Agenda item

The report of the Chief Planning Officer covers planning performance and activity for the period April 2018- March 2019.

(Report attached)

The report of the Chief Planning Officer covered planning performance and activity for the period April 2018 to March 2019.

Issues highlighted included the following:

• There had been a lower number of applications received than in the previous year.  There had been approximately just under 4000 planning applications, with around 8,000 formal submissions overall including those to discharge conditions and prior notifications.  There had been a higher proportion of major applications in Leeds than the national average.
• The service’s Budget requirement had been met for the previous year.
• £12 million had been collected from Section 106 agreements and £2.2 million from the Community Infrastructure Levy.  Demands Notices for £5.5 million had already been issued for this financial year.
• There had been a decrease in the number of decisions made within the statutory target in time or within the agreed time, this had been affected by staff vacancies and high sickness levels.  However there had been an increase in performance the final quarter of the year.
• Comparison with core cities second highest number of applications and joint second best performance on major applications being dealt with in time.
• Decision making at Plans Panels.  There had only been one application determined which was contrary to officer recommendation.
• There had been a significant drop in the number of appeals since the previous year. 73.6% of appeals had been dismissed which was higher than the national average.
• Compliance and enforcement – The number of complaints was reducing.  Ombudsman cases had also reduced.
• Plans Panel Review – recommendations were being implemented.  There was an ongoing training programme and there would be changes to report writing, presentations and public speaking rights.
• Members congratulated David Feeney on his appointment as Chief Planning Officer.

In response to Members’ comments and questions, the following was discussed:

• A request for training with regard to trees – planting, root space and maintenance.
• There had been a recent improvement with sickness levels and filling of vacancies.  Enforcement action had also been affected by staff sickness, although the service was still taking more formal action that other core cities.
• The Chief Planning Officer’s Delegation Scheme sets out the referral test for applications to be referred to Panel by Ward Members.  Where the test is met the item may be referred to Panel, where it isn’t met, the Chair, in conjunction with the Chief Planning Officer is able to use their discretion, within the parameters of  criteria contained in the CPO delegation agreement, to refer the application to Plans Panel

• Income and fees and cost of the service – there was some benchmarking work ongoing with core cities to demonstrate the value of the service.
• Section 215 notices – there would be further discussion with Enforcement and Compliance but there were time and resource implications.  This would be raised at the Joint Member Officer Working Group.
• Plans Panel Review – this has been discussed with the Joint Member Officer Working Group and a summary and the recommendations would be sent to Members.
• Updating Elected Members on enforcement action when complaints had been made.
• Damage and felling of trees that is done illegally during the weekend and whether there was any enforcement action that could be taken outside office hours.
• Mistakes on tree planting with new applications – tree officers did comment at the early stage of applications.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.