Performance Measurement Innovation in English PlanningAuthorities

Abstract

Much scholarly and practical policy work has been carried out in recent years on evidence-based policy making and measurement-based performance management. Yet research on performance measurement in spatial planning is still rare. The ‘Best Value’ performance management framework imposed by the UK central government has precipitated a flurry of initiatives amongst English local planning authorities. This article reports on innovations in performance measurement amongst some of these local authorities, reviewing the objectives and mechanisms of measurement, as well as the drivers and inhibitors of measurement behaviour. The research reflects a nationally fragmented picture of measurement and uneven innovation within and amongst authorities, but highlights a number of initiatives that show promise as the basis upon which to develop a more holistic framework for measurement in the future, both in the UK and elsewhere.