Equality Monitoring

In the past year we have consulted on a significant number of planning documents. During the different stages of consultation, ideas have come forward from local residents and businesses to guide development that will address the needs of local communities. We also ask people using the Planning Service to tell us what they think of the service they have received.

We ask our customers to provide equality monitoring information about themselves which helps to build up a picture of who our customers are and who is getting involved in the plan making process. This information is used to inform future consultation strategies and to improve services to our customers.

Did you know that:

• In 2010 to 2011 we consulted on five long term planning documents (one of which consisted of 39 separate leaflets).
• 1,097 people attended our consultation events.
• Almost 30 per cent were under 18 years of age, but only 3 per cent were aged 18 to 34 years.
• 214 people responded to our Customer Survey 2011.
• Almost 50 per cent of those responding to the Customer Survey were of pensionable age.

It is only to be expected that young people are less likely to make planning applications and comment on this service. However, relatively few young adults got involved in the plan making process. Future consultation events on planning documents may need to use different techniques to attract this group of people, such as the use of social media and other more accessible methods for this age group.

Find out more by looking at the following sections:

• Equality impact assessments
• Consultation events
• Analysis of equality monitoring

We will update this information as we receive more data, to help us understand the numbers and characteristics of those who are using the Planning Service or getting involved in the plan preparation process.

This page of the annual monitoring report was last updated December 2011.