Transparency data

Board meeting minutes 25 March 2021 - The Planning Inspectorate

Updated 17 April 2024

Applies to England

Minutes FINAL (27th May 20211)

Title of meeting	Planning Inspectorate Board Meeting
Date	25 March 2021
Venue Virtual meeting	all participants dialled in
Chair Trudi Elliott (TE)	Chair

Present
Sally Dixon (SD)	Non-Executive Director (NED)
Rebecca Driver (RD)	Non-Executive Director (NED)
Stephen Tetlow (ST)	Non-Executive Director (NED)
Sarah Richards (SR)	Chief Executive
Navees Rahman (NR)	Director of Corporate Services
Christine Thorby (CT)	Director of Strategy
Graham Stallwood (GS)	Director of Operations
Simon Gallagher (SG)	Director of Planning, MHCLG
Neil Hemington (NH)	Chief Planner, Welsh Government

In attendance
Strategy and Corporate Governance Lead (KT)
Strategic Governance Officer (notes) NP)
Head of Wales (TT) (item 4)
Head of ODT Change and PMO (SRe) (item 6)
Head of Strategy & Change (SC) (item 7)

Observers
Inspector Manager (SH)
Strategic Workforce Planning Lead (GSm)

Minutes

1.0 Welcome and Declaration of Interests

1.1 The Chair welcomed the Board and called for Declarations of Interest, of which there were none.

2.0 Minutes of previous Board meeting and corporate action tracker

January Board minutes 2.1 No further comments were received.

Corporate Action Tracker 2.2 Action updates:

• Actions 6 – 11 were discussed and closed at the Board.
• Action 9 – Health and Safety – move the due date to April.
• Action 12 – was transferred to NP.

2.3 The Chair asked action owners to check and update action statuses, particularly actions showing as not started.

Agreed: 2a) The minutes are an accurate record of the January meeting.

3.0 Sponsor updates

MHCLG

3.1 The Board received the following update from MHCLG sponsor (SG):

• Focus is on exiting from lockdown and the roadmap for COVID recovery.
• Increasing department presence outside of London.
• The Queen’s speech is likely to include a legislative programme for the Government.
• A future Spending Review will be on the Horizon.

Welsh Government

3.2 The Board received the following update from the Welsh Government sponsor (NH):

• Pre-election period started today (21st March 2021).
• National Development Plan published on the 24th February.
• Regional Plans have been mandated, bringing together land use, economic development, and transport plans.
• COVID recovery plans.
• Focus on manifestos for the next 5 years.

Agreed: 3a) To note the Sponsor updates.

4.0 Welsh Separation project update

4.1 The key update for the Board:

• The agreed timeframe for the separation to take place is October 2021.
• Significant areas of focus are continuing to support the team in Wales and how to manage people data, cross border working, agreeing the memorandum of understanding (MOU) and digital requirements for casework in Wales. The Framework Agreement also requires review.
• The Board asked for assurance around the management of risks, particularly IT support and joint working on National Infrastructure projects will this remain the same? GS and NH clarified, NH is the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for the project with GS and TT as members of the programme Board as well as Trade Unions for Wales. The programmes include workstreams on data, digital and people. Risks are being managed at both Organisation level and Programme level.
• Going forward, Welsh Government will be using its own systems, digital support will not be required from the Inspectorate England.
• Cross Border working arrangements are already in place and the existing process will be followed post October.
• A Gateway review is currently taking place to give NH assurance as SRO for the project. Main risks for the project are around people and IT. A system is currently being developed and TT and the team in Wales have been testing the products. TT is managing the skill and expertise requirements for the team. There may need to be occasional sharing of Inspectors and good practice on training, this would need to be included in the MOU.
• There was concern raised for the team in Wales around morale particularly during the pandemic and job evaluations taking place, the Board acknowledge this is a challenging time for the team. Regular team meetings are taking place, a wellbeing programme has been developed to support the team. SD offered support to NH and TT.
• MHCLG are aware of the impact on funding for Inspectorate England post October.

Agreed: 4a) A refresh of the Framework agreement is due, SG agreed KT would lead this work and submit proposals to MHCLG.

Actions: 4b) KT to submit Framework agreement proposal to MHCLG Sponsorship team.

5.0 Operational Performance

5.1 The key update for the Board:

• Casework has continued to progress well, despite the third lockdown.
• We are expecting to see current levels of decision making to continue through March, with a slight fall in April due to leave for the Easter holidays and restrictions lifting, which could see caring responsibilities rise if class/ school closures happen.
• The number of appeals submitted remains at the same level of those received in previous years.
• Plans are underway to look at how we will hold events in the future. This will be aligned with the Governments roadmap and we will communicate with our customers about what this means for them. As we make plans and before returning to physical events we must focus on safety for our teams and customers, provide stability and share information and guidance with our customers in advance. The future of Virtual Events will also need to be clearly communicated.
• Work continues to progress Hearing cases and we are working with Local Planning Authorities to help run these. Inquiry cases continue and time taken to issue decisions is getting better.
• The Board challenged the Executive Team to think about the Business Plan and if we are being true to our plans to become a digital organisation, have we defined the target? The future of Virtual Events to part of the Change Portfolio. We are reviewing the evidence, costs, community engagement, access, and access to the wider planning system. Lots of research and evidence gathering is taking place and working with stakeholders for the future of Virtual Events.
• A timeline/ plan on when this work will be complete will be critical for informing SG and for reviewing the end to end process. Concern was raised in missing an opportunity to make positive changes for the organisation, customers, and stakeholders ahead of the Governments roadmap to return to normal in July.

Actions:

5a) NP and CT to agree a Non-Executive briefing session to update on the future operating model findings. 5b) CT make available to customers and stakeholders the benefit findings gathered for virtual and blended events, communicate this as soon as possible to keep those groups informed. Also engage with teams to understand the benefits and challenges around virtual and blended events.

6.0 Operational Delivery Transformation (Official Sensitive item)

7.0 Planning Reform and Project speed update (Official Sensitive item)

8.0 Forward look, review of this meetings, AOB

8.1 The Board asked the Executive Team to make sure risks are captured consistently in papers. Setting out risk(s) and key mitigations.

Agreed & Action: 8a) NP to discuss risk format in papers with Risk and Operational Governance Manager. 8b) Observers, SH and GSm to draft the Board blog.

Next meeting: 27th May 2021