The Planning Inspectorate Annual Report and Accounts 2005/06

Section 2 - Chief Executive’s Introduction

Welcome to the Planning Inspectorate’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2005/06.

This has been a challenging year but one in which we made much progress. Highlight achievements were to –

Clear the backlog of almost 5,000 written representation cases in England, created by the 50% rise in overall appeal numbers in the previous three years;

Increase our overall productivity by 14% through a wide range of innovations, whilst safeguarding fairness, openness and impartiality;

Double the number of Development Plan inquiries and carry out the first examinations into Statements of Community Involvement (SCIs); and

Implement a pilot to encourage appellants to opt for written representations when appropriate to do so.

Following Ministers’ response to the Barker Report’s recommendations to meet the shortfall in residential provision, we are now giving housing appeals priority. Although this will challenge our performance in other areas of work, we are confident that the recent improvement in handling times for all cases will be maintained.

Nor will this new priority prevent us providing the resources to examine those Local Development Documents (LDDs) which have replaced local plans in England and the Local Development Plans (LDPs) replacing Unitary Development Plans in Wales.

Meeting these challenges requires us to innovate in all aspects of our work. I am pleased to report that the main roll out of our Planning Casework Service (PCS) was completed in March 2006. This enables most appellants in England to make an appeal electronically whilst allowing the Inspectorate to manage and monitor its casework much more efficiently.The PCS will be extended to Wales and to our specialist casework in England during 2006/07.

Last year also saw changes in the Inspectorate’s Management Team following the completion of our restructuring in March 2005. Sandra Fryer and Graham Saunders left the Inspectorate during the year and further changes are expected shortly as both Alan Langton and Roger Pritchard will retire during 2006. I would like to thank them all for the contributions they have made to the Inspectorate. I also must take this opportunity to congratulate Leonora Rozee, our Director of Policy, who was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. I am especially pleased that Jonathan Vickers and Liz Peace, our two Non-Executive Directors, have agreed to serve us for another two years with effect from January 2006.

The achievements set out in this Report provide evidence of the further progress we have secured to respond effectively and efficiently to the challenges that lie ahead. We are committed to meeting the needs of our customers through the delivery of services which are responsive to their requirements and we will continue to strive to meet the aspirations of our stakeholders. Like all public bodies, we must maintain the drive to deliver our services in the most cost effective way.

These achievements are only possible thanks to the efforts of all who work for the Inspectorate. The splendid boost to our productivity last year was a fantastic effort by all staff. Likewise, I pay tribute to the continuing high regard in which Inspectors are held for the important work they do. I believe the role of the Planning Inspectorate will become ever more important in the years ahead; I look forward to that challenge.

Katrine Sporle
Chief Executive
June 2006

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