Transparency data

Board meeting minutes 09 June 2022 - The Planning Inspectorate

Updated 17 September 2024

Applies to England

Minutes 21 July 2022 date

Title of meeting	Planning Inspectorate Board Meetings
Date	09 June 2022
Venue	Virtual
Chair	Trudi Elliott

Present	Planning Inspectorate Board Meeting
Stephen Tetlow (ST)	Non-Executive Director
Rebecca Driver (RD)	Non-Executive Director
Sally Dixon (SD)	Non-executive Director
Sarah Richards (SR)	Chief Executive
Graham Stallwood (GS)	Director, Operations
Navees Rahman (NR)	Director, Corporate Services
Simon Gallagher (SG)	Director, Planning (DLUHC)

In attendance	Planning Inspectorate Board Meeting
Head of Strategy & Change (KT)
Strategic Governance Officer (NP)
Governance Administration Officer (DP)
Financial Controller (ML)

Apologies	Planning Inspectorate Board Meeting
Sean Canavan	Director, Strategy

1. Welcome and Declaration of Interests

1.1 The Chair called for Declaration of Interest, of which there were none.

2. 2021/22 Annual Report and Accounts 2.1 As Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC), RD thanked everyone involved with this year’s production of the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA), both internally and externally. These are the key points for the Board:

• The narrative on risk management has been cited by HMT as a good example of how to deal with risk in the ARA.

• The audit of the ARA by NAO was carried out through the new process ISA315 which takes a risk-based approach. Whilst this provided some challenges, NAO are pleased with the progress and thanked everyone involved particularly Finance and HR colleagues.

2.2 ARAC supported and agreed the recommendations to the Board:

• To accept the NAO’s Audit completion report, subject to small amendment to the misstatement statement.

• As Accounting Officer, SR should sign the letter of representation, following amendment to the misstatement statement.

• Unless significant material changes arise following ARAC and Board, the ARA should be signed by SR.

2.3 SG had spoken to DLUHC colleagues attending ARAC and noted everything was in order, the hard work of the teams involved and the high quality of the product.

2.4 As Chair of the Board, TE asked the Board to agree the following recommendation:

• The 2021/ 22 ARA are fit for purpose

• The report and Letter of Representation can be signed by SR as Accounting Officer; and

• The remaining steps required to lay the report before the House should go ahead as planned.

Agreed:

2a) The Board agreed the three recommendations set out at 2.4 and gave thanks to all of the teams involved, the ARA is a great product to be proud of.

3. Operational Delivery Transformation (ODT)

3.1 GS gave the following update to the Board on the Operational Delivery Transformation (ODT):

• Capital funding has been received for this financial year from DLUHC, this will be the last year of funding the asset and we must deliver the benefits.

• An additional control on spend is in place, approval to spend will be submitted to DLUHC at each quarter.

• Transition to a new supplier is taking place and is in the final stages of handover.

• The programme has gone through a cycle of change with a review on how to host and integrate into the organisation. GS and NR are making sure the Digital and Data teams are further integrated in this work, readying for the services to be fully ran in house in the next financial year.

• The new appeals service is on .gov.uk website, available to some parts of the country.

• A pilot National Infrastructure case is in the application service; a second case will be joining the pilot. A prototype back office is also being developed. There is still lots to do in the remaining financial year.

• In the next quarter key activities will be to widen the appeal service to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) early autumn, increasing cases through the service, focus on communications and complete quarter two activities to widen the scope of appeals.

• Significant actions have been taken to reduce supplier risks.

• The first system iteration of the system will give us more data, but not the full data on the planning system as adaptations are needed, but it will give the foundations to start this working with LPAs and gather in the future.

3.2 NR gave the following update to the Board from a Digital perspective:

• Delivery is improving, both pace and quality, we still face resourcing issues, but these are being managed.

• Concerns around capital spend have been diminished as we have a working asset in place.

3.3 The Board made the following comments and raised the following concerns:

• ST found the report very helpful but was concerned to see three programmes currently reporting either red or amber. It would be helpful to see in a future paper, benefits tracked both cashable and non-cashable and when these will start and deliverables against the programme. NR explained the red and amber ratings reflected the findings of the assurance work conducted in January/ February. A number of recommendations were made and are being implemented, we are seeing positive change. A further piece of assurance is scheduled in July/ August and will return to Board.

