Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
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Public Private Partnership pioneers national planning e-planning consultation service
Ocella Software Systems Limited has launched the first Connector for the Planning Portal e-Consultation Hub. Ocella were the first to respond to the demand of their customers in delivering the connector to the market. The Hub Connector provides a fully integrated online consultation solution for Local Planning Authorities.
The Hub is the only e-consultation method which actively works to improve standards in planning, a key part of the recent Killian Pretty recommendations, and delivers the full benefits of a joined up e-Planning system.
South Oxfordshire District Council has been working in partnership with Ocella during the development phase and has been the pilot site for the first Connector. The pilot was a success and South Oxfordshire District Council went live with the Connector on Wednesday 30th September and are now reaping the benefits of the fully integrated service the connector provides.
Angie Paterson, Cabinet Member for Planning at South Oxfordshire District Council added “We were really happy with the results of the pilot and are looking forward to reaping the benefits the e-Consultation Hub offers. We are proud to be leading the way as the first fully connected LPA using the Hub.”
Every year over a million consultations are carried out by Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) following planning application submissions. A third of these are with Statutory consultees, many of whom have agreed to adopt the national hub as their preferred method of consultation. Currently many LPAs have to submit paper copies of their applications to consultees.
Local authority clients who implement the new Ocella e-Consultation Connector will gain a range of benefits including:
- Automatic sending and receiving of Consultation requests and responses from the hub into the back office system
- Time and cost savings in loading and downloading consultation requests on to the hub
- Process efficiencies including automatic notification of decisions to consultees
Simon Raven, from Ocella Software Systems limited added: “We are really pleased to be the first company to get a Connector for the Hub on the market. In our opinion the e-Consultation Hub is the logical next step for LPAs who have been receiving planning applications electronically for years. This will simply ensure that everyone benefits from the time and cost savings associated with e-working.”
Chris Kendall, Director of the Planning Portal, said today: “I am delighted that Ocella have successfully launched the first e-Consultation Hub Connector. Currently many LPA staff spend considerable time, effort and money printing and circulating paper application files to consultees. Through e-enabling this process, the e-Consultation hub revolutionises the way local authorities and consultees interact, providing a more effective service and significant efficiencies for all participants.
This is an excellent example of the public and private sectors working together to improve services for clients and I am particularly pleased at the commitment and leadership provided by the Ocella team and South Oxfordshire District Council in order to achieve this major milestone.”
The Ocella connector is now available to all of their customers and the Planning Portal is actively working with other suppliers to get more on to the market.
