Transparency data

Board meeting minutes 22nd January 2026 - The Planning Inspectorate

Updated 15 April 2026

Applies to England

Minutes ​  22nd January 2026 - DRAFT                                          ​ ​ ​ 

Planning Inspectorate Board Meetings
Date	22 January 2026 ​ ​
Venue	2 Marsham Street, London
Chair	Trudi Elliott​ (TE), Non-Executive Director (NED)

Present
​​Adrian Penfold (AP), Non-Executive Director (NED)​
Oliver Munn (OM)​, Non-Executive Director (NED)
Emir Feisal (EF), Non-Executive Director (NED)
Graham Stallwood (GS), Interim Chief Executive
Joanne Butcher (JB), Chief Finance Officer
Rachel Graham (RG), Chief Digital Information Officer
Hayley Kelly (HK), Chief People Officer
Rebecca Phillips (RP), Interim Chief Planning Inspector
Tom Warth (TW), Interim Chief Operating Officer
Laura Boxall (LB), Chief of Staff
Will Burgon (WB), MHCLG Representative

1. In attendance

1.1 Full meeting 

Executive Support and Governance Officer (DP), minutes and actions 

1.2 Observing 

Personal Assistant (FJ) 

1.3 Attending for specific items 

N/A 

1.4 Apologies 

​​None​ 

2. 1.0 - Welcome and Declaration of Interests​ 

​​​1.1 OM ​​declared his new role as Chief Executive of Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and TE declared she is acting Chair for Wyre Forest Community Transport.  

3. ​​2.0 - Minutes of ​January Board meeting​, corporate action tracker  ​ 

​​​​2.1 The Chair confirmed that the minutes would not be reviewed page by page. 

​2.2 No amendments, corrections, or additions were raised by members. 

​2.3 A query regarding the outstanding action on the stakeholder engagement plan was clarified. It was confirmed that the requested high‑level plan is included on the agenda for this meeting. ​ 

​Agreed: 

​2a) Both part one and part two of the minutes were approved and adopted. 

4. ​​3.0 - CEO update  ​ 

​​​​3.1 Item is captured in part two minutes.​​​ 

5. 4.0 - MHCLG update ​ 

​​​4.1 Item is captured in part two minutes.​​ 

6. 5. ​​Stakeholder and customer engagement​ 

​5.1 LB delivered an update on current communications activity, customer satisfaction insights, and the development of the stakeholder engagement plan. Members discussed the value of in‑person engagement, with strong support for holding stakeholder events at the organisation’s Bristol HQ, noting the positive impact of inviting stakeholders into the sponsor body’s operating environment. 

​5.2 Members highlighted opportunities to learn from best practice in other departments, particularly Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and requested exploration of joint events with the relevant department. The Board discussed the need to plan stakeholder engagement activity early, given upcoming organisational changes (new Director of Planning, Chair, Chief Executive, Chief Planning Inspector). 

​5.3 It was agreed that engagement activity should include a greater emphasis on visibility, delivery-focused communication, and collaboration across the planning system.   

​5.4 Members emphasised the importance of providing NEDs with opportunities to triangulate stakeholder views through attendance at external events. The Board noted the communications team’s limited capacity, and the need to balance ambition with available resource. 

​Agreed: 

​5a) The Board endorsed the overall direction of travel for an expanded and more strategic stakeholder engagement approach. 

​5b) The Board agreed to explore a mixed model of events (Bristol, departmental venue, and online), subject to resourcing. 

​Actions: 

​5c) Comms team to work with relevant departmental counterparts to explore joint stakeholder events, including learning from DBT’s approach. 

​5d) Comms team to develop a detailed stakeholder engagement plan for the year, including event timings, formats, resource requirements and opportunities linked to upcoming leadership changes. 

​5e) Team to review resourcing, including potential additional events support, and report back to Board on capacity and options. 

​5f) NED participation at Stakeholder events:  

1. NEDs to inform RP/TW of areas of interest. 

2. ​Executive team to identify suitable external events where NED attendance would support triangulation and visibility. 

3. ​Communications team to consider options for a Bristol‑based stakeholder event, including the potential involvement of the SoS and senior departmental officials. 

4. ​Executive Team (ET) to map stakeholder engagement activity where impact on customer experience and operational performance can be tracked as the service model develops. 

7. ​​6.0 - Balanced scorecard 

​6.1 Item is captured in part two minutes.

