What We Do
The Panel considers all complaints made against the Planning Inspectorate that the Inspectorate considers to be justified to see if any lessons can be learned. It also looks at a selection of the complaints that the Inspectorate has decided are unsubstantiated to consider whether the Inspectorate’s categorisation of the complaint (ie “justified” or “unsubstantiated”) is appropriate.
The Panel’s role is advisory only. Under its terms of reference it does not comment on the quality of an individual Inspector’s work nor does it consider the merits of individual cases. Information obtained through the observation of the Inspectorate’s work by the Panel is used only to enable the Panel to assess whether the Inspectorate’s work is being maintained at a high standard.
Terms of Reference
1. To advise the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government on the maintenance and enhancement of professional standards within the Planning Inspectorate and in particular:
- to prepare an annual report to the Secretary of State and the First Minister on professional quality standards within the Inspectorate;
- to indicate in the annual report whether the Inspectorate’s professional quality assurance, quality control and training systems are in place and functioning properly, taking account of any general improvements in service quality including improvements arising out of the Inspectorate’s consideration of, and response to, individual complaints, High Court Challenges and Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman cases;
- to undertake specific one-off studies relevant to the Panel’s quality assurance role, as requested by the Secretary of State or the First Minister.
Working Methods
2. The role of the Panel is advisory only. But to enable them to advise the Secretary of State and the First Minister effectively about matters affecting the maintenance of quality within the Inspectorate, Panel members will have access to Inspectors’ reports and decisions and to other relevant material associated with resolved complaints, High Court Challenges or Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman cases. They may also ask to see other papers prepared by the Inspectorate which have a bearing on quality assurance, quality control and training systems. Subject to the agreement of the Chief Executive, Panel members shall have full access to any inquiry, hearing or meeting of the Inspectorate where this would assist their work, always providing this is not opposed by any party to the appeal, hearing or inquiry.
3. Panel members may not concern themselves with the merits of individual cases or decisions, nor may they comment on the quality of an individual Inspector’s work. The information obtained through their observation of the work of the Inspectorate may be used only to inform consideration of broad issues of quality. Panel members may draw on any of the material to which they have access in drawing up their annual report. The Panel will at all times be expected to exercise care in the use it makes of any case specific information so as not to prejudice the outcome of any judicial or quasi-judicial process.
4. For administrative convenience, it will be open to the Panel to make proposals for quality improvements direct to the Chief Executive for consideration in advance of its annual report to the Secretary of State and First Minister. Where such improvements are agreed and implemented, they should be recorded in the report.
5. The Panel will need to be aware of the role of the Council on Tribunals in overseeing the openness, fairness and impartiality of the inquiry procedures and should not duplicate the work of the Council in those respects.