Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2000
Nomination for development planning
19. STREAMLINING THE ANGUS LOCAL PLAN PUBLIC LOCAL INQUIRY
nominated in 2000 by the Development Plans Team, Angus Council.
Attention has increasingly focused on measures to streamline parts of the plan preparation process. Speeding up plan production is a challenge for efficient and effective management as stressed in guidance and advice from the Scottish Executive. The steps leading up to a Local Plan Public Local Inquiry, the PLI itself, together with the post PLI phase form a significant and potentially time consuming stage. The scope for innovation during this stage must be set alongside various statutory requirements. It remains essential to afford full opportunity for the submission, discussion, consideration and response to objections. Against this background it is particularly important that attention is given to ways in which this vital part of the plan preparation process can be progressed timeously building on the Code of Practice for Local Plan Inquiries.
The approach adopted in Angus to progressing objections through the PLI stage sought to draw together various elements of good practice, namely: Use of appropriate IT software (UNIFORM Local Plan Module) to assist documenting objections and responses. -This ensured a flexible system allowing material to be assembled and interrogated in a variety of ways, facilitating the electronic transfer of material, and assisting liaison among objectors, Planning Officers, PLI Programme Officer and PLI Reporters. Publication of three rounds of pre-inquiry modifications in parallel with arrangements leading up to the PLI. -This allowed full account to be taken of progress on negotiations with objectors, significantly reducing the final number of outstanding objections to be debated in full at the PLI. Preparation of Topic Papers to accompany Statements of Evidence for the PLI. -This enabled statements to be kept brief focusing on key issues, avoiding duplication and repetition, and ensuring a succinct presentation of the Council's position to objectors and Reporters. Use of two Reporters and Programme Officer, with Inquiry Hearings allocated to several locations across Angus. -This enabled objectors to be heard locally and shortened the writing time for preparation of the PLI Report. Use of a "panel" of planning witnesses. -This ensured that relevant staff gained experience of giving evidence, that the Council's case was fully presented, and that objectors and Reporters had ready access to appropriate personnel. Use of common document formats with Reporters. -This simplified and shortened the production time of the PLI Report, the subsequent Statement of Response by the Council, and the published Post Inquiry Modifications. Continued emphasis on customer care -this maintained efforts to inform and assist participants throughout the process, including circulation of explanatory material (eg Angus Local Plan Charter documenting stages in plan process) and early public release of PLI Report in advance of Council response to ensure all parties were kept fully informed.
Outcome & results: By giving attention to the above elements it was possible to complete this important part of the Local Plan preparation process speedily while ensuring that all objections were fully addressed. Some significant facts are: 373 objections were lodged to the Finalised Local Plan; the PLI sat for 23 days over a period of 7 weeks and considered 130 items, including 40 Pre-Inquiry modifications; the Inquiry Report was received 11 weeks after completion of the PLI; the Council's Statement of Response agreed 5 weeks after receipt of Inquiry Report; and Modifications were published 9 weeks after receipt of Inquiry Report. A measure of the success of the approach adopted can be gleaned from the following statements: "That the considerable logistic exercise of this Inquiry into objections to a Local Plan covering a whole Planning Authority area was completed remarkably smoothly reflects credit on the attitude of all the principal participants, and in particular demonstrates the benefits of capable management by a suitably qualified Programme Officer of administrative matters and contacts between the Council and Objectors." (Letter from Reporters dated 24 May 2000 accompanying PLI Report.) "Good working relationships were established between the two Reporters (who acted as well as a team), the Programme Officer and the Council .....Development planning in Angus has proved that it is not just management of staff, which is important but also management of the process .....Development planning in Angus is well organised and efficient, with plenty of examples of good practice that work well for their organisation." (Development Plan Pilot Audit - Angus Final Draft, June 2000, Scottish Executive Development Department). The Local Plan Inquiry stage of plan preparation tackles difficult issues, involves active user involvement and a significant input by the planning service, and requires sensitive as well as efficient management. No two PLI's are the same but at least some of the elements used in the Angus Local Plan PLI may be of wider interest and application as part of mainstream planning work.
The judges asked for a presentation on this nomination. They are agreed that the Angus PLI approach has been extremely effective through careful forward preparation, and they are reminded of last year's entry from Moray on this subject. This is a record of excellent practice across the spectrum of Public Local Inquiry programming arrangements. It deserves the closest attention from other councils with local plans approaching the final stages. The judges recommend Streamlining the Angus Local Plan Inquiry for commendation in this category.