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Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2003

Application form

This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically (pdf version) on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning . Please complete all four questions. The deadline is 12 September 2003. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.

Please provide a name and contact details of the organisation responsible for this work. If partners were involved, identify the lead organisation, and then list the other partners/bodies who had a key role.

Name of key partners (if appropriate)

Please complete the form by providing a brief summary (in no more than the space provided) of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude, with a key reason, as to why you think this work merits an Award.

Please tick the key criteria which relate to this entry:

You must describe in your written submission (below) how the criteria which you have ticked relates to your project.

Description of project

The focus of the project was to actively encourage public involvement in the Development Plan process principally at the Local Plan level, rather than simply pursuing standard public consultation. Involvement was encouraged throu~h a range of mechanisms from making the Plan and the process more understandable in the first place to then making it easier for people to engage in the process The key features of the project were:

• Preparation of high quality user friendly documents and literature which is concise, relevant and easy to understand. To assist during the 'consultation' process, Consultation Packs were produced with an explanation of what the Development Plan is; why, how and when to get involved; an Easy Read Structure Plan; and simple summaries of general Local Plan issues and settlement specific issues.
• The timing of involvement to ensure that it commenced at The earliest opportunity. For the Local Plan, consultation commenced with an issues stage, to enable the public and interested parties to consider matters afresh rather than respond to proposals.
• Concurrent 'consultation' on the Structure and Local Plan (although the Plans were appropriately at different stages), to help public appreciation that the Plans together form the Development Plan for their area. By involving the public in both together, the important linkage was made and people concerned with a local issue were able to influence the process at the strategic level.
• To reach new customers: those that were not familiar with the planning system and how it could impact on them. The vocal minority, statutory consultees and community councils are important but they know how to get involved. Our aim was to make all people aware, then help them appreciate that the Plan would affect them. We sought to heighten understanding through a focused exercise utilising techniques for general awareness and direct notification.
• Utilisation of a range of mechanisms, both traditional and innovative. Consultation with our Customer Service Advisory Group (with representatives from Community Councils, Interests Groups, statutory consultees and local agencies) helped ensure that we were using the most appropriate mix of techniques and thereby able to attract a wide range of people. It was important that our customers were satisfied that what we were doing would achieve what they wanted and not simply what we thought would work.
• Formal and informal approaches were used, with a focus on interactive two way communication and a stimulating environment.
• The importance of feedback was recognised. Reports were prepared following each stage of the process to summarise formal and informal feedback (including non planning related matters with clarification of which relevant Council Service or other organisation the comment was passed to). During the 'consultation' process, the local papers were kept informed of events and key issues raised, to encourage the Development Plan to be reported upon thereby further promoting awareness/involvement.

Timescale (over which the project has developed)

The project was ongoing between May 1999 and September 2002. There were three key stages, which related to the 'consultation' phases of the Clackmannanshire Structure Plan with the Clackmannanshire Local Plan.

Stage 1; - May - August 1999 'Consultation' on Draft Structure Plan and Issues stage of Local Plan.

Stage 2: - October. December 2000 'Consultation' on Finalised Structure Plan and Draft Local Plan. Stage 3: - July September 2002 'Consultation on Finalised Local Plan, following approval of the Structure Plan (in March 2002).

Given that the replacement Local Plan was commenced to tie in with preparation of the Structure Plan and its various stages, it was inevitable that the Local Plan process would take longer than usually desirable. However the benefits achieved in the clear linkage between the two has been significant, and has outweighed the disbenefit, If we had waited until approval of the Structure Plan before starting the Local Plan, a quicker Local Plan process would certainly have been achieved but speed is only one issue. We took this, for us, unique opportunity of progressing them together and focusing on public awareness.

Context (the problem which had to be addressed)

The problem was not a localised one to Clackmannanshire. There has been and is an acknowledged difficulty in achieving public participation in planning. Our ongoing enthusiasm in engaging the public led to numerous approaches having been attempted Over the last decade with increasing success. Prior to work related to preparation of the replacement Clackmannanshire Local Plan, our attempts were disappointing, as explained below, which led to the need for a total re-assessment. In 1988, with the Scottish Development Department. as Clackmannan District Council, we prepared a District Wide Loral Plan, which was appended to PAN 34 as an example of good practice for presentation. Its focus was simplicity and we used that to encourage public awareness and involvement. Developers and statutory consultees welcomed the format but we wanted to involve local people. Supplement newspapers were prepared in full colour and sent to all households in the county. These papers were informative and included settlement plans showing proposals. They advertised exhibitions in all local libraries, and public meetings. Despite this, meetings were very poorly attended and only a small number of representations were received to the various stages of the Local Plan. It was clear that the general public were not aware of the Development Plan, and did not appreciate the importance/relevance to them. Accordingly, they did not become involved. Our approach at that time was largely traditional and unsuccessful. With the introduction of Section 18A, and subsequently Section 25 of the Town and County Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, the importance of the Development Plan was heightened. For our two Local Plan Alterations (adopted in 1998 and 1998), alternative low-key mechanisms were pursued with informal exhibitions and drop-in events within shops in town centres rather than formal meetings. The expedited procedure was used for both and although some improvement in awareness was achieved through improved advertising and press coverage, there was still significant room for improvement. Developers had a stronger interest/involvement with the new status of the Development Plan, but the general public remained largely unaware.

