Planning and customer service standards

Planning - improving standards

Our National Park Planning team are working hard to improve the services they provide. So far in 2014...

• 295 planning enquiries were completed, of which 191 (65.01%) were completed within 15 working days - Target 80%
• 426 planning applications were decided, of which 355 (83.33%) were decided within 8 weeks - Target 80%
• 151 enforcement enquiries were completed, of which 183 (91.39%) were completed within 30 working days - Target 80%

We've made progress, but we know there's more to do. Over the coming months we'll continue working with people to submit successful planning applications that help us look after the National Park.

Quality of customer service

We asked if you thought we were meeting the standards set out in our Customer Charter.

This is what you said:

Satisfaction with the overall quality of service?

• Very satisfied - 59%
• Satisfied - 29%
• Neither - 6%
• Dissatisfied - 6%
• Strongly dissatisfied - 0%

Ease of finding information about the service wanted?

• Very satisfied - 59%
• Satisfied - 18%
• Neither - 23%
• Dissatisfied - 0%
• Strongly dissatisfied - 0%

Satisfaction with the speed of service?

• Very satisfied - 71%
• Satisfied - 23%
• Neither - 6%
• Dissatisfied - 0%
• Strongly dissatisfied - 0%

Being kept up-to-date about how your enquiry is progressing?

• Very satisfied - 53%
• Satisfied - 18%
• Neither - 29%
• Dissatisfied - 0%
• Strongly dissatisfied - 0%

Satisfaction with the quality of information provided?

• Very satisfied - 59%
• Satisfied - 35%
• Neither - 6%
• Dissatisfied - 0%
• Strongly dissatisfied - 0%

Source: Customer Service survey - visitors to Aldern House reception March 2014

Planning and the secret of the satisfied customer

Of all the services provided by the National Park Authority, Planning is the most contentious. People understandably get upset if their proposals are turned down because they don't meet with policies created to look after the National Park. Our planners are very aware of this and they've been working hard over the last couple of years to find ways to help customers while at the same time keeping the Peak District a special place. They cannot always say ‘yes’ but you might be surprised to learn the majority of people making planning applications or enquiries are happy with the service they receive.

In 2013, we received 744 planning applications and had around 4000 planning enquiries:

• 88% of planning applications were approved
• All householder enquiries were given free of charge
• 16 complaints, 3 referred to the Local Government Ombudsman, 0 upheld.