The Planning Inspectorate Annual Report and Accounts 2005/06

Section 9 - Our People

Staff numbers

We currently employ just under 740 staff (full time equivalent), of whom some 300 are homebased, salaried Inspectors and the rest are office-based administrators. 25 of the latter are based in our Cardiff office, the remainder are in our Bristol headquarters. Staff numbers fell very slightly in 2005/06, though there was a significant shift from administrative staff, whose numbers fell by some 5%, to Inspectors, whose numbers commensurately grew. Staff turnover for the year was 9.3%; 11% for Administrative staff and 5% for Inspectors.

In addition to our salaried staff, we use the services of fee-paid, self-employed (Consultant) Inspectors.These Inspectors work under a variety of circumstances for varying periods of the year. Although the fee-paid Inspectors are not salaried civil servants, their selection and appointment are carried out following the same principles of fair and open competition as are used for the appointment of salaried civil servants. We are undertaking a review of the engagement and management of our fee-paid Inspectors to take account of developments in employment law, tax rules, National Insurance rules, pension changes and the forthcoming age discrimination legislation.We intend to complete this review by October 2006.

Recruitment

All recruitment to the Inspectorate is carried out on the basis of fair and open competition and selection is made on merit. Permitted exceptions to this principle may be made in certain circumstances. There were no permitted exceptions during 2005/06. All vacancies that are open to external candidates are advertised on our website, on the Civil Service website, at Jobcentreplus, and in relevant journals and newspapers. The Inspectorate’s recruitment systems are open to audit by internal auditors and by the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners.

The most recent Inspector recruitment was launched in April 2005.The process included a sift of applications and an assessment centre, at which candidates were required to take part in exercises which tested behavioural skills as laid out in the competence framework for Inspectors. The centres also included a group discussion, analysis exercise, interview and a personality questionnaire. The recruitment identified 40 potential salaried Inspectors and 15 Consultant Inspectors, from diverse backgrounds and professions including planning, engineering, law and architecture.

To maintain and enhance our high standards of service, we intend to undertake a further campaign in 2006/07 to recruit more Inspectors.We also intend to seek a new group of specialist advisers to help us with specialist casework, such as pollution control and other environmental issues.

Vacancy Filling

Vacancies in the Inspectorate are filled through external recruitment and internal transfers and promotions. Staff can further develop their careers within the wider Civil Service by applying for posts advertised in other Government Departments.

Interchange

The Inspectorate encourages staff to undertake interchange opportunities both within the organisation and in the wider Civil Service community. Such opportunities are an important vehicle for career development.

Diversity

Under the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) the Inspectorate has a positive duty to promote race relations and to eliminate discrimination. We have assessed over sixty of our policies and procedures to test their impact on grounds of race, religion, disability, sex and age. A rolling programme of revisions to our policies and procedures in the light of these assessments is underway.

As a result of recommendations from the impact assessments, we have also introduced mediation into the workplace. Mediation is a structured process whereby an impartial mediator facilitates communication between those in dispute or Disagreement, in order for them to come up with mutually agreed solutions on how to improve their working relationship in the future. It is a voluntary, confidential and independent process for all involved.

The Inspectorate continues to support the ‘Tomorrow’s Planners’ initiative that addresses the underrepresentation of black and ethnic minority communities in the planning profession. To date the initiative has placed over 60 trainees throughout the country. We were especially proud that Alan Nettey, one of our Planning Officers and a former trainee, won the prestigious Walter Tull youth award in 2006.The Inspectorate also supports the Ethnic Minority Summer Development Placement scheme run by the Cabinet Office.

Trades Unions and Employee Consultation

The Inspectorate recognises two trades unions, the Public and Commercial Services union, which largely represents administrative staff, and Prospect, which largely represents Inspectors. Consultation with the trades unions takes place through the Whitley Council machinery that involves a regular cycle of quarterly and other meetings. In addition, both management and the unions are represented at health and safety meetings and at negotiations on pay. The trades unions are consulted on both a formal and informal basis on management proposals that have a direct bearing on the Inspectorate’s staff. In addition, staff at all levels are encouraged to participate in the formulation of the Inspectorate’s Business and Corporate Plan and an innovation in 2005/06 was the introduction of monthly briefings, cascaded down through the organisation, at which issues of current importance are debated.

Pay

2006/07 will see the third year of our innovative pay deal, agreed with our trades unions and the Treasury. The agreement addressed equal pay issues and has also led to a refinement of the Inspectors’ competence structure. Additional funding was secured from the Treasury in return for the delivery of 9% per annum productivity gains between 2004/05 and 2006/07. In the first year the Inspectorate achieved an overall audited increase in productivity of 14%. We are preparing a pay and reward policy. This will bring together all aspects of pay and reward currently offered in the Inspectorate such as: childcare vouchers, bicycle loans, subsidised nursery places, pension etc.

