Planning Performance Statistics: quality assurance information

Context

This note sets out the quality assurance checks that are undertaken to produce the Planning Performance Statistics publications.

The survey is returned in the form of an Excel spreadsheets which details each planning application decision within the reporting period.  

Any errors or anomalies that are picked up using the checks are documented and fed back to the data providers for correction.  This process is iterated until all errors are cleared.  Draft results are then produced and fed back to data providers to review and confirm as correct. 

MACRO Checks in Excel

Development Type - check for invalid codes

Application Status or Decision - check for invalid codes

Decision Type - check for invalid codes

Clock Stops - checks that all clock stops on the main data sheet also appear on the clock stop sheet and vice versa.

Manual Checks in Excel

Application Reference Number – check for duplicate applications

Clock Stop Reason – check reason given for every application and that reason is external to council’s control

Application Type – check for invalid types

Planning/Legal Agreement – check all are Y or N

Processing Agreement or Other Project Plan – check all are Y or N and where Y check Timescales Met column is either Y, N or blank.

Development Type Consistency Check – checks that Development Type Number, Development Type Description, Application Type and Application Status or Decision are consistent with each other.

N18s (Prior Notification Approvals) – check that the applications status/decision should normally be one of the following: Prior Approval Not Required, Prior Approval Required – Granted or Prior Approval Required – Refused.

Decision Date Check – check that the date decision issued is within required time period of the survey

Local Reviews - check that the total number of decisions upheld matches the details of the individual cases.

Enforcement Activity - check that enforcement activity has been completed for each quarter.

Applications Received and Validated - check as a minimum the number of applications validated has been completed.

Publication Checks

In the write-up of the data each data point is double-checked by a team member against the raw data and all text is also proof read. 

All tables, charts, figures and annexes are proof read. 

All published outputs are then signed-off by the senior member of the team.  The Deputy Director approves all material to be published.  

The surveys forms are double checked before they are sent out to data providers.

Scottish Government
August 2022