A new report setting out recommendations and actions to improve customer care in planning departments has been published.
Embedding Customer Care in Planning Services, written by National Planning Improvement in the Improvement Service, is a response to research in which customers and planning authorities identified a need to improve the user experience. The report recognises the complexity of the planning system and the resourcing challenges facing planning departments but urges planners, Scottish Government and service users to work together to make planning services more accessible, consistent and clear.
It highlights:
- a need for planning authorities to be clear about what they do, how they work, and provide details on progress being made with specific planning applications through better case management systems and more accessible websites and information.
- the value of having a service charter to give clear indications of what users can expect of the service.
- the enormous potential of using data and digital-based approaches as a way of enhancing customer care.
- the opportunity for planning services to be proactive through providing advice to applicants before they submit a planning application.
- the need to ensure planning department staff are confident, empowered and equipped to provide clear professional advice to applicants.
The report also contains a number of examples of good practice currently in place across Scotland to demonstrate what can be done and to show the opportunities to explore how planning authorities can benefit from shared approaches, experiences and services.