There will be a review of the services by the Planning Advisory Service that took place within the council’s first year.

There were six legacy planning systems in place from the old council system and one of the ten key recommendations was to combine into one single software platform to provide better functionality for customers and a simple workflow and performance management.

The planning convergence and transformation project is underway to achieve this crucial step. It will clear the backlog, converge the six systems into one, then transform the planning service around the council’s customers, improving communication and making the most of new technology. The first phase to transfer information from the former North Dorset District Council has been completed. Data from West Dorset will be transferred in December. The other remaining legacy council systems will then migrate in 2021.

Whist the transfer is in progress, there is a period where comments cannot be made on the system. This is communicated to all those interested in the process with an extension of deadlines if needed.

Once the transfer of data is complete, work will start on transforming the user experience of the planning portal.

Dorset Council portfolio holder for planning, Cllr David Walsh, said, “This is an important piece of work. Everyone is working hard to ensure that all the information is transferred and accessible for our customers to use.

“I ask that people bear with us where they have experienced a lack of functionality or delay caused by the outage that happens during transfer. I understand that this can be frustrating, but we are working to make the system better and more user-friendly.”

The report can be viewed at https://moderngov.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/s21976/Cabinet%202020-12-08%20PAS%20review%20FINAL%20APPROVED.pdf