Section 106 Databases - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

Hi Jim You're welcome to see our database which we developed in Lambeth. It is web-based, written in Microsoft Active Server Pages (ASP) with SQL Server as the backend. I also use Microsoft Access linked to SQL Server but only to create nice-looking reports. Microsoft Access is not really suitable for an application that needs to be shared across the Council. It is okay as a stand-alone application but it causes problems once it is shared across the network. Our database has been adopted by Horsham District Council. Salford City Council has also expressed an interest. Benny Clutario

At St Helens at present we use iLap, which really does not hold most of the relevant information we need for adequately I would be very interested in seeing some Section 106 monitoring databases if possible. If anyone is interested in sharing theirs or just sharing ideas - please email me at traceycarter@sthelens.gov.uk - thank you for your time.

We are currently implementing a S106 module. Camden were instrumental in the development of this module with Northgate and therefore whilst I would not wish to subvert Northgates IPR I am happy to discuss our original requirements and issues that we considered. I can be contacted at sue.rice@camden.gov.uk or 0207 9742632

We use both Access and Excel to monitor over 900 agreements securing multiply financial and non financial obligations. Access is used to record details by agreement. We record each obligation by its individual trigger (financial, notices due, bonds, works, travel plans etc. it’s easy to add other areas). We record details how each obligation has been met for example payments received including a breakdown between indexation and principal paid, invoice number etc and whether it is still outstanding. We can produce reports to show how much we have secured; received and expended, these reports can be filtered at different levels i.e. town, service area or agreement. We also report on obligations outstanding and when they will be triggered. We use Excel for detailed reporting by service area. Access can’t do calculations very easily. The spreadsheet is by agreement it includes amount secured, received including indexation, interest accrued, expend, remaining contribution (split received and interest), money still due and the relevant clauses from the agreement i.e. expenditure, longstop. On the same spreadsheet we also record in a matrix (because multiple agreements can fund one scheme) the allocation by scheme so that apart from knowing what the agreement is being used I know how much the scheme has and from where. If anyone would like to any more details please feel free to contact me. karen.howe@oxfordshire.gov.uk or 01865 810487

Last year, after looking at a number of alternatives, we implemented LB Lambeth's S106 Database. Lambeth's offering is popular with staff at Horsham - & it's certainly an improvement on the spreadsheets we had previously! Lambeth's system: - web-enabled (.NET/SQL) - multi-user, multi-site/remote access - all interested departments (e.g. Planning/Housing/Leisure/Finance/Grants & Funding etc) can access data & if necessary monitor/update independently - any officer with internal council network access & registered as a user can view the view data online - database application comes with Lambeth’s own reports which can be ‘tweaked’ & do actually work quite well - report writing facilities allow further enhancement/additions - allows obligation trigger dates to be monitored It is straight-forward to implement the system on our network. Lambeth supply the application on CD and you install it on your (intranet) web-server, load some 'local' data (e.g. wards/parishes etc) & user info (windows IDs). Then you're pretty much ready to use the system, which will (after establishing the initial data set) allow you to administer & monitor all agreements, obligations & projects In addition we've implemented through this web-enabled database application: - the finance module allowing access to the latest S106 budget info (downloaded from our corporate financial system) and - facility to view S106 agreements online via our document management system If anyone would like to see a demo of the system or receive more details please feel free to contact matthew.huggett@horsham.gov.uk or 01403-215109. [Demo planned early February ‘09].

We use Acolaid for DC, Building Control and Land Charges amongst other areas. Which includes a comprehensive S106 module that you can customise (some technical expertise required) to your needs. The S106 module will be quite useful as a proactive means to chase up S106 Agreements (once we've transferred all our cases on, a large data entry exercise). But the main benefit is that the data is all connected to the planning case set up by the DC staff. Thus one could cross-reference and reuse information in reports. I've written the coding for including S106 purposes in the recommendation section of the delegated reports, thus it becomes the planning officer who fills in all the S106 heads of terms for their case into Acolaid, saving my repeating the data entry exercise using another system. This only leaves the requirement for the S106 officer to fill in information about the trigger points into the correct part of the module once the agreement is completed. The system allows use of crystal reports as a mechanism of proactively reminding the S106 officer to follow up on particular cases each week, since there is space for setting reminder dates within the module. Lastly, I've also been able to write a document that extracts all the necessary information about the planning case that Legal Staff require to complete the S106 agreements. This has greatly improved the relationship between Planning and Legal staff as well as saving time for case officers. Any questions, send me an email: adam.driscoll@barnet.gov.uk

