Government-backed planning best practice website launched

The Planning Officers' Society yesterday launched a new website covering good practice guidelines and case studies.

The advice, prepared with funding from the government's DETR, takes the form of a good practice guide with chapters on such topics as performance indicators, consulting the local community and audit and inspection arrangements.

Launching the website, John Sanderson, chair of the POS's Best Value and Planning Working Group, said: "Local planning authorities are actively preparing for the introduction of best value and are looking for practical advice on the steps they should be taking. The guidance on the website is being drawn up by those in the field.

"We are inviting councils and others to email us with comments on the draft documents and examples of good practice."

There are four main areas currently on the site:

• A summary of the proposed contents
• A draft chapter giving advice to local planning authorities on ways to improve their planning services through benchmarking
• Guidance giving tips and suggestions on how to get started with best value
• A new methodology for measuring core planning costs which is now forming the basis of a pilot study involving 24 local authorities

The site can be found at: http://www.barnsley.gov.uk/planning/home.html