Walsall web planning among best in country
Date Published : 17 January 2006
Walsall Council planners are among the best in the country for online planning services - improving access for homeowners and developers in the borough by achieving maximum points in an ‘e-government’ initiative.
Development control officers have hit all 21 ‘e-targets’ set by the Government for councils across England and Wales – keeping Walsall in the top quarter of planning authorities.
The excellent performance means anyone can make applications, view plans, documents, make representations, check progress, look at decisions, see if appeals lodged and more, by using the interactive web site.
Simply visiting the council's
Councillor Marco Longhi, cabinet member for environment said: “This magnificent achievement shows just what a great job Walsall Council officers have done in transforming our planning services.
“Walsall is leading the online planning revolution and offering an excellent service to householders and developers. Anyone dealing with our planning department will confirm what an excellent service they provide.
“One of the key priorities in our vision to create a better borough is making it easier for people to access local services - our customers want to sort out their business with the council simply and quickly.”
Walsall Council planners were recently recognised by ministers as the best in the Midlands, after winning more than £460,000 of Government funding - the biggest such award to any Midlands council and the eighth highest in England.
The council’s improved performance has put Walsall into the top two percent of local authorities sharing the £73 million Planning Delivery Grant for the next financial year.
Ministers are giving the funding to Walsall as direct reward for the council’s performance in turning around its speed of planning application decision-making and meeting government targets for the year ending 30 June 2005.
And a recent survey by the council showed that more than four out of five people who received planning decisions were satisfied with the service. Many said they are getting decisions faster than before.