Frequently Asked Questions

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Questions

1. We accept comments on applications via email but we did not receive a point in your survey. Could you please explain why?

2. Why is it necessary to provide a scanned copy of the decision notice?

3. What is the minimum requirement for a criteria?

4. Why have the criteria been clarified?

5. Why do documents have to date back to at least the 1st December 2005?

6. I have a facility to meet the criteria but it is provided via an external website. We have a link to that website so why did I still did not receive the point?

7. During your survey we were experiencing technical difficulties with our Website, the services are now available can the points be re-awarded?

8. A service/facility unavailable at the time of your survey is now up and running can the criteria now be awarded?

9. Will we be penalised in Criteria 18 if we do not provide a copy of our Local Development Scheme (LDS), even if we were previously awarded the Point for this criteria?

10. When is the next survey going to take place?

11. Once a survey has been completed, how can I view the results?

12. If we don't agree with score awarded to our LPA what can we do?

13. Why do decision notices have to be scanned?

14. If our LPA is not part of the Planning Portal National Planning Register will we be penalised?

Answers

1. We accept comments on applications via email but we did not receive a point in your survey. Could you please explain why?
Often in such cases the planning authority has not provided a clear enough explanation on their planning web pages that comments about applications can be made via e-mail, or an email address is not clearly available. To ensure that the appropriate points are awarded we encourage local authorities to review how user-friendly their e-planning services are.
In other cases, information contained within the council's online planning guidance states that representations/comments must be made in writing and either, posted or hand delivered. Where information stated in the online guidance directly contradicts the online services available, PPA cannot guarantee that a point will be awarded for the service.

2. Why is it necessary to provide a scanned copy of the decision notice?
To receive a point for Criteria 8 we would expect to be able to able to view a scanned copy of the original Statutory Decision Notices online. However, it is acceptable to remove the signature from the web version if it is made clear on the website that the web version is an accurate copy of the original document and an explanation is given to why the signature is removed. If the correct provisions are made it may also acceptable if the decision notices are presented in other electronic formats.

3. What is the minimum requirement for a criteria?
We do not wish to encourage authorities to take a tick box approach to fulfilling the criteria. Authorities are advised to view the Pendleton survey as a reflection of a customer's perspective. User friendliness and functionality are key to meeting the criteria. Please refer to the latest Pendleton Criteria for minimum requirements, however we would encourage authorities to go beyond the minimum and look to provide the best possible service to the customer.

4. Why have the criteria been clarified?
The clarifications have been made in response to feedback from local authorities during and after the previous Pendleton surveys. The aim of the clarified criteria is to answer the queries we received from local authorities. The clarifications were also made in consultation with the ODPM and the Planning Portal.

5. Why do documents have to date back to at least the 1st December 2005?
The Benchmark date of the 1st of December 2005 was introduced as part of the criteria clarification with the aim of increasing the quantity of planning information provided on local authority websites. This benchmark date applies to Clarified Criteria 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Whilst this date does provide a minimum requirement to meet these criteria, we strongly encourage local authorities to provide the user with online information dating back prior to the 1st December 2005 where possible.

6. I have a facility to meet the criteria but it is provided via an external website. We have a link to that website so why did I still did not receive the point?
If you provide some planning services via an external website, this must be clear explained on the council's planning webpages. The link from your local authority website to the external planning website must be accompanied with a brief explanation of which services can be found on the external site and how to access them. Just providing a logo or link to the external website is not sufficient.

7. During your survey we were experiencing technical difficulties with our website. The services are now available so can the points be re-awarded?
Websites are checked twice as part of the survey and any links/facilities that were not functioning are checked for a third time before the results are finalised. If the service is still unavailable it is recorded as not working at the time of testing.

8. A service/facility was unavailable at the time of your survey but it is now up and running. Can the criteria now be awarded?
No. The survey is a snap shot in time and any services/facilities 'going live' after the cut off point are considered absent for the purposes of that survey.

9. Will we be penalised in Criteria 18 if we do not provide a copy of our Local Development Scheme (LDS), even if we were previously awarded the Point for this criteria?
Yes. It is now a requirement that the Council's LDS is available on the authority's website if it is to receive a score for this criteria.

10. When is the next survey going to take place?
The cut off date for the next survey will be 31st December 2005. The survey will take place in a two week period following this date. Changes made after the cut off date can not be taken into consideration.

11. Once a survey has been completed, how can I view the results?
Results tables listing each local authority, the criteria they meet and their score will be available to view on the PPA website shortly after a survey is completed. Local authorities will be notified when there are new results to view. To access the results of the all the website surveys carried out by PPA, click on the link 'Website surveys' on the home page and following the instructions.

12. If we don't agree with score awarded to our LPA what can we do?
Once a survey has taken place, LPA's are given the opportunity to view the results on the PPA website and invited to validate the results online. PPA now have a special Validation form for LPA's to complete, which will be available on our website. All Validation responses must be made using these forms.

If you agree with your score you should let us know using the quick online response form. If you don't agree with your score you will be asked to provide more details. PPA will then respond confirming your final score.

There will be a specific period of time in which you can validate your score. Any forms received after the validation period can not be considered and your score cannot be changed. Before a survey takes place you will be informed well in advance when you can submit comments. Please note, at present only PDG related surveys carry out a validation period.

13. Why do decision notices have to be scanned?
The purpose of this criterion is that a copy of the actual decision notice be available to the user, providing a scan is a good way, from a user point of view, of doing this. If you provide a digital version of the decision notice i.e. the electronic version before it is printed, signed and sent out for example, then you need to take steps to ensure the user that it is an exact and reliable copy of the actual decision notice, and that is acceptable as proof of a decision in the same way as a copy printed at your planning office would be.

14. If our LPA is not part of the Planning Portal National Register will we be penalised?
There is no requirement to be a part of the Planning Portals National Planning Application Register. If your website does link to this service you should have a clear description of the information available. If you present the Plannig portal register alongside your own LPA's application register a clear distinction should be made between the two and the different facilities available.

There is now potential for some LPA's to have up to three 'registers' on there website: a pdf weekly updated list, a more complex application database and a link to the Planning Portal's register for example. Without a clear description of the what each do, the user could miss or be unaware of information which may be available to them.