The Scottish Government

1

SG to rationalise Scottish Planning Policy series.

Paragraphs 1 to 34 published - available SG Planning website

Paragraphs 35 to 191- consultation closed June 24, 2009. Analysis of consultation responses being carried out. Additional 6 week consultation on policy changes linked to recent legislation will run from Oct. to Nov. Intend to publish by end 2009.

2

PA to produce plans on land use & infrastructure every 5 years.

All PA have produced development plan schemes indicating time scales for development plans.

3

Agencies to support PAs in new approach to development plans by providing map based advice on potential constraints.

Agency working group considering single website for data provision, enabling a common approach, also up-dating information and making it available as spatial data.

4

SESPLAN to work with SEPA, SNH, SW and TS to promote new SDP process.

Stakeholders working closely to develop SDP: working on MIR and SEA. Consideration being given to dissemination of good practice via development planning forum.

5

Highland Council to investigate the partnership approach to preparing the LDP.

Stakeholders working closely to develop LDP. Consideration being given to dissemination of good practice via development planning forum.

6

SG to work with local government to raise awareness of the contribution planning reform can make to sustainable economic growth.

Six road shows held across Scotland in Spring 2009. Presentations and detailed discussion Q&A available on the SG Planning website.

7

SG to scale back the amount of planning advice but to continue to play an active role in disseminating good practice.

Proposed approach available on SG Planning website.

8

SG to replace biannual Heads of Planning meeting with an annual meeting for Heads of Planning and an annual meeting for Planning Convenors.

First Convenors Meeting took place at the end of June in St Andrews. It was well received and will continue annually. Next Heads of Planning will be in November 2009.

9

SG to do more to effectively communicate good practice and provide opportunities to discuss the new system and identify solutions.

Good practice forums being established.

Dev. Planning - first held mid-July

Dev. Management - first to be held in the autumn.

Local Review Bodies - first to be held in Nov

10

SG to complete the programme of secondary legislation.

Major regulations come into force August 03, 2009.

SG Planning website provides detailed information.

11

SG to launch ePlanning.

ePlanning launched April 29, 2009.

On-line Development Plans being progressed.

12

SG will issue a revised notification direction and circular.

Planning Circular 3 2009: Notification of Planning Applications published April 01, 2009.

13

PA (North Ayrshire & Perth and Kinross) to lead a business change project in development management.

Consultants appointed and findings expected in November

14

PA to produce a development plan scheme.

All PA have produced development plan schemes, which are available on Council websites.

15

PA to produce a scheme of delegation.

All Schemes approved by Scottish Ministers.

16

Agencies to work with PA to provide clarity on consultation.

Actions 4 & 5 will consider consultation arrangements. Agencies each clarifying processes i.e. new guidance.

17

Agencies to be clear and proportionate on information requirements : to develop a more joined up approach on guidance and advice for the development sector.

Each Agency tackling internally and liaising with private sector to tighten up information requirements & discuss best practice. Agencies exploring a shared web portal as a one-stop-shop source of information for the development and planning sector.

18

SG Planning and DPEA to produce an annual statement on performance and improvement.

Planning Divisions Performance & Improvement Plan available on SG Planning website. DPEA's to be included in review of year 2008/09.

19

PA to establish local forums to consider the quality of their planning service.

Varied approach across Scotland. Some exist already, others being established.

20

PA to identify areas for service improvement and how they can best be tackled.

Majority of PA now have in place and are available on PA web sites.

21

Agencies to produce service improvement plans.

Key agencies completed and available on SG Planning website. To be updated in November.

22

Private Sector to improve the quality of applications.

See Action 17.

23

SG, PA, Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman & Standards Commissioner to agree action plan for complaints handling.

Final Report and Action Plan received from working group.

24

SG to consider scope for providing a non-statutory method of giving a provisional view.

Clarification via update in Councillor Code of Conduct being actively considered by Ministers.

25

SG to establish a new SEA team.

Team fully staffed. Introductory Guide to SEA online. Environmental Assessment Team incorporating SEA Technical Support Unit launched at 1st national SEA Forum, November 11, 2009. PAN on SEA of Dev.Plans to be published November 2009. Initial contact made with all local authorities to discuss needs and aspirations for SEA technical support

26

PA to resource the planning service & consider the scope for new ways of delivering the service.

Discussions taken place on resources and options being considered.

27

Agencies to assist PA staff in skills development.

Agency group liaising with Heads of Planning Professional Development Group and the Improvement Service.

28

Agencies to identify areas where the development sector is failing to provide information and engage with them to resolve.

See Action 17.

29

Agencies to have named liaison officers.

Four of six Agencies have identified specific officers & remaining two currently being identified.

SG Planning website updated to provide links to regional Agency information.

30

SG to agree with the private sector a firm programme to explain development economics in planning.

Development Viability Guidance online. Programme of dissemination to PA officials via Improvement Service. Convenors received presentation at annual meeting.

31

SG to have in place a programme to support place making.

32

Private Sector to work with SG, PA and Agencies to prepare a series of model planning agreements and template for schemes of developer contributions.

Quarry Products Association to prepare discussion draft by September 2009.

33

SG to consider a scheme of staff development to allow staff at different stages in their career to work in different public and private sector organisations.

Informal discussions indicate general agreement. Progressing formalising arrangements for long term maintenance of scheme.

34

SG to keep actions and commitments under review.

Second Planning Summit reported progress in April 2009.

This Monitoring Statement to be updated regularly.