Transparency data

Board meeting minutes 21 November 2019 - The Planning Inspectorate

Updated 17 April 2024

Applies to England

Minutes FINAL 30 January 2020

Title of meeting	Planning Inspectorate Board Meetings
Date	21 November 2019
Venue	Gromit, Temple Quay House, Bristol
Chair	Trudi Elliott (TE)

Present
Sally Dixon (SD)	Non-Executive Director (NED)
Stephen Tetlow (ST)	Non-Executive Director (NED)
David Holt (DH)	Non-Executive Director (NED)
Sarah Richards (SR)	Chief Executive
Navees Rahman (NR)	Director of Corporate Services

In attendance
Karin Takel (KT)	Strategy and Corporate Governance Lead
Graham Stallwood (GS)	Director of Operations (item 4)
Will Jenkin (WJ)	ODT Programme Manager (item 7)
Stephen Read (SR)	ODT Change and PMO Delivery Manager (item 7)
Natasha Perrett (NP)	Board Secretary
Observer
Rebecca Driver (RD)

Apologies
Simon Gallagher (SG)	Director of Planning, MHCLG (dial in)
Neil Hemington (NH)	Chief Planner, Welsh Government
Tim Guy (TG)	Tim Guy (TG) – Director of Transformation (item 7)

1.0 Welcome and Declaration of Interests

1.1 The Chair welcomed the Board. Apologies were received from, NH, SG and TG.

1.2 The Chair called for Declarations of Interest, of which there were none.

2.0 Minutes of September Board meeting

2.1 The Board agreed the following updates to actions:

• Action 15 (January 2018) – GS to put together a set of targets on a page including delivering s78 in 18wks, Rosewell target and Hearings and the costings and resources needed to deliver the targets. For December meetings to be included in the Business Plan.
• Action 2 (November 2018) – SLG risk workshop – risk work taking place within Directorates – close action.
• Action 7 (January 2019) – Provide NEDs with more financial information.
• Action 6 (March 2019) – Close action.
• Action 2 (May 2019) – Wales recruitment is included as part of Inspectorate wide recruitment – close action.
• Action 3 (May 2019) – NR to update action for delivery date to Board following Executive Team (ET) review.
• Action 5 (October 2019) – ODT update – complete.

2.2 No further comments were received on the October Board minutes.

Agreed:

2a) NP to update the actions as outlined at 2.1.

2b) The October Board minutes are an accurate record of the meeting.

3.0 Strategic Governance Proposals

3.1 Purpose of the strategic assurance process is to further engage the NEDs and gather their insights and challenge and to provide support to ET. Ensuring we have the monthly dashboard in place and forward look operating to bring the right items to the Board or strategic assurance meeting at the right time.

3.2 Having discussed the future of the People and Customer, Quality and Professional Standards Committees (CQPSC), DH confirmed he was comfortable for the items set out at appendix B to be transferred to the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) with the exception of Health and Safety reporting which should be at Board.

3.3 Concern was raised around strategic planning, business planning and budget/ financial planning and sign off of these documents. Agreed these are critical and must be presented to Board.

3.4 The strategic assurance items set out in the forward look are critical matters or areas of risk for the organisation and for Board members to be sighted on and gain assurance from.

3.5 Forward look actions:

• Make sure there is enough people focus and move the people item to January.
• Add Business Plan (inc. formal sign off) and Financial/ Budget Planning and processes to the forward look.
• Add review of Strategic Plan to the forward look.
• Light touch effectiveness review to test new Board structure and processes.

3.6 Further actions:

• Guidance to be updated to reflect ET will draft scopes and author papers, NEDs to help shape papers through review.
• Agree the formal heading for strategic assurance sessions or consider if this is a committee/ delivery assurance group. Seek MHCLG input on name of meeting.
• Agree supporting architecture for the strategic assurance process including – agenda setting, timely paper delivery and house style for minutes.
• Provide NEDs with additional financial information, appears to be gap from induction process.
• ET to make sure papers are circulated in advance of meeting. Draft papers to be circulated to NEDs following review at ET.

3.7 With the amendments made, the NEDs were satisfied the Board would discharge their main duties in line with the Framework document.

