2. 2
What we do…
• External evaluation of PAS services
• Deferred feedback (as opposed to on-the-day) – to measure impact
Method:
• Bespoke online surveys
• Follow-up telephone interviews
Success rate:
• Over 4,000 online responses, around 800 telephone interviews
• Over 80% councils represented in 2014 Annual Impact Evaluation
3. 3
How the findings are presented…
…covering individual
support packages
…covering awareness
and interaction of PAS
and future needs
…summarising the
evaluation for each
financial year
…summarising all
evaluation undertaken
6. 6
The findings…
PAS’ way of working
“It really helped to break down
barriers between councils and
encouraged us to work
together.”
“It is great PAS offer training
because we would not be able
to pay for it ourselves.”
7. 7
The findings…
PAS’ impact
“[PAS] continues to be my principal and most
trusted source of information on everything
planning-related.”
“Without co-operation our Local Plan will not
be up to scratch. In this sense, [the support]
was excellent value for money.”
Duty to co-operate support
8. 8
Following the evaluation…
• We report on lessons learnt and make recommendations
• Feedback is used to improve the PAS offer:
- Councillor engagement
- Chief Exec and senior management participation
- Continued involvement of PINS and DCLG
- Publicity methods
• PAS remains relevant because it responds to topics and issues
raised during evaluation
Slide 1:
What our brief is
What approaches we’ve deployed to get to the audience
How successful we’ve been (response rates)
Slide 2-3:
How we provide/present the data (we will also provide some examples to ‘wave’)
Slide 4:
PAS’ REACH
Geographical reach – in 2013/14, 91% of local planning authorities took part in at least one event or support package.
Capacities – officers (planning but also related disciplines in econ development, major projects, legal, highways, urban/design, building control), councillors, chief execs, the industry (indirectly). Increased participation of councillors over the three year period
PAS’ WAY OF WORKING
Sought after and trusted brand.
Responding to the changing challenges planners face – ‘planners for planners’, PAS remains relevant
Learning and experience transfer is a key benefit of a national approach:
PAS can gather and reflect views and experience from across the country
value in bringing people together from different authorities
learning is shared far beyond those who directly participate
Often the sole source of training.
Consistently seen as cost-effective way of supporting local authorities – 87% of event/support package users felt it represented good value for money.
PAS’ IMPACT
Around 90% of respondents felt event/support approved ability to do work.
Central source of information, guidance and good practice, key role in advising on changes– role of PAS has become more important following removal of PPGs/PPSs / introduction of NPPF.
Increasing confidence in plan making and examinations
housing needs / five year supply a good example
helping get it right the first time
Improving the quality of the service they provide – real changes as a result of benchmarking, Peer Challenge etc.
Slide 7:
IMPROVEMENTS AS A RESULT OF RECOMMENDATIONS
We report lessons learnt from events and support packages, and make recommendations which feed into the PAS offer.
Councillors – improvements to website, different types of event
Chief Execs – particularly larger support packages
Continued to ensure involvement of PINS and DCLG because it has been flagged as being valuable
Publicity – more and better
Annual Impact Evaluation, PAS always viewed as relevant – because it responds to the issues that are raised.