Pension

Upon joining the Inspectorate all employees are entitled to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS). Details of CSPS can be found in note 2 to the Financial Statements.

Sickness absence

At the end of 2005/06, we conducted a review of sickness absence in the inspectorate. Sickness rates for the whole organisation are around the average for the Civil Service but mask significant variation between lower than average rates for Inspectors and higher than average rates for administrative staff. The latter give special cause for concern, and 2006/07 will see the introduction of a substantially revised sickness absence policy designed to manage down the number of days lost.

Employment tribunals

No Employment Tribunal claims were submitted against the Inspectorate in the year.

Health, safety and welfare

The Inspectorate undertakes a pro-active approach to creating a healthy working environment and encourages staff to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Staff can use the services of an Occupational Health Nurse and health screening sessions are available periodically.We publish our policies on health and safety and health and safety committees, covering home and office-based staff, are in place to monitor their effectiveness.

During 2005/06 a programme of training seminars for managers on identifying and managing the causes of stress was held. In the light of feedback from those seminars, a comprehensive policy and action plan on workplace stress will be published early in 2006/07. Further stress awareness training for all staff with non managerial responsibilities will take place during summer 2006. Staff suffering symptoms of stress are encouraged to make use of a confidential help and advice line provided by the Counselling and Support Services. Alternatively, home visits by a counsellor can be arranged.

Community involvement

We have continued our involvement with Business in the Community and 15 members of staff have participated in a number of local community initiatives. These have included assisting with the renovation of a local park and youth club, mentoring students at the Bristol City Academy and assisting with mock interviews and CV writing for school students and the homeless. Staff have used their involvement to gain experience of how other organisations work and to improve team working, interpersonal, motivational and leadership skills. An outcome of these activities has been to enhance the profile of the Inspectorate in the local community.

Investors in People

At the end of September 2005 the Inspectorate underwent an Investor in People (IIP) review. Our assessor interviewed a cross section of more than 80 members of staff across the business, Directors and representatives of the trades unions.The report confirmed that we retained our recognition as an IIP organisation, though identifying some areas where we will need to improve in order to continue fully to meet the standard in the future. An action plan is being developed to ensure we are on track to make improvements to be ready for a further assessment in October 2006.

Learning and development

The Learning and Development Unit (LDU) carries out and advises on a wide range of programmes for staff encompassing professional, management and induction programmes.This year saw the commissioning and completion of an Inspectorate-wide Skills and Capability Audit. The Audit was led by the LDU and conducted by means of a web-based self assessment questionnaire which identified levels of capability and specialism. The questionnaire was completed by approximately 90% of the Inspectorate’s staff. It was supplemented by focus groups exploring behaviours and attitudes.The results from the questionnaire and focus groups will help inform the Learning and Development Strategy which we are currently developing and which should be published in summer 2006.

Annual meeting and corporate training for Inspectors and Planning Officers

Traditionally, the Inspectorate has held an annual, residential training week for Inspectors and Planning Officers. Due to unprecedented caseloads, the decision was taken not to hold the training week in 2005. Instead, alternative arrangements were put in place to provide opportunities for Inspectors and Planning Officers to come together. An annual meeting was held in December 2005.This enabled Inspectors and certain administrative staff to get together after restructuring and provided the opportunity for the Management Team, particularly the new Operational Directors, to have face-to-face discussions with Inspectors in their Directorates. It also served to provide Inspectors and Planning Officers with professional advice on key issues, so contributing to their continuing professional development.

Local Development Framework training

The introduction of Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) represents a major corporate training need for Inspectors. An event focussing on LDFs was held at the University of Warwick in March 2006.We were pleased to welcome Baroness Andrews OBE, ODPM’s Parliamentary Under Secretary of State who gave an opening address to the delegates. Other speakers included Sir Peter Hall, Professor of Planning and Regeneration at the Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning – University College London.

Specialist training

A number of specialist planning courses were also arranged during the year, resulting from new legislation and revised planning advice. In addition, training was provided for Inspectors new to particular casework and specialisms. Courses included high hedge appeal work, gypsy cases, waste planning and enforcement work. In February, we introduced the first of a series of new style seminars which brought together both internal and external delegates. This first seminar focussed on waste planning.

Training for new Inspectors

The LDU has introduced a new initial training programme, designed to reduce the time taken for new Inspectors to undertake a wider range of casework. The first group of Inspectors undergoing the new programme started in February 2006, and two further intakes are planned for later in the year.

Academic and vocational qualifications

The Inspectorate continues to support its staff in undertaking relevant qualifications; these include Masters level programmes in Town and Country Planning and support services such as Human Resources. In addition a number of people are working towards or have obtained an NVQ in Business Administration.

Management development

During the year, 35 people attended an Introduction to Management course designed for new managers and supervisors. The course focussed on managing performance, motivation and managing change and was positively received by those who attended.

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