitated independently of the Planning Service. 4.2 The stakeholder meeting largely validated and agreed with many aspects of our performance and scoring but provided constructive feedback on many areas. A summary of this feedback is included in our final Performance Assessment at in Appendix 1. 4.3 The agreed scoring of the Planning Authorities performance is summarised below: Attribute Score (1-5) Summary of reason for score
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1. The Planning Authority has sufficient resources and skills to maximise productivity 3 The service is currently maximising productivity within available resources, but further workforce, capacity and budget planning is required 2. The Planning Authority has a valued and supported workforce 3 The service is currently maximising training and development opportunities within existing resources, but further work is required in line attribute 1 to ensure officers are supported to carry out their role and continue their professional development 3. This Planning Authority has embedded continuous improvement 1 Despite resource and system challenges the service continually seeks ways in which processes can be streamlined or enhanced 4. This Planning Authority has sound governance 3 The service has effective governance structures; however, these are required to be reviewed 5. This Planning Authority has effective leadership 1 The service has a Chief Planning Officer in place and supports the culture of continuous improvement 6. The Planning Authority has a robust policy and evidence base 3 Whilst work is underway to prepare LDP3, the authority does not have an up-to-date Development Plan in place 7. The Planning Authority makes best use of data and digital technology 3 The service makes extensive use of digital data and technology with regards to GIS, but has significant issues with the back- office system 8. The Planning Authority has effective and efficient decision- making processes 3 The service has effective and efficient decision-making processes in many aspects of Development Management performance but overall performance could be further enhanced and the Scheme of Delegation requires review. 9. The Planning Authority has good customer care 3 The service generally provides good customer service, although it is recognised that certain areas need improvement based on formal and informal feedback 10. The Planning Authority has effective engagement and collaboration with stakeholders and communities 3 The service generally has effective engagement and collaboration but have identified areas where this could be strengthened 11. The Planning Authority supports the delivery of sustainable, liveable and productive places 1 The service has been recognised in the past for its approach to placemaking and we have a dedicated Placemaking Co- Ordinator post within the service.
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12. The Planning Authority supports the delivery of appropriate development 2 The service offers 2 different levels of preapplication advice to prospective applicants to ensure that they are aware of development plan requirements and expectations Improvement Actions 4.4 The Performance Assessment narrative, and scoring, has then fed into the development of improvement actions. In conjunction with the stakeholder group, 11 improvement actions were agreed and these are summarised below: Implement the new back-office document management system and carry out a full end-to-end review of all workflow processes Develop a workforce strategy and service training plan, including any options/opportunities for restructure of cases for investment Complete Scheme of Delegation Review to ensure it is proportionate Finalise review of committee and delegated Reports of Handling templates to ensure that they are proportionate and are clear and easy to be understood by a variety of audiences Produce detailed Team Improvement Plans, focusing on improvements that increase efficiency, and are clear, including increasing the quality of our customer communication Undertake review of the Development Management and Enforcement Charters and processes to ensure they remain fit for purpose Set up regular agents forum, in conjunction with Building Standards Carry out wider service day (with Building Standards and Environmental Health) to share good practice and workstream updates. This will inform detailed Team Improvement Plans Implement Project Management approach within Development Management Explore how “Added Value” can be better captured and reported on Review Development Management conditions 4.5 The Planning Authority also submitted the following Good Practice Examples: Attributes 3 and 5 – Culture of Continuous Improvement and Leadership Attribute 7 – Open Space Audit Attributes 11 and 12 – Supporting High Quality Development and Places National Planning Improvement Team Endorsement
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4.6 On the 13th June, the service received confirmation that the National Planning Improvement Team had endorsed the Performance Assessment and Improvement Action Plan. The National Planning Improvement Champion wrote to the Council’s Chief Executive to inform them of this and that this has also been submitted to the Minister for Public Finance. Next steps 4.7 The Planning Service continues to seek opportunities to learn from, and share, best practice and a number of best practice case studies are available on the Improvement Service website. Our own performance assessment and improvement actions will be publicised on our website. We are currently working with Clackmannanshire Council as they go through their process and seek to build on past benchmarking sessions with other authorities later this year. 4.8 Not all identified improvement actions can be delivered immediately, some are medium and longer term (2-3 years) but progress has already been made in several areas, including the review of Reports of Handling, implementation of a project management approach and the implementation of the new back- office system. The improvement actions are embedded into service workstreams to ensure their delivery. 4.9 As the NPIF process is much more intensive than the previous PPF, a complete review of the Performance Assessment and Improvement actions is not going to be undertaken on an annual basis. Further guidance on year 2 of the NPIF has recently been issued and will be actioned by the service iun due course. This will include a check in with our peer review partner authority and stakeholder group, meet with the National Improvement Team and to provide updates on progress with our improvement actions. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no people implications associated with this report. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no financial or procurement implications associated with this report. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced a new statutory requirement for a National Planning Improvement Co-Ordinator to monitor the performance of Planning Authorities in the discharge of their functions and to provide advice to Planning Authorities on what steps might be taken to improve the performance. The endorsement by the National Planning Improvement Co- Ordinator of the authorities Improvement Plan confirms the authority has met its statutory requirement. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
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8.1 There are no equalities issues associated with this report. 9. Consultation 9.1 Consultation was undertaken during the preparation of the documents, as set out in section 4. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 The authority’s assessment and improvement actions are considered to be relevant to, and will help deliver, all of the Council’s strategic priorities: Our Communities – Resilient and Thriving Our Environment – A Greener Future Our Economy – Strong and Flourishing Our Council – Inclusive and Adaptable Michael Mulgrew Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Manager Date: 6th August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Michael Mulgrew, Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Service Manager, Michael.Mulgrew@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1: Performance Assessment Appendix 2: NPIF Improvement Plan Appendix 3: Good Practice Example (Attributes 3 and 5) Appendix 4: Good Practice Example (Attribute 7) Appendix 5: Good Practice Example (Attributes 11 and 12) Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All