Issue - items at meetings - Replacement of Briighton & Hove Sustainability Checklist

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached).

(1)         That the Cabinet Member endorses the replacement of the currently outsourced Sustainability Checklist with a new in-house version hosted by the council’s ICT services.

(2)         That the Cabinet Member agrees the timetable of production, testing, and implementation of the new in-house Sustainability Checklist by 1 April 2011.

(3)         That approval be given for the in-house version of the Brighton & Hove Sustainability Checklist to be adopted, subject to any minor non-material alterations agreed by the Strategic Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment.

77.1               The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place seeking approval to make changes to the council’s online sustainability checklist, which is a council requirement for all who submit residential planning applications, to make the checklist more user-friendly for applicants and improve the quality of the data used for monitoring purposes.

77.2               The Cabinet Member explained that the new online checklist would be easier to use and update. It would be hosted “in-house” by the council’s own ICT service, ending the existing arrangement whereby it was provided by an outside company and saving the council money. Training would be provided for local agents, members and officers prior to the checklist going on general release.

77.3               Councillor Mitchell welcomed proposals to bring the checklist in-house and utilise the expertise available within the council to potentially make savings, providing that the requirements within the checklist were not reduced.

77.4               The Head of Planning & Public Protection confirmed that the requirements would not be affected; the focus would be on making the checklist more robust and easier to use.

77.5               RESOLVED - That having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:

(1)         That replacement of the currently outsourced Sustainability Checklist with a new in-house version hosted by the council’s ICT services be endorsed.

(2)         That the timetable of production, testing, and implementation of the new in-house Sustainability Checklist by 1 April 2011 be agreed.

(3)         That approval be given for the in-house version of the Brighton & Hove Sustainability Checklist to be adopted, subject to any minor non-material alterations agreed by the Strategic Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment.