6.14 In addition to the proposals set out in the Penfold Review, the Government has been examining further means of ensuring that statutory bodies' working practices can be improved to deliver timely, informed and proportionate advice.
6.15 The Government will bring forward measures to be implemented in summer 2012 to ensure that there is a more effective mechanism for applicants obtaining an award of costs, if there is an appeal against a refusal of planning permission, where a statutory consultee has acted unreasonably. In the longer term, the Government will work to extend this principle to the pre-application phase of the major infrastructure planning process.
6.16 The Government will bring forward proposals to improve the performance of the key statutory consultees in responding to applications and measures for consultation on strengthening existing time-limits for the provision of responses on planning applications. This will include the key statutory bodies bringing forward an improvement plan by spring 2012.
6.17 The Government will also:
• accompany the amendments to remits proposed as part of the Penfold Review with a requirement that the bodies demonstrate the role they are playing in supporting sustainable development. The Government will consider provisions to ensure progress is reported back to Ministers;
• strengthen relationship management by the bodies with major developers. The Government will consider proposals to provide a named relationship manager at board level for the largest 25 developers that statutory consultees interact with; and
• increase the transparency of the key statutory consultee bodies. The Government will consider measures to publish staff instructions, increase the detail of performance statistics and increase the use of satisfaction surveys.