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CREATING AN EXCELLENT PLANNING SERVICE 
Is your planning service the best there is? Or are there areas of improvement that are needed, but you need some help or you just have not got the time to devote to tackling the necessary tasks?
POS Enterprises can help you to assess your service performance against the industry benchmark of an excellent service and chart a way forward for your service to achieve that accolade.
What’s special about our approach?
- Being an extension of the Planning Officers Society we have adopted its local government improvement ethos
- All our consultants have extensive experience of local government at a senior level, and are used to working with Chief Executives and senior members
- We provide a tailored service geared to the particular circumstances and needs of the authority
- Our improvement work is based on the acclaimed “Moving Towards Excellence” model created by the POS
- We understand the sensitivities of delivering a planning service in a performance culture
- We operate our own quality assurance procedures which involve the occasional observation of on-site activity and monitoring of consultants’ reports
Who are our Consultants?
The POS Enterprises approach is to ensure each project is led by one of our principal consultants, who are all suitably qualified and have extensive local government experience at a senior level. The consultants are supported where necessary by Planning Advisory Service Accredited contractors
The services we offer
POS Enterprises can provide a number of services to authorities. Rather than deliver a one size fits all solution POS Enterprises sets out to determine with the client which approach is best for them in their circumstances.
Organisational Review
- Using the Excellence Model as the starting point we will work with you to establish either::
A supported peer review, with a principal consultant working with the authority to deliver solutions, rather that merely highlighting the issues that need to be tackled.
- A supported self-assessment, with a principal consultant working with the in-house team to provide guidance as to the use of the Excellence Model, providing a challenge role, facilitation or such other support as will assist in getting the best out of the process.
We will also provide support for improvement plan preparation following self-assessment or peer review.
LDF Support
POS Enterprises has been involved in the major LDF Learning and Dissemination Project (for details click here ) with ten pilot authorities since the inception of the new planning system. The Project examines aspects of the LDF system and provides support to the participants, as well as widespread dissemination of the learning. This on-going Project is now formally supported by the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) and the Local Government Association (LGA). Members of the consultancy team who have been involved with the project are available to advise and assist local authorities with the preparation of their LDFs:
- As an expert critical friend/sounding board
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see the POSE offer (74.752Kb) - DOWNLOAD |
- Assisting with the self-assessment of soundness
- Support with specific areas of concern
Practical Guidance
POS Enterprises undertook ground breaking research on the “Conditions for Creative Planning” for the National Planning Forum published January 2005. Current projects include the “LDF Communications Toolkit” to assist in conveying the significance of the LDF process to senior members and officers and “The Soundness Self-Assessment Toolkit” which will enable authorities to gauge the soundness of their emerging LDFs. We will also undertake bespoke commissions for local authorities.
Training / Mentoring
We can provide a range of training courses to staff, chief officers and members on all aspects of the planning service. We can provide one-to-one support and counselling to chief officers and team leaders.
Our course entitled “LDFs—Building on the learning from the pioneers” has been particularly well received:
“Very useful seminar which cleared the fog and confusion of the new system” Mel van de Pieterman, South Norfolk District Council
“Very informative and useful day. I even had fun!” Gael Hepburn, Mendip District Council
“If only all advice on LDFs was presented in this way the world of planning policy would be a much happier place" Richard Hawkey, Hart District Council
"Excellent mix between presentations, brainstorming excercises and questions and answers" Ann Coles, West Dorset District Council
Details of the LDF training course are available - see below
Contacts
If you would like to discuss a particular requirement contact:
Andrew Wright
0845 6019067
andrewwright@posenterprises.co.uk
John Silvester
01252 671304
communications@planningofficers.org.uk
POS Enterprises Ltd
Ronaldsway House
Bilstone
Nuneaton
Warwickshire CV13 6NG
POS Enterprises Ltd is registered in England reference No 5008598; the registered office is 20-22 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4JS |
