Wycombe District Council reduced the annual cost of its planning service by £500,000 without cutting jobs - winning industry recognition and praise from Mazars.

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In 2017, Wycombe District Council’s (WDC) Planning and Sustainability service (P&S) faced an uncertain future. The Government was considering opening the planning system to competition, a possible unitary merger loomed, and the authority was under great financial pressure.

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At that time, P&S comprised 75 staff and cost around £3m pa to run (£1.5m in income to the
council, £1.5m in revenue funding from the taxpayer). Some councils had responded to similar pressures by cutting their workforce. As the P&S Head of Service, Penelope Tollitt observed, cutting staff “would make the problem smaller, but you would still have a problem.” Instead, she set up a change programme with a clear vision:

We will be financially self-sufficient and the model for future modernised local government services. At our heart will be highly skilled and motivated colleagues and a vibrant team spirit built on a culture of continuous improvement and learning. Clients will be willing to pay for the services they receive. Local people will understand and trust the decisions made.

In December 2017, Peter Forest was appointed as Commercial and Change Manager on a 2-year contract. An ex-developer of wind farms and nuclear new-build, Peter Forest also brought over 15 years’ experience in business improvement.

 

See the Post Implementation Review below and read our coverage in Planning Resource magazine. An independent audit of the programme by Mazars can be discussed at interview.