Having read through this forum, thought it may prove useful to let you know about a Section 106 Process Management solution our company have produced and are currently implementing within a County Council. It is an authority wide solution with key features that include: - The ability to help all departments that have input/requirements into the S106 agreement. - Contains details of S106 Agreements and relevant planning and development details. - Tracks the progress and review status of the S106 creation through the stages from initial enquiry, review stages to setting final heads of terms. - Tracks financial activity including payments due. - Monitors compliance of the Trigger points. - Alerts Planning Obligations managers of Trigger Points being met. - Tracks the Compliance of Terms and alert the Planning Obligations managers of non-compliance. - Provides Management Reporting. - Provides an interface for departmental S106 systems for data sharing /avoiding dual keying. - Full document management and production. - Full electronic archiving & storage. - Exclusively browser-based. - Two-way integration with MS Outlook, Novell Groupwise & Lotus Notes mail and calendaring systems. - Automated alerts and reminders. If you would like any more information please feel free to email me on ben.lawler@tricostar.com

I have just read through this forum discussion about s106 databases. At Suffolk County Council we are currently working with Tricostar (as per Ben Lawler's most recent posting). In addition to the key features that Ben outlined the system has the potential to be effective across the whole County to include all the local planning authorities, PCTs and Police. At present Tricostar is used in our legal services team and also by all the district/borough council legal teams across the County (under doing business better initiative). We are working closely with Tricostar to extend the existing system to cover s106 corporately across the County Council. More than happy to be contacted via email neil.mcmanus@property.suffolkcc.gov.uk or 01473 264121.

Hi We have just started looking at this - does anyone have any S106 database which they are willing to share? Many Thanks Laura Parker laura.parker@derbyshiredales.gov.uk

I am currently going through the same process, I have invited quotes to supply a system of a given spec which attracted 88 responses for further information. Ultimately, 10 quotes were received, these were shortlisted down to 4 and those invited to demonstrate their system. Our preferred candidate comes in at approx £17k for a 'no frills, does what it says on the tin' system (for a 4 year period), and has been invited back to demonstrate to senior managers. Initially I was a fan (and still am to some extent) of the Colchecter system, but our IT dept raised concerns over support and development issues. should anyone want further infomation, please call!

We have looked at a variety of different databases for S106 Monitoring over the last couple of years, including the Colchester and Lambeth systems. We initially discounted the Colchester system as it was an Access database (although I understand that there is a web-based system in development?). The Lambeth system looked to provide what we were looking for, but due to in-house technical issues we had to discount this as well. Then IDOX released information on their new Obligation Tracker product, and we have been acting as the pilot authority for this since the new year. We are aiming to 'go live' with the product by the end of May. I have demonstrated the product to most of our internal departments, and all feel this will be a vast improvement to our current spreadsheet based 'system'. The cost is very competative to other S106 systems, and can track multiple obligation types (e.g. S106 and CIL) and associated financial and non-financial purposes (or clauses). This includes tracking the payments to the projects that are funded from the obligations, and so gives a clear audit trail of how the money is being spent, and which application has provided the funding. If you want further information then I suggest you contact James Sealey at IDOX (james.sealey@idoxgroup.com), as I will be on leave until the 20 April, but happy to provide more info when I get back!

The Colchester database has recently been updated to cope with all aspects of Section 106 accounting it is available in the access version for free; if you attend the workshop, but we are also in the final stages of developing our low cost commercial version of the database in a .net platform, this is in partnership with a third part software house which will offer full software support and regular upgrades. The next Section 106 workshop is to be held in Colchester on the 23rd to the 24th September 2010.

Geoff, How different is the updated database to your original one? I attended your course at Birmingham in October 2007 and would be interested to see what changes you have made. Any chance of an updated copy please? Thanks.

Hi, I have been developing a web based relational database at Wokingham Borough Council. This is with QES (quality education solutions) company. I have looked for something suitable after years of unsatisfactory work with excel spreadsheets and duplication of work across the Council. We are aiming to have all officers using the same database by means of different permissions for different sections. Currently approaching the end of the pilot testing period. If anyone is interested I would be glad to give them more details.

Here at South Ribble we're considering the Colchester database. I'd love to hear from anyone in the North West (preferably Lancashire) who uses the system and would be happy to let us look at it.

