Cheshire East Council is making 'significant progress' on changes to modernise and improve its planning service.

A report to the authority's environment and communities committee, on 9 November, highlights a major reduction in the backlog of planning applications and improvements to delivering more effective working and communication with applicants.

A separate report also highlights changes to deliver more effective management of developer contributions to community infrastructure and amenities, known as section 106 (S106) monies. These are used to make a proposal for development acceptable in planning terms, that would not otherwise be acceptable.

Councillor Mick Warren, chair of the environment and communities committee, said: "We welcome these reports and the significant progress it reveals on delivering the planning service's modernisation plans. This is good news for Cheshire East residents and our communities."

The council's planning department is one of the largest in the country and determines the largest number of planning applications by any local authority in the North West. The service has been taking steps to tackle an increase in work, alongside a backlog of applications. 

Key improvements highlighted in the planning service modernisation report include:

• Significant reduction in the backlog of planning cases
• Improved staff training and collaborative working
• Recruitment of extra staff
• Improved co-ordination and communication across council services
• Improved customer communication
• Reduced customer complaints

In September 2023, a report had highlighted concerns about the management, monitoring and strategic oversight of S106 agreements. The planning service accepted the report's recommendations and immediately began to implement the necessary actions.

An S106 audit report update to next week's committee, which forms part of the modernisation plan work programme, reveals good progress has already been made implementing the recommendations.

This includes staff recruitment to improve capacity, officer training scheduled, improved records management and officer workshops to identify and implement improvements to ways of working and governance.

Cllr Warren added: "Our planning teams face many challenges and a review last autumn highlighted the extremely complex nature of the service – and its challenges as one of the largest local planning authorities in the country. 

"While we recognise the frustrations that have been felt by our customers owing to delays in getting applications determined and other planning matters resolved, the report makes clear that the backlog has consistently reduced since the pandemic, due to numerous interventions by the service.

"Major improvements have been made – and are continuing to be made – with the benefits being felt in the service and by our customers.

Jane Gowing, the council's interim director of planning, said: "We are totally committed to improving our management of S106 to ensure maximum possible benefit for residents and our local communities. 

"I am pleased that our improvement plan is already delivering positive results for the service and our customers. Delivery of the improvement plan will continue to be closely monitored as part of the planning modernisation programme."

The service review, last autumn, outlined several areas for modernisation, to improve efficiency and effectiveness, including capacity, workload and recruitment, culture and leadership, processes and use of technology, customer experience, policy and governance, and managing the transformation.

The environment and communities committee agenda and papers can be found on the council website.