Susan Rintoul of the National Planning Improvement team reflects on the first cohort of piloting the National Planning Improvement Framework.
When designing the new National Planning Improvement Framework, we decided to test it incrementally in three separate cohorts throughout 2024/5. We put some quite short timescales to this, suggesting that it will take three months to complete the self-assessment and improvement action plan and hold the peer review workshop. Followed by a month break in between cohorts. We have now reached the end of the proposed timescale for cohort 1 (Apr- July), so it's time for some reflection.
In starting the first cohort, the overall positive reaction to the new framework was very encouraging. Everyone in cohort 1 embraced the pilot approach and was keen to give it a go. The pilot aims to test what works and what doesn’t, and we wanted to get feedback from the planning authorities on the ease of use, including the timescales and resources and the new framework's relevance, usability and effectiveness. As well as the ease of use for other stakeholders involved in the peer-review process.
At the end of July, we’ve now had six of the 10 planning authorities complete their peer collaborative review process, and two finalised improvement action plans have been sent to chief executives. The rest are looking to schedule their peer reviews for August- September. We’re really pleased with how it’s been going.
We’ve attended all six of the peer collaborative review workshops. All have been very positive and constructive throughout. Following the workshop, we sent round a survey to get feedback from the participants. From the 28 who responded, when asked ‘do you feel you were given the opportunity to contribute your thoughts on the Improvement Action Plan?’, everyone responded ‘yes’.
The workshop was very open and honest and there was a collective will to try and improve the customer experience and an understanding on the other side around proportionality and issues facing the profession nationally. Very worthwhile format and discussion and hopefully we helped colleagues with actions to consider.
Several key themes are emerging so far including resourcing, place-based outcomes, validation, customer care, communication and community engagement, and we will see if these come through in cohort 2.
To support the sharing of learning throughout the cohort, we set up a Microsoft Teams group which encouraged the planning authorities to ask questions and discuss how they were getting on. There has been lots of activity in the group and we’ve now invited cohorts 2 and 3 to join.
A massive thank you to cohort 1 for engaging so positively with this new approach and we look forward to seeing how things develop in the next two cohorts.
Fife Planning Authority were pleased to be part of the first cohort to undertake the new National Planning Improvement Framework. The assessment provided the authority a structured assessment and review, with particular value from the Peer Review customer group to help shape the improvements that require to be actioned.