Agenda item

To receive a report from the Director of Development providing the Board with the current performance information for the Development Department which is based on the quarter two performance figures (to September 2006) and relates specifically to the performance indicators reported by the department.

The Director of Development submitted a report providing the Board with the current performance information for the Development Department.  The information was based on the quarter two performance figures (to September 2006) and related specifically to the performance indicators reported by the department.

In attendance to present the report and respond to Members’ queries and comments were Jean Dent, Director of Development, Steve Speak, Chief Strategy and Policy Officer and also Acting Chief Planning Officer, Paul Maney, Head of Performance Management and Paul Stephens, Chief Economic Services Officer, all from the Development Department.

Members were advised that the Development Department was responsible for 42 Performance Indicators (PIs).  The Board had been given information on 23 of these PIs in Appendix 1 to the report.  The remaining 19 were annual indicators and were listed in Appendix 2 as there was no current data available.  Of the 23 PIs detailed in Appendix 1, 12 were projected to meet their target by the year end, one was projected to exceed, 9 already exceeded and one had missed its target.  Not achieving the targets represented a high risk for the Council in terms of being assessed as a four star authority.

To summarise, discussion then took place on the following PIs:

·  BV109a, b and c – Planning and Development Services (Planning)

o  The Department aims to achieve the national target on major applications of 60% in 13 weeks which reflects the need to balance speed with quality of decision making. Recent government statements suggests greater emphasis on quality and acknowledges that speed is not an absolute priority.

o  This approach is considered to be the best use of limited resources rather than seeking comparison with National/Metro PI achievements.

o  Proposals have been endorsed by Plans Panels to bring all Panels in line with how the City Centre Panel operates in terms of pre-application discussion. The possibility of setting up an additional panel was discussed but this is not an option favoured by the Department given the resource implications.

o  As part of its approach to meeting targets the Department seeks to ensure that design guidance for developers is up to date and of high quality, which would also assist in developing the self service scheme.

o  Members raised the issue of whether developers would be willing to pay for a formalised preconsultation discussion although it was recognised that charges could act as a disincentive.

o  It was noted that there had been recent cases of planners being attracted back to work for the Council from the private sector.

·  BV99a-c - Strategy and Policy (Road Safety)

o  Even though these targets were being achieved, work was being carried out to reduce the road casualty figures further, particularly with children and the Asian community.

o  It was noted that the analysis of road casualty data by age and ethnic origin was available and used to focus resources, particularly around inner city schools and Asian families.

·  CP-ED50 – Economic Services (Economic Development)

• Partnership working and proposals to widen the circulation of the survey sent to businesses in Leeds and to redesign the questions in the survey in order to reflect current opinion more accurately.

On another matter, the Director of Development was also requested by the Board to supply Members with information on the effectiveness and value for money of X-site, the in-house publication of the Development Department.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report be noted.

(b)  That the results of the survey sent to businesses in Leeds be provided to Members of the Board.

(c)  That information on X-site, the in-house magazine of the Development Department, be circulated by the Director to Board Members.

(Note: Councillor Taggart joined the meeting at 10.40am during the consideration of this item.)