8. 7.0 - Business Plan 2026/27

​7.1 Item is captured in part two minutes. 

9. 8.0 - Board Effectiveness Review 

​8.1 TE reviewed progress against the actions arising from the previous Board Effectiveness Review. It was noted that several recommendations have moved on since the draft report was produced:  

• ​The Board recognised that the governance team is working under significant resource pressure and discussed the need for clearer firsttime inputs from across the organisation. 

• ​Recruitment is underway for an additional governance post to relieve pressure on the team. 

• ​The Board worked through each prior recommendation, assessing whether items could be marked as complete or whether revised timelines and accountabilities were required. 

8.2 On the Strategic Plan, members agreed the approach aligns with the recommendation, but the item cannot yet be marked complete.  

• ​Target completion updated to December 2026. 

• ​Accountability for strategic plan delivery assigned to ET (lead: GS & JB). The Strategic Workforce Plan will sit alongside the Strategic Plan and is due by March 2026. Accountability: ET (lead: HK). 

​8.3 The Board agreed that actions relating to the performance system are complete, noting ongoing improvement is now business as usual 

​8.4 The Board endorsed the development of a stakeholder engagement plan, noting today’s earlier discussion; the ET will confirm a realistic target date for circulation to the Board. NED extension and succession planning recommendations have been implemented in full, pending ministerial signoff.  

​Agreed: 

​8a)  Update timelines and ownership for remaining open actions were agreed. 

​8b)  The Board agreed that the Strategic Plan and Strategic Workforce Plan will be owned collectively by ET, with designated leads assigned. 

​Actions: 

​8c)  Corporate governance team to update the Effectiveness Review action tracker with new timelines, ownership and completion status. 

​8d)  Corporate Governance Team to escalate resource constraints if workload becomes unmanageable. 

​8e)  ET to propose a realistic return date for the Stakeholder Engagement Plan, following internal discussion. 

​8f)  ET to ensure clarity on responsibilities for strategic planning, workforce planning and performance improvement.​ 

10. 9.0 - AOB, review of meeting, key points for the blog​ 

9.1 The Board reviewed the corporate calendar and forward plan, noting it currently lacks sufficient future agenda items due to reduced governance capacity. 

9.2. ET will meet next week to repopulate and prioritise the forward plan. 

9.3 The Board discussed the upcoming deep dive on 25 February. Given resource pressures, the Board agreed the deep dive should be stood down unless a clear, pressing topic is identified at the forthcoming ET session. 

9.4. Members held a detailed discussion on the internal audit approach, expressing concern at:  

• The Board agreed there must be better control over terms of reference, evidence gathering, and the clarity of organisational narratives provided during audits. 

• The Board also emphasised the need to document operational processes and governance decisions more consistently, to allow clear evidence for future audit scrutiny. 

• The Chief of Staff may be asked to undertake a review of governance and documentation to support future audit readiness. 

9.5. The Board noted a positive update on apprenticeships across the organisation and congratulated the Chief of Staff for achieving a postgraduate diploma with distinction. 

Agreed: 

9a) The 25 February Board deep dive is cancelled, subject to review after the ET planning session. 

9b) ET and the Audit Committee Chair will strengthen control over audit terms of reference, ensuring ET oversight and clarity before audits begin. 

9c) The organisation will shift away from using Internal Audit for diagnostic or developmental purposes, commissioning external expertise where required. 

Actions: 

9d) OM and the Chief Executive will jointly map future deep dive topics and scheduling, to be brought back to the next Board meeting. 

9e) ET to repopulate and prioritise the forward board plan and report back in March. 

9f) Audit & Risk team / ET to ensure all upcoming internal audits are reviewed against their terms of reference, with clearer boundaries and evidence expectations. Audit team to prepare evidence packs that demonstrate existing controls and improvements for forthcoming NAO discussions. 

9g) Chief of Staff to consider undertaking an initial review of governance documentation, identifying gaps and opportunities to strengthen audit readiness. 

9h) NEDs to liaise with OM regarding future Board deep dive topics and timings. 

• TW / AP to draft the post Board blog, incorporating agreed communications messages (focus on delivery and key organisational achievements). Board blog, incorporating agreed communications messages (focus on delivery and key organisational achievements). Board blog, incorporating agreed communications messages (focus on delivery and key organisational achievements). 

• HR/Comms to prepare a short internal piece celebrating apprenticeship successes.