When work on the replacement Clackmannanshire Local Plan was programmed, it included, therefore, a central focus of public involvement. Our aim was to transform Development Plan awareness and involvement in Clackmannanshire. This needed however to be achieved within the wider context of value for money and cost effectiveness.

Action taken

An internal working party was set up in August 1993 to consider public participation. The group was charged with identifying and analysing a full range of mechanisms and providing recommendations for action and mechanisms for monitoring effectiveness. A strategy was prepared and this was presented to our Service Advisory Group for comment and feedback. The views of the group correlated with our own: that a mix of traditional and innovative methods should be used with a new focus on interaction rather than presentation. Our innovative methods focused on Planning for Real, neighbour notification and wide availability of consultation information. The Neighbourhood Initiative was brought in to provide us with Planning for Real training. We used this to formulate an appropriate method for the Local Plan. Models to a scale of 1;1250 with contours and feature buildings were constructed for each settlement within Clackmannanshire. These were used for all 3 consultative stages. Proposals were shown to encourage specific comments at the Draft and Finalised stages. Planning for Real events were held in each settlement in Clackmannanshire (small villages were incorporated with the neighbouring town). They were held on Saturday mornings as informal drop-in sessions staffed by planners and roads officers. Weekday evening events were also held.

For all proposals (apart from those with planning consent) neighbours who would be notified under planning application regulations were directly notified, Owners of sites were also notified. Consultation Packs were prepared (as outlined in the project description). They were very informative providing easy to read summarised information by settlement (Clackmannanshire wide ones here also available). Avaliability was very widely advertised.

The more traditional methods were enhanced where possible: The Councils web Site made available the Local Plan, Consultation Pack information, feedback reports and position statements. A general press advertisement was supplemented with specific adverts each week. Press coverage was actively sought. Following events, local newspapers were advised of key issues that arose. A reporter attended most Saturday events. Posters were placed in libraries, other Council buildings and local shops. Thousands of leaflets were produced and placed in local shops the week before that settlement event They were also on-street distribution on the morning of the event. Two adverts were placed in a Clackmannanshire Leisure Trust calendar of events, whioh was delivered to every household in Clackmannanshire. Community Councils were specifically encouraged to meet with us. A meeting with a youth group was organised to help respond to the lack of 1~-~4 year olds who attended events.

Results achieved

These are two fold: a significant increase in representations/objections received due to better awareness, but also importantly, an enhanced public interest in land use planning issues for the area. The events we held were well attended and attendance was an order of magnitude away from previous examples when often only up to a dozen people would attend. Attendance increased at each stage of the process and at the Finalised Local Plan stage, 70-100 people usually came to the Saturday events above, The informality of these was welcomed, and not only could individuals seek out a planner (or Roads Officer) for clarification/discussion, but groups of local people discussed proposals and any concerns around the model. This was particularly interesting insofar as they realised that it was not always a public versus Council view local interested parties could also have conflicting views. The format of evening events was changed for the Finalised stage away from workshops to also informal drop-in' events, not relating to any settlement but for the whole of Clackmannanshire. This attracted interested parties which were unable to attend their local Saturday event and on numerous occasions, individuals wishing to discuss an issue a second or third time. This attracted up to a twenty-fold increase in attendance. The consultation packs were an enormous success. The use of these increased, so that by the third stage, over 1,000 copies were distributed. Many were sent out in response to neighbour notification letters, provided in libraries and copies were provided at the Saturday and evening events. Neighbour notification required a significant staff resource, but it had the desired effect in that a lot of affected parties telephoned the office to discuss the propose! adjacent to them, were sent a consultation pack and/or came to an event. We monitored how attendees at the events had heard about them.' neighbour notification, word of mouth and press adverts/articles were the three main sources. Neighbour Notification will minimise real problems we experienced with previous Local Plans and earlier stages of the current Local Plan work - people all too often were not aware of Local Plan allocations next to or near them. The first they often know is when development starts or when a planning application is submitted. That is often too late.

Conclusion - Why does this piece of work merit an Award?

Our focused approaches resulted in a huge increase in awareness and involvement. Through monitoring and adjustment this culminated in a particularly successful 'consultation stage' for the Finalised Local Plan. There was more than a 10 fold increase in representations/objections received, but an equally important outcome was the interest of local people and an appreciation that they can make a difference policies and proposals can, and will change as a result of public involvement.

The dual focus of traditional and innovative approaches worked well, again particularly for the Finalised Local Plan stage, following adjustments. The Neighbour notification and the consultation packs helped people become involved, but people generally enjoyed the Planning for Real exercises. This was a new experience and with public interaction within the community and with Council officers, a sense of working together was generated.

The project merits an award for its clear aspiration to engage the public in the Plan process; an aspiration followed through with pursuit of innovative approaches and a real determination to secure improvement. Its success has been welcomed and noted, not least through our Charter Mark Award and in the Scottish Executive's Planning Audit of Clackmannanshire. Despite having a very small planning service, this was achieved with the enthusiasm and commitment of all officers for extended periods of time, All planners within the Council took part at the events with the support of Roads Officers. It not only was of benefit to the public. It also benefited us in understanding public views and concerns. This will be an excellent basis from which to continue our commitment to public involvement and customer service