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Planning Service Northern Ireland
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Responsibilities

 

3.1 The agency is subject to the overall direction and control of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Minister to whom oversight of the Department is delegated.
3.2 The Minister determines the policy framework within which the agency operates and the scope of its activities. The Minister determines the resources to be made available to the agency, approves Corporate and Business Plans, sets key performance targets and monitors performance. The Minister does not normally become involved in the day to day operation of the agency but expects to be consulted by the Chief Executive on the handling of operational matters which could give rise to significant public or parliamentary concern.
3.3 The Chief Executive is directly responsible to the Minister for the agency’s performance and operations and specifically for :

preparing draft Corporate and Business plans, including key performance targets and submitting them to the Minister for approval;

achieving the key performance targets;

managing resources efficiently, effectively, economically and in accordance with the principles of fairness and equality as outlined in Government policy;

preparing an Annual Efficiency Plan for the agency;

providing the Minister with such information as is required to enable the agency’s performance to be monitored;

preparing an Annual Report and Accounts for submission to the Minister;

ensuring that all aspects of the management and organisation of the agency are kept under review and ensuring that they best suit the agency’s business needs; and,

contributing to the Department’s development and formulation of policy, including assessing the impact and practicability of proposed policy changes, and ensuring that the agency is in a position to implement change expeditiously and effectively.
3.4 The Chief Executive is a member of the Departmental Committee and contributes to the development of the Department’s overall management strategy. The Chief Executive will also provide information and advice required by the Permanent Secretary in connection with his overall responsibilities for the Department. The Chief Executive has direct access to the Minister on all delegated matters and is consulted before any proposals significantly affecting the work of the agency are put to the Minister by the core of the Department.
3.5 The Permanent Secretary, as principal Accounting Officer, is responsible for the management of the Department as a whole and is the principal policy adviser to the Minister. The Permanent Secretary nominates an official who is responsible for providing support and advice to the Chief Executive and for advising the Minister on the strategic direction of the agency, its Corporate and Business Plans, the annual setting of key performance targets and the resources needed to achieve them. The nominated official is also responsible for advising on the performance of the agency against its key targets and on policy issues governing the work of the agency, consulting the Chief Executive as appropriate.
3.6 The Ministerial Advisory Board is appointed by the Minister, and is chaired by the official nominated by the Permanent Secretary and consists of representatives of the core of the Department and non-Departmental members. The Board’s role is to advise the Minister on the strategic direction of the agency and in particular on :-

the Corporate and Business Plans of the agency, including key performance measures and targets;

the agency’s performance against the targets set in its Corporate and Business Plans; and,

other strategic issues which have implications for the Agency.