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You are here: Home > Business and Planning > Planning > Performance > Charters > Planning Control Service Charter

Planning Control Service Charter

This section provides informaton about the planning control service charter, which allows the Council to measure its performance.

In this charter, we set out the standards we have set ourselves to deal with alleged and substantiated breaches of planning control.

It also contains details of how we publish information on our performance and how users can get the best out of the service. 

This charter is one of four covering services delivered by the Council's Building and Development Services Unit. The others cover planning applications, building control and protection of trees and landscape.

Main features of the service

• Investigating complaints about development to see if planning control has been breached
• Deciding whether any breaches of planning control warrant enforcement action
• Serving notices to remedy unacceptable breaches of planning control or make them acceptable
• Representing the Council in any appeals against notices
• Seeking injunctions (or prosecuting) where serious breaches of planning control arise
• Monitoring development to make sure it complies with the terms of planning permission
• Taking direct action where appropriate if serious offences have occurred

Service Statistics 2002

• The enforcement team consisted of 4 officers
• It received 450 complaints about unauthorised development during the year 
• 1,251 site inspections were carried out
• 24 notices were served
• 15 appeals were lodged
• 3 court prosecutions were initiated
   

If you complain about a development

1. We will register and acknowledge receipt of your written complaint within 3 working days of receipt and tell you what priority the case has been given. 

2. We will visit the site within 10 working days of receiving your complaint, or the next working day if it is registered as a priority case.

3. We will tell you the outcome of our investigation and what we propose to do within 5 working days of the relevant decision or action.

4. We will tell complainants that we have served notices within 5 working days of doing so.

If we investigate something you have done

5. We will explain the problem and, if we think it can be resolved, give you an opportunity to do so by either ending the breach or applying for planning permission

6. We will explain what the problem is, what needs to be done and when it should be done by in any enforcement notice we serve

7. If we serve a notice on you we will inform you of your right to appeal 
General

8. We will monitor progress on up to 70 major development sites each year

9. If an appeal is lodged we will:

• notify interested parties within 5 working days of the start date
• send questionnaires to the Planning Inspectorate within 14 working days of the start date
• send our statements of case to the Planning Inspectorate within 6 weeks of the start date
• exchange proofs of evidence with the appellant and the Planning Inspectorate at least 4 weeks before a public inquiry

10. We will provide general enforcement advice by telephone between 1000 and 1200 hours and 1400 and 1600 hours on working days

11. We will answer the telephone on average within 6 seconds on working days (0845 - 1700 Monday to Thursday and 0845 to 1645 on Fridays)

12. We will reply to letters within 5 working days of receipt, or acknowledge if more time is needed to investigate the matters

13. We will investigate any complaints about the service that we deliver within 14 working days of receipt, or if we need more time, say how much more time before the 14 days are up

How will you know we have achieved these targets?

14. We will review performance against these targets and we will publish the results in the reception at Reigate Town Hall, at help Shops within the Borough and on this website. 

Any changes in performance will be reported to and discussed with the Director of Policy and Environment.

15. Our performance against selected targets may be published annually in the Council's Best Value performance Plan

How you can help?

To help us reduce delays in investigating your complaint

• Provide the fullest possible written details of the matter
• Let us know if any other authority or section, e.g. Council Tax, has investigated the matter

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