Agreed:

3a) Board agreed:

• NEDs to remain as critical friend on strategic priorities, with ET strategic priority lead drafting the scope and authoring papers for NED review, insight and challenge.
• To disband the CQPS Committee as items clearly transferred to Board or ARAC.
• People matters to become part of the strategic assurance proposals, with additional sessions mapped into the forward look.
• TE will continue to Chair Board sessions. Strategic assurance sessions to be Chaired by SD or ST on rotation.

4.0 Performance update

4.1 Further analysis of data for old enforcement cases showed older cases were still in the system for one of the following three reasons:

• Probate
• high court challenge
• complexity of enforcement case.

4.2 There were 14 cases which had been decided but not closed on the system and appeared to still be live. These cases have now been closed correctly.

4.3 The focus on improving enforcement performance has been well received by our stakeholders.

Agreed:

4a) To note the update from GS.

5.0 Operational Design (OD) update

5.1 The consultation period closed on the 20th November, over 100 comments have been received.

5.2 There has been lots of engagement through drop in sessions with staff in the office and we have used IT to engage with inspectors. Engagement with TUS has been positive through weekly meetings.

5.3 ET will review and agree any changes to the final structure next week (26th November). A communication on the final structure will be issued on the 5th December. Mapping and matching will take place throughout December, outcomes to be communicated in January and implementation to start in mid-January.

5.4 Structure issues highlighted through consultation:

• Proposing removal of SIT.
• SEOs needed for Local Plans and Costs work.
• IDST and reading being deployed.
• Reduction of EO roles in some areas and career progression.
• Training within teams for trainers.
• Essential and desirable qualification for certain jobs around what professional qualifications.
• Job titles and capacity in certain areas.

Design Group and design leads are responding to questions raised through consultation.

Agreed:

5a) To note the OD update.

6.0 Budget, funding and underspends

6.1 The Board was presented with the Budget for additional resources given to us by the department to assist with performance recovery and noted the new vacancies.

Agreed:

6a) NR to provide Business Plan costings to the Board.

6b) It was agreed future information about the budget would be shared with the Board in advance of the meeting.

7.0 Operational Delivery Transformation (ODT)

7.1 The Board reviewed the ODT assurance report, ST highlighted the following points:

• Project - is being run through the agile method, risk is monitored, cost analysis and forecasting is robust and provides confidence.
• Customer – customer contact and review took place in detail early in the programme, needs to be revisited. OD and ODT integration is important and will ensure the customer is at the centre of resource allocation.
• Resourcing – has been a challenge with OD and ODT running at the same time. Question - are they really linked to allow maximum benefits?
• Operational – everyone commented on IT services and making sure these are properly integrated as part of the programme. Making sure the lead is able to lead.

7.2 Overall the confidence score will support a Business Case.

7.3 On IT services, this is a critical risk which is being addressed through upskilling and increasing the Digital Services team. We are managing the risk through phased recruitment. By June all people required should be in post, roles are accommodated by OD structure and we have budget. A specialist agency will also be used to help recruit people if posts are not filled through OD.

7.4 ODT progress update:

• Private beta has been achieved in 6 months, which is significant.
• Work continues on sub-projects and planning appeals.
• Heathrow and National Infrastructure project manager in this piece.
• Regular confidence delivery assessment takes place.
• Project looks ahead as well as being responsive.

7.5 Maturity of the organisation to make sure the system is right rather than stick to the programme is important to protect integrity before rolling out.

7.6 Business case update:

• Business Case is being fine-tuned.
• The risk around recruiting the right skills has been addressed, Board to be kept up to date on recruitment in this area.

7.7 The Board agreed the Change Portfolio Manager should come to the Board to talk about benefits delivery. Further focus is needed on the benefits the system changes will bring for the customer, what does it mean for our customers and how to measure this.

Agreed:

7a) A further assurance review to be carried out February/ March time with additional external assurance sought. Include benefits for the customer and how to measure these.

7b) Board to be kept up to date on IT recruitment.

7c) Change Portfolio Manager to present benefits delivery to Board.

8.0 Review of this meeting & AOB

8.1 Learning from this meeting:

• Helpful to have business plan information ahead of session.
• Make sure keeping Board informed and up to speed through timely delivery of papers.