Planning Service Software

Tender description

Supply of a Planning Services Software System. Lot 1: Introduction and Context - Wrexham County Borough Council is a single tier authority incorporating a comprehensive range of local services. The Councils planning and building control functions are located with Planning and Regulation service. The service also includes land charges, planning policy and planning enforcement services. - The council is interested in seeking new solutions to the provision of the statutory development management, land charges and building control services. - To ensure compliance with The Welsh Language Act 1993, any new system should facilitate both English and Welsh language engagement through the web-site in terms of application search tools or associate web presence. - In addition, the Council is interested in enhancing its performance across each of these areas through improved information sharing between each section, greater control over work flow processes, integration with the Councils existing EDMS system (Civica), greater online presence regard the presentation of GIS data and associated meta-data. - Opportunities to enable greater on-site access to read record data, record site visit details and progress work flow actions would be highly desirable. - Workflow management and progress reporting tools potentially though the use of dash-board solutions are required to support wider service delivery - Ability for staff to have ability to easily create new reports, templates and process to react to new legislative or resource requirements. - Integration with external systems for data sharing notably receiving applications from the Welsh Planning Portal but also exporting information e.g. quarterly returns. - The system should enable end-users (public/ applicants/ consultees) to register for location based searches and to secure reports on decision, applications and other associated registers e.g. telecoms, enforcement etc. Current Status - The Council presently utilises three systems to deliver development management, land charges and building control services. - iLAP by NEC (formerly Northgate) as the applications register, - Digital 360 by Civica as the EDMS which incorporates some workflow management and - ProPrinter from By Design and MapInfo from Precisely (formerly Pitney Bowes) which together provide our GIS solution. MapInfo is used by a limited number of officers to create and manage GIS data whereas ProPrinter is more widely used as a GIS data viewer. - Each of these packages is hosted by the Council on a traditional server framework. Some web presence is provided including the ability to search for applications which allows the public to view submitted application documents. Neighbour letters are not online due to complexities and risks associated with GDPR requirements and redaction overheads. It would be desirable if a full online planning file can be provided within existing resource capabilities. Please see document uploaded in the Additional Notice Options - Additional Documents section of this notice for full details of this requirement.