Apart from the brief mention of the new IDOX Obligation Tracker back in March from Winchester, can anyone else provide feedback on its usability? Thoughts on this would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Winchester City Council went Live with Obligation Tracker in July and are now logging all new agreements, and associated obligations, onto the system. We are also starting to identify projects that are being funded from these agreements, and relating these directly to the original planning application. Back capturing data is envisaged but this hasn't started yet. It is a very easy system to use and we haven't had any significant problems with it. There are some limitations in the reporting for the Projects side of the system. We have requested a new standard report from IDOX which we are still waiting for. Let me know if you want any further information.

Hello All. We are currently deploying a new Web Enabled Section 106 Application with Reading Borough Council. The application is a fully managed and hosted, delivering access from the office, at home and on the move via mobile devices and SmartPhones. Working closely with Reading Borough Council, the application has been designed to deliver a rich and transparent view of Section 106 tracking / monitoring across departments, which includes: 1. Direct linking with projects, financial management and alerting of triggers. 2. Rich reporting, Outlook integration and Service led views of data. 3. Financial activity tracking and integration with third party applications. 4. Easy historical data uploading and integration. 5. Dynamic document creation of standard communications and documents. 6. Archiving and Real Time Management Reporting. We would be happy to provide a free consultation of your requirements so please feel free to contact me at paul.robinson@acumen-insights.com. Alternatively, please feel free to contact Michael Hart at Reading Borough Council for further information (Michael.Hart@reading.gov.uk).

cdpsoft Ltd's cdpSmart monitoring product is used by districts across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northants, Derbyshire, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Islington and we are currently rolling out to Hertfordshire. (We also provide the London Development Database which monitors permissions across all 33 London Boroughs for the London Plan) It is a comprehensive planning monitoring product that takes over where district local Development Control systems finish in that it stores information for every planning permission for its full lifecycle (proposed/lost plot level res/non res, openspace, sustainability, renewable power starts/competions etc). It has replaced the local Excel/Access solutions that were often only understood by one or two staff members and its unlimited user licenses as standard model means that the data can be accessed both internally and externally. It can be deployed across multiple local authorities using a shared instance, such as in our county deployments, and is web hosted. cdpSmart currently has an S106 module that allows each permission's obligations to be recorded, and elements from each obligation to be grouped into S106 projects. We are working with existing cdpSmart customers to create an enhanced S106 module in the first quarter of 2011. This module will feature the ability to enter full financial obligation details, notification obligations, works obligations, bond obligations, expenditure details, land transfer obligations and travel plan obligations, together with full financial information. cdpSmarts unique feature that sets it apart from other products is that our customer's monitoring staff are already using the database to monitor all planning permissions hence this isn't a standalone database but one which will already contain the plot level detail of every permission, menaing that there is a single view of each permission and full details do not have to be rentered into a standalone database. cdpSmart features full spatial integration and embedded reporting with a built-in report designer. We believe that S106 monitoring should be part of a single, unified, comprehensive spatial planning monitoring solution and not a standalone database where permission data must be duplicated. cdpSmart from cdpsoft Ltd - mike.cooper@cdpsoft.com

Hi, we use a standalone system from a company called DEF Soft Ltd It is easy to use, has a geographical search so you match projects needing money to contributions that have money in close proximity. The system has built in reports and the systems links to MS Office for any other reporting you need. If you'd like to talk to them T: +44(0)191 519 7246 or email - team@def.co.uk

As an addition to Pete's comment, I thought it worthwhile mentioning that we have delivered our S106 Legal Agreements to a number of Local Authorities including Bournemouth BC, South Northamptonshire Council, Crawley Borough, East Sussex CC, North Yorkshire CC & Devon CC. We developed the software in conjunction with a focussed steering group of LA's who engineered the specification over a period of around 12-months. You can learn more here: http://www.def.co.uk/our-software/legal-agreements If you'd like to know more about the software system or would like a demonstration, please just get in touch. df@def.co.uk or call 0191 519 7245. DEF Software Limited.

Apart from the brief mention of the IDOX Obligation Tracker back in 2010 from Winchester, can anyone else provide feedback on its effective usability? We have struggled since last May to get Idox to successfully load the 270 cases from our Uniform Development Monitoring module into OT. To date, the initial data load had only partially come across, missing crucial values and dates in certain screens. We have also come across a bug in the Received Date field in the Triggers screen. Thoughts on this would be very much appreciated as we have yet to go-live with the software. Thank you.