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Whitehorse City

Profile Performance
Performance Summary
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    Statutory Planning

    Provision of land use and development assessment services to applicants and the community including advice and determination of applications

    Time taken to decide planning applications

    Median number of days taken between receipt of a planning application and a decision on the application

    Whitehorse City (2020-2021)

    53 days

    Similar Councils (2020-2021)

    75.32 days

    All Councils (2020-2021)

    67.32 days

    Performance Trend

    Table view Graph view
    Reporting Period Whitehorse City Similar Councils All Councils
    2017-2018 81 days 92.82 days 69.69 days
    2018-2019 67 days 85.98 days 69.6 days
    2019-2020 62 days 75.98 days 65.41 days
    2020-2021 53 days 75.32 days 67.32 days

    Whitehorse City Council Says...

    This is a strong result which is substantially lower than the metropolitan average, owing to improvements in internal processes to enable faster processing times.

    Planning applications decided within required time frames

    Percentage of VicSmart planning application decisions made within 10 days and regular planning application decisions made within 60 days

    Whitehorse City (2020-2021)

    59.73%

    Similar Councils (2020-2021)

    72.09%

    All Councils (2020-2021)

    73.20%

    Performance Trend

    Table view Graph view
    Reporting Period Whitehorse City Similar Councils All Councils
    2017-2018 44.40% 58.99% 69.63%
    2018-2019 37.97% 62.35% 70.17%
    2019-2020 44.59% 69.90% 73.97%
    2020-2021 59.73% 72.09% 73.20%

    Whitehorse City Council Says...

    Council has continued to make significant improvements to the number of VicSmart decisions made within time, which has nearly doubled from 233 in 2019/20 to 452 in 2020/21. The time taken to appropriately assess larger complex applications coupled with Council's ongoing commitment to community consultation often make it difficult to meet the 60 day timeframe for decisions on regular permits.

    Cost of statutory planning service per planning application

    Direct cost to council of the statutory planning service per planning application received

    Whitehorse City (2020-2021)

    $2,175.56

    Similar Councils (2020-2021)

    $2,867.68

    All Councils (2020-2021)

    $2,483.12

    Performance Trend

    Table view Graph view
    Reporting Period Whitehorse City Similar Councils All Councils
    2017-2018 $2,573.96 $2,757.12 $2,459.07
    2018-2019 $2,288.70 $2,810.14 $2,615.43
    2019-2020 $2,048.10 $2,916.38 $2,645.65
    2020-2021 $2,175.56 $2,867.68 $2,483.12

    Whitehorse City Council Says...

    The increase in this indicator is mainly due to a reduction in the number of planning applications received in 2020/21 compared to the previous year. This is attributed to the slow down in development activity due to COVID-19.

    Council planning decisions upheld at VCAT

    Percentage of council planning application decisions subject to review by VCAT that were not set aside

    Whitehorse City (2020-2021)

    47.06%

    Similar Councils (2020-2021)

    58.80%

    All Councils (2020-2021)

    49.81%

    Performance Trend

    Table view Graph view
    Reporting Period Whitehorse City Similar Councils All Councils
    2017-2018 58.11% 56.56% 61.19%
    2018-2019 56.90% 52.54% 52.64%
    2019-2020 52.38% 60.84% 50.61%
    2020-2021 47.06% 58.80% 49.81%

    Whitehorse City Council Says...

    There was a decrease in the number of planning decisions upheld at VCAT this financial year, which has been gradually reduced over the past four years. These results do not include successful negotiations through the compulsory conference process undertaken with Council. Council continues to try to resolve planning applications outside of VCAT's hearing process.
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