GETTING INVOLVED IN PLANNING Perceptions of the Wider Public
APPENDIX V - TELEPHONE POLL OF LOCAL AUTHORITY PLANNING DEPARTMENTS
Preamble: explain aims of research and that this is a brief scoping survey to help gauge the extent of activity with a view to identifying up to six case studies for further exploration.
Questions
1. Do you have recent experience in encouraging public involvement in the planning process over and above your statutory requirements?
| Prompt -> | - Development plans
- Development control
- Service reviews about Best Value
- Delegation of planning matters to area committees
- IT initiatives
- Initiatives designed to target excluded groups
- Other initiatives.
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| 2. At what stage in the planning process is participation valued in terms of leading to better quality decisions? |
| 3. What are the implications of enhanced participation? |
| - Advantages? (e.g. accountability, transparency, cost savings, etc.)
- Disadvantages? (e.g. resource implications, delays in decision making, etc.)
|
4. In your experience, what are the barriers to enhanced participation?
We intend to explore experiences and perceptions in up to six LAs as case studies. If we selected your area as a case study:
a) Would one of your members of staff involved be available for an interview not lasting more than one hour at their place of work?
b) Would the Department be able to provide us with contact details of representatives of community and voluntary groups involved with a view to approaching them for interview?