Planning Inspectorate Newsletter - Issue 4
PLANNING CASEWORK SERVICE UPDATE 
The Planning Casework Service (PCS) was launched in 2004 for Enforcement and related appeals, and extended at the end of 2005 to cover Planning and related appeals.
The aim of the service was to enable electronic working. In particular to:
- provide electronic services in line with Government targets. The PCS provides an online appeal tracking service and allows the online submission of appeals and associated documentation; and
- improve Customer Service by enabling customers of the appeals process to access information and submit representations at times of their choosing.
By the end of September 2006, over 22,000 appeals were accessible through the Appeals search facility on the Planning Portal; online appeal submission was running at nearly 15% and over 30% of appeal questionnaires were being submitted online. Whilst this is very encouraging, there are still issues around the number of paper documents being received by the Inspectorate, and the size of those documents. This has had a major impact on operations; in particular the volume of scanning the Inspectorate has to carry out, which in turn impacts on the service we have been able to offer our customers, with the Inspectorate scanning in the region of 250,000 pages per month.
To reduce the impact that this is having on our service, we have suspended scanning of documents we receive on paper, and publishing of evidence on the Planning Portal. This measure started on 18 September 2006.
We continue to:
- publish a summary of each appeal and update information on the Planning Portal to make the position clear;
- publish on each case, a document explaining that we won't be publishing evidence for the appeal, but the decision will be published;
- make facilities available for our customers to submit new appeals and other documentation online;
- accept documentation by e-mail; and
- correspond with local authorities and others who want to deal with us by e-mail, wherever we can.
Our customers can help us move as quickly as possible to the point when we can resume scanning and publishing, in the following ways:
- by using the online submission facilities for the appeal itself (appellants and agents), the appeal questionnaire (local authorities), the appeal statements (local authorities, appellants and agents) and representations in support or opposition to the proposals (interested parties) and submit as many supporting documents as possible with it. We currently accept files up to 1MB each online, but we will be increasing this to 5MB as soon as possible; and
- sending other documentation, such as supporting documents larger than 1MB, to the team e-mail address at the top of the appeal start letter or, for new appeals, to appeals@pins.gsi.gov.uk.
Queries about our online service, or suggestions for improving it, should be addressed to our External Customer Team – by e-mail to pcs@pins.gsi.gov.uk. Other queries should be addressed to our Customer Services Team – enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk or 0117 372 6372.
Jo Fox
Planning Casework Service Customer Relationship Manager