• Whilst concerned, RD felt reassured by the update from NR and GS. The project feels like a big risk due to resource constraints, not just for the Inspectorate but across the department and the wider Civil Service.

• GS explained benefits are already being delivered, such as the casework scheduling system, next cashable benefit is in relation to Horizon (casework management system). This will be achieved through the asset build. There will be benefits for LPAs and these will start to appear as more LPAs use the system.

• SG asked for service-by-service assurance to be presented to show progress, RAG ratings and if we are on track to deliver. The report to the Board felt inward focussed, SG asked for more detail on the user journey and to make sure we are telling the story, as something impressive is happening. The Board should have information on lessons learnt, including user behaviour and response to the new service and how these feed into benefits.

• TE agreed the comments and suggestions are helpful on how to report to the Board on progress of delivery, what we are learning and risks.

• SD asked about resourcing and recruitment and how this is progressing as this as an area of concern. NR updated on recruitment, we have had success filling vacancy in the leadership layer and ODT product managers.

• ST asked for progress against milestones, budget against forecast, key risks and benefits tracking to be presented to the Board. Whilst we have made good progress to recruit into the digital and data vacancies, ST asked to see the percentage of vacancies and progress for the next quarter and contingency plans to prioritise the work against cost.

• NR explained the priority is to focus on delivering a product for the user and move away from legacy systems. Whilst there are vacancies in digital and data, not all of these vacancies will work on ODT. Key ODT roles have been recruited such as software developers and user researchers.

Actions:

3a) GS and NR to present in a future paper

• benefits tracked both cashable and non-cashable and when these will start

• deliverables against the programme,

• progress against milestones

• budget against forecast

• key risks

• the percentage of vacancies and how many roles filled, progress for the next quarter and contingency plans to prioritise the work against cost.

3b) GS & NR to provide the Board with information on lessons learnt, including user behaviour and response to the new service and how these feed into benefits.

3c) NR & GS to provide an interim updated to the Board outside of committee to answer the questions and challenges posed by the Board, with a follow up session to the Board once the next phase of assurance work is completed by Stance.

3d) GS and NR to discuss assurance work to be carried out by Stance and if this can be brought forward, update the NEDs at a NED briefing, making sure the person conducting the assurance work also attends the briefing.

3e) NR to review the paper and update the RAG status given the evidence and progress made around the delivery of the appeal service, migration plan, data transfer and move from legacy systems as these are critical pieces of work.

3f) GS and NR to develop communications outside of the organisation about the user journey and to make sure we are telling the story, as something impressive is happening.

3g) GS and NR to think about engagement with the Board for the remainder of the project.

more detail on the user journey and to make sure we are telling the story, as something impressive is happening. The Board should have information on lessons learnt, including user behaviour and response to the new service and how tese feed into benefits.

4. Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and Planning Inspectorate Board Terms of Reference

4.1 The Board reviewed the ARAC and Board terms of reference, the following points were raised:

• Update the description of the ARAC in the Board terms of reference as set out in 1.1.1 of the ARAC terms of reference.

• 2.1.5 should state closed session with the Non-Executive Directors, not a closed session of the Board.

Agreed:

4a) Subject to the amendments set out at 4.1, the Board approved the Planning Inspectorate Board terms of reference.

4b) The Board approved the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee terms of reference.

Actions:

4c) NP to update the Planning Inspectorate Board terms of reference with the following amendments:

• Update the description of ARAC in the Board terms of reference as set out in 1.1.1 of the ARAC terms of reference.

• 2.1.5 should state closed session with the Non-Executive Directors, not a closed session of the Board.

5. Any other business

5.1 SG queried progress of the Board effectiveness review, KT update the external review will take place in the autumn. NP and TE to agree the review using latest guidance. SG asked for regular updates and timetable.

Actions:

5a) NP and TE to update SG on effectiveness review progress and timetable.

Next meeting: 21 July 2022