SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
20. Although the Inspectorate operates panels of
Inspectors with particular specialisms, several witnesses called
for improvements in the quality of Inspectors' specialist knowledge:
the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds wanted a panel of
expert wildlife Inspectors; English Heritage wanted more specialist
architectplanners on the panel of heritage Inspectors; the
British Council for Shopping Centres argued for more retailing
specialists; Beazer Group plc wanted Inspectors with more expertise
in design; and many comments were received on the inadequacies
of Inspectors on rights of way issues.[27]
21. The Inspectorate is pursuing a policy of employing
fewer specialist assessors whilst training Inspectors to have
greater specialist knowledge. This policy is intended to reduce
costs at the same time as increasing the overall knowledge base
of the Inspectorate. If successful, this would seem to be an effective
long-term option[28]
but we are concerned that, until this policy has been fully implemented,
that there may be some areas of inadequate knowledge. The Inspectors'
union, IPMS, noted that there are some problems in that "low
starting salaries mean that some disciplines have been in short
supply: currently, this applies particularly to some specialist
environmental, architectural, and highways work."[29]
We were surprised at the number of witnesses who wrote of their
dissatisfaction with the level of specialist knowledge shown by
Inspectors. The Inspectorate must address any deficiencies or
shortages as soon as they become apparent: proper training is
an essential investment if the Inspectorate is to keep up with
the very rapid changes taking place in environment and planning
policy. Further, we urge the Inspectorate to establish regular
links with those groups representing specialist interests and,
where appropriate, make direct use of these groups in its training
programme. As a check on the adequacy of arrangements, the Inspectorate
should publish details of its specialist panels, including the
membership of each and the level of expertise of each member.
KEEPING UP WITH GOVERNMENT POLICY.
22. As Government policy changes, it is vital that
Inspectors are kept fully informed and take their decisions in
accordance with current policy. Help is provided by the Policy
Unit of the Inspectorate, which aims to keep Inspectors up-to-date
on Government policy. Many witnesses noted the problems posed
by the way policy is often announced or amended in speeches at
conferences[30]
and one Inspector commented that, in some instances, Government
policy is "not entirely clear in the first place".[31]
Similarly, the Local Government Association (LGA) suggested that
the problems of inconsistency in Inspectors' decisions "highlight
the need for clearer Government policies and for clearer guidelines
for Inspectors."[32]
The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) place rather
more responsibility on the Inspectors themselves, and note a number
of decisions "where it appears the views of the Inspectors
are out of step with the latest developments in Government policy"
and also write of what they see as a "disturbing degree of
inertia"[33]
in the Inspectorate's translation of policy into its Inspectors'
decisions. The CPRE went on to call for a strengthened Policy
Unit to help the Inspectors keep abreast with policy.[34]
23. A further problem with the interpretation of
Government policy is how Inspectors should treat draft policy
guidance documents. The Local Government Association wrote that
"authorities do not feel that the Inspectorate gives sufficient
weight to draft Government guidance." This can be particularly
important where a major change of policy is being defined, for
example in the recent PPG3 on Housing. There was a period of nearly
one year between the publication of the draft PPG3 and the final
version, during which Government policy was clearly going to change
although the precise details of change were yet to be decided.
Indeed, the Minister commented that, in publishing the draft PPG,
"it was clear there was a wish to shift policy in that particular
direction."[35]
and also that "it was sensible there should be that move
in that direction prior to the finalisation of guidance."
24. However, all the other evidence we received suggested
that Inspectors gave very little weight to draft guidance. For
example, the LGA told us that, during a planning appeal, the local
authority had "argued draft PPG3 logic and the Inspector
said that it was only draft so he would ignore it."[36]
This statement was effectively confirmed by the Chief Planning
Inspector who told us that draft documents would be "given
relatively little weight" by Inspectors.[37]
25. We believe that the Government must work to
ensure that all aspects of planning policy are clear and unambiguous.
When policy is in flux, it is doubly important that the Inspectorate
are given guidance as to how to interpret policy. We recommend
that the Government issue a guidance note alongside any draft
planning policy guidance which makes clear what weight is to be
attached to the document and the various policies within it in
decisions prior to the issue of final guidance. Any changes in
Government policy must be communicated to all Inspectors as a
matter of urgency, not some time after the event. The Inspectorate
should consider whether a strengthened policy unit is required
to ensure that Inspectors are kept fully informed and are taking
decisions in accordance with current policy.
9 Planning Inspectorate, Statistical Report, 1998/99 Back
10
See, for example, Q58 Back
11 Ev
p23, 38, 51, 63 (HC364-II); Q558, Q227 Back
12
Q175 Back
13
Q176 Back
14
Ev p48 (HC364-II) Back
15
See paragraph 70 onwards Back
16
Ev p55 (HC364-II) Back
17
Q456 Back
18
Planning Inspectorate, Statistical Report 1998/99, p7 Back
19
Planning Inspectorate, Statistical Report 1998/99, p14 Back
20
Ev p94 (HC364-II) Back
21
Q560 Back
22
Q177 Back
23
Q457 Back
24
Planning Inspectorate Journal, No 7, p5 Back
25
Ev p13 (HC364-II) Back
26
Q450 and Q428 Back
27
Ev pp40, 81, 44, 53, 7, 16 and 61 (HC364-II) Back
28
Ev p97 (HC364-II) Back
29
Ev p39 (HC364-II) Back
30
Ev p99 (HC364-II) Back
31
Q182 Back
32
Ev p35 (HC364-II) Back
33
Ev p33 (HC364-II) Back
34
Ev p34 (HC364-II) Back
35
Q645 Back
36
Q96 Back
37
Q484 Back