Appeals

Key Benefits:

Handles both Planning and Enforcement Appeals
Automatic calculation of due dates
Intuitive & intelligent Workflow
GIS enabled
Full legislative updates
Powerful reporting

The Appeal Process Made Simple

Although most Planning authorities handle only a limited number of Appeal cases, they still need to document every aspect meticulously. DEF Appeals is on hand to provide this level of required detail. As part of the MasterGov suite of applications, DEF Appeals is a full module with integrated links to both Planning and Enforcements.

Features Include:

List of common Appeal types
List monitoring categories
Record full decision details including all conditions and reasons
Store key dates including inquiry / hearing details
List an unlimited number of consultees and generate letters automatically
Create a list of neighbour notifications and generate letters automatically
Store associated documents against the case
Record detailed information relating to Enforcement Appeals
Note the Planning Inspectorate number for each case

This module allows the Council to process the full life cycle of an appeal including calculating the statutory statement and questionnaire dates, sending consultation letters, informing neighbours and recording the decision along with any associated conditions. The module benefits from the latest changes in legislation including minor commercial (shop front) applications.

Once registered, every aspect of the Appeal can be logged, with the module guiding the user through the full end-to-end process. Reassuringly, the system allows the authority to keep detailed records that would stand up to any legal challenge. As with the other modules in the MasterGov suite, Appeals benefits from a consistent user interface that is mirrored throughout.

The module supports Appeal cases originating from either Planning applications or Enforcement cases. These can be in the form of written representations, hearings, or inquiries. When creating Appeal records, users can elect to copy across data from either of the aforementioned modules, both saving time and ensuring accuracy. With GIS links to ESRI ArcGIS and QGIS, authorities can digitise Appeal cases or simply copy them from the originating application geometry. This will in turn greatly reduce the time taken to generate lists of consultees and neighbour notifications.

Core Features

MasterGov is packed with common features available to all modules

Workflow

The MasterGov suite contains an integrated workflow system. This task-based system allows the Council to define workflow processes for each module and have the system automatically apply them as the case progresses.

Notifications

MasterGov is supplied with Alert and Reminder capability, allowing custom alerts / reminders to be sent to specific officers to alert them of a forthcoming deadline.

Full GIS Solutions

MasterGov is supplied with QGIS GIS Solution, providing you with all the tools required for spatial data capture, analysis and constraint checking.

Access Control

DEF recommend using an Active Directory group which is added to the SQL Server database to provide system access. In doing so the DBA does not have to add individual users to the database server. Instead individual users will be added to the AD group.

Document Management

MasterGov has its own Document Management System for storing letters, documents, certificates, emails and photographs relating to records stored in the database.

Reporting

MasterGov takes advantage of Microsoft's SSRS Reporting functionality to allow limitless Reports and Dashboards to be created across all modules within the MasterGov suite. Management dashboards and automated report delivery included as standard.