Barking and Dagenham Council's street naming and numbering service is on track to achieve a prestigious Platinum award from GeoPlace, building on its consistent record of Gold awards for an accurate address register. The service, managed by Naomi, has demonstrated exceptional performance, meeting its key performance indicator (KPI) of responding to inquiries within three working days 100% of the time. This commitment to efficiency and accuracy was a key highlight during a recent Planning Performance Review Sub-Committee meeting, as detailed in the Planning Performance Review covering report - 2025-26.
Barry Coughlan, Head of Statutory Planning Services, presented the update, noting that the street naming and numbering team, despite being a team of one, is performing exceptionally well. Beyond the three-day response time for inquiries, the service's responsibilities include maintaining an up-to-date address register and correcting historic errors, all of which contribute to its high GeoPlace ratings. The council's policy for naming streets generally requires individuals to be deceased for at least 10 years, a measure designed to prevent challenges in vetting names proposed by the public. However, this policy can be overridden by political leadership if they deem a name appropriate. This allows for the recognition of individuals, even those recently deceased or still alive, based on the leadership's judgment and vouching for them. For instance, the recently deceased Trevor Locke was honoured, and consideration has been given to naming streets after strikers from the Ford factory, some of whom may still be alive. This process also involves consultation with emergency services to avoid confusion, particularly if a proposed name is also a personal dwelling name.
To ensure continuity of service should Naomi be absent, specific support mechanisms are in place. An officer from the planning admin team spends one day a week with Naomi, receiving training on the necessary software and procedures. This officer is equipped to step in if required. Furthermore, Ella King, the admin lead and Naomi's line manager, is also fully capable of providing support and ensuring service continuity.
The council's performance in this area is also reflected in its broader planning metrics, as shown in the Authority Monitoring Report 2024-25 Highlights.
