Issue - meetings

Report of Strategic Director for Planning, Housing & Economy and Improvement Project Manager

Summary

To consider the findings of the Value for Money Review report for Development Control and Major Developments (DC&MD VFM Review) and the recommendations arising from the report

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To endorse the updated VFM Review conclusion that the DC&MD service:

a.      has exceed delivery of the savings target from the 2007 full VFM Review and delivered all the key improvements

b.      has driven down its costs since the full VFM Review was undertaken

c.      although, on the face of it, is above average cost, analysis shows core service costs would be closer to average when local factors and accounting practices of other comparator authorities are taken into account

d.      has good performance and productivity, provides good quality with improving levels of customer satisfaction

e.      is at a balanced point.  There is capacity to cope if applications increase, though this may be at the expense of performance, but with the flexibility to down-size the service relatively quickly if income or applications decline.

(2)               To adopt the following recommendations from the update VFM Review, changing the way the service is delivered in the future, achieving savings of up to £167k and, thereby, reducing the Council’s reliance on Housing and Planning Delivery Grant.

Savings:

a.      Reduce application advertising by only placing the minimum legal level requirement in the Oxford Times, saving £76k per annum

b.      Remove duplication in minor application publicity (mainly neighbourhood notifications), saving £3k per annum

c.      Introduce e-consultation to all parishes and internal and external consultees, saving £15k per annum

d.      Reduce the professional fees budget by £20k per annum by no longer utilising the services of agricultural/retail specialist advice in routine applications

e.      Deletion of a vacant, part-time, career planner post, saving £7k per annum

f.        In the event that fee income remains the same or declines, reduce staff establishment costs by ending the temporary contract to “backfill” resources allocated to the Eco Town project.  This gives budget flexibility of £46k and, should there be a small upturn is fee income, allows for the continuation of this temporary post.

Income:

g.      Introduce charges for pre-application advice from 2011/12.  It is estimated that income in the region of £10K per annum may be achievable.

Service Improvements:

h.      Redirect staff resources released by the changes in service delivery associated with achieving the savings above, to improve support for the application process and other resource pinch points (especially speed of validation/registration).

(3)       To note the endorsement of the findings of this Review by the Performance Scrutiny Working Group at its meeting on 21 September 2010 and their request that further consideration be given to a more efficient and less costly way of undertaking Ward Notifications such as using the e-mail system or appending Notifications to the Members’ Newsletter.

Recommendations Approved

The Strategic Director for Planning, Housing & Economy and Improvement Project Manager submitted a report which presented the findings of the Value for Money Review report for Development Control and Major Developments (DC&MD VFM Review) and the recommendations arising from the report

Resolved

(1)               To endorse the updated VFM Review conclusion that the DC&MD service:

a.      has exceed delivery of the savings target from the 2007 full VFM Review and delivered all the key improvements

b.      has driven down its costs since the full VFM Review was undertaken

c.      although, on the face of it, is above average cost, analysis shows core service costs would be closer to average when local factors and accounting practices of other comparator authorities are taken into account

d.      has good performance and productivity, provides good quality with improving levels of customer satisfaction

e.      is at a balanced point.  There is capacity to cope if applications increase, though this may be at the expense of performance, but with the flexibility to down-size the service relatively quickly if income or applications decline.

(2)               To adopt the following recommendations from the update VFM Review, changing the way the service is delivered in the future, achieving savings of up to £167k and, thereby, reducing the Council’s reliance on Housing and Planning Delivery Grant.

Savings:

a.      Reduce application advertising by only placing the minimum legal level requirement in the Oxford Times, saving £76k per annum

b.      Remove duplication in minor application publicity (mainly neighbourhood notifications), saving £3k per annum

c.      Introduce e-consultation to all parishes and internal and external consultees, saving £15k per annum

d.      Reduce the professional fees budget by £20k per annum by no longer utilising the services of agricultural/retail specialist advice in routine applications

e.      Deletion of a vacant, part-time, career planner post, saving £7k per annum

f.        In the event that fee income remains the same or declines, reduce staff establishment costs by ending the temporary contract to “backfill” resources allocated to the Eco Town project.  This gives budget flexibility of £46k and, should there be a small upturn is fee income, allows for the continuation of this temporary post.

Income:

g.      Introduce charges for pre-application advice from 2011/12.  It is estimated that income in the region of £10K per annum may be achievable.

Service Improvements:

h.      Redirect staff resources released by the changes in service delivery associated with achieving the savings above, to improve support for the application process and other resource pinch points (especially speed of validation/registration).

(3)       To note the endorsement of the findings of this Review by the Performance Scrutiny Working Group at its meeting on 21 September 2010 and their request that further consideration be given to a more efficient and less costly way of undertaking Ward Notifications such as using the e-mail system or appending Notifications to the Members’ Newsletter.

Reasons

This updated review proposes changes to the way the service will be delivered, reducing the Council’s reliance on Housing and Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74