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Application form
Please make sure you have read all the notes carefully before you start to fill in the application form. This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically - it is available on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning. Please complete all five sections. The deadline for submitting applications is 29 August 2007. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.
1 Please provide a name and contact details of the lead organisation responsible for this work.
Name | NANCY JAMIESON |
Job title | GROUP LEADER DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT |
Organisation | THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL |
Address | WAVERLEY COURT, 4 EAST MARKET STREET, EH8 8BG |
Telephone | 0131 529 3916 |
Fax | |
Email | nancy.jamieson@edinburgh.gov.uk |
2 If this is a joint application, please list the other partners who had a key role. You should also inform your partners that you are nominating the project for an award.
3 Tick one nomination category
Title of entry | Kaizen in Edinburgh - Improving the Development Management Process |
Please complete the form on the following pages by providing a brief summary of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude with a key reason as to why you think this work merits an Award. Only the two A4 pages supplied here can be used and your text must fit within the boxes. The font size should be no less than 12pt.
The judging criteria are set out below. Please tick only the key criteria relevant to your entry:
You must describe, in your written submission, how the criteria which you have ticked relate to your project.
Description of project
The project was a business improvement exercise to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning application process. Using a system based on Kaizen principles we took apart the application process from initial intake to issuing decisions and put it back together to create a more focused and smooth running operation. Procedures that did not add value to the application process were removed and the system was re-organised to ensure that applications were continually flowing and being dealt with in a more efficient manner. This resulted in decisions being issued quicker on the more simple applications and time was freed up for the more complex cases. |
Describe the background to the project
In 1997, the Scottish Office audited the planning service in Edinburgh. A key conclusion stated, "While there is an understandable and commendable concern with achieving quality in new development, we believe there is scope for considerably increasing efficiency without undermining quality." A phased programme of improvements was brought in based on culture and ethos; staff resources; customer care; the process; and delegation. IT systems were brought up-to-date, more staff was recruited and performance figures improved. In 2006, the Head of Planning decided that outstanding problems with validation times, fluctuations in performance and lack of customer satisfaction needed a more thorough review of the application process from start to finish. A decision was taken to implement a Kaizen Blitz to develop staff ownership of improvement proposals and address morale issues. |
What are the aims and objectives of the project?
- Change championed by all staff, including support staff who often felt left out.
- Common SMART process for dealing with planning applications
- Reduce the amount of invalid applications
- Get applications to the case officer quicker
- Increase the number of online applications and get them to the case officer quicker
- Improve performance on householder applications
- Improve performance on major applications
- Make information available on the Planning Portal quicker
- Integration of planning and building standards front counter
- Understand customer expectations and improve customer satisfaction
- Revise planning charters following changes
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Over what timescale has the project been developed?
The pre-planning for the project started in the Autumn of 2006. Discussions were held with consultants and a brief was formulated largely based on the planning process but also including building standards at the front end of the process. To gain staff commitment at the start, managers gave a clear acceptance that whatever the result of the exercise, it would be implemented. The team of staff were motivated to take ownership of change. A team leader was appointed in December for the project and a multi-disciplinary team was set up from all levels and different sections of the Planning and Building Standards functions, including professional and support staff. The kaizen exercise took place on the week 19-23 February 2007. The new processes were implemented on 12 March 2007 and continue to be monitored and enhanced. |
Explain the process and action taken
Kaizen week involved learning about Kaizen principles, observing the current Process, designing and implementing the new process, running the new process, and reporting out to managers/politicians on the new process. Implementation - key changes - Fast tracking of simple and complete planning applications to process them quicker and make more time for complex applications
- A new system for checking applications.
- Applications scanned in and available to the, public on the Portal much quicker
- New delegated procedures for simple applications
- Faster processing of online applications - these are made a priority
- Reduction in the amount of processing steps - from 24 to 13
- Proactive performance monitoring - identifying case officers who are underperforming and working with them to improve performance
- A new integrated Planning and Building standards front counter service
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Explain the role of the key partners
What results were achieved?
- 80% to 90% of applications now on the weekly bulletin within 1 week. This addresses a major community complaint and allows more effective community engagement.
- 90% of applications in June on the portal within 1 day of validation. This is evidence of our continuing aim to make planning information available quicker to the public.
- 30% of applications invalid. Positive feedback from customers.
- 84.7% of householder applications in June decided within 2 months. Positive feedback from staff on new fast track procedure.
- Delegated items increased to 93% allowing more time to be spent on major issues.
- Overall sustained improvement in performance. 72.8% of applications in July were decided in 2 months. This compares with 70.4% in June and 64.9% in May.
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In summary, why does this piece of work merit an Award?
Edinburgh receives around 5500 planning applications per year. To be able to deal with these efficiently, systems and processes must be straightforward but robust. By stripping out blockages in the system and removing processes that were non- statutory and did not generate any added value, a new streamlined planning application process is in place which has reduced the number of invalid applications; resulted in cases getting to the case officer quicker; meant that applications are publicly available on the planning portal and the weekly bulletin much quicker; simplified delegated processes for simple applications; and improved performance for minor applications thereby releasing time to work on more complex cases. These improvements signify a change in the culture of application management. Ultimately, this benefits our customers, our staff and the economic vitality of the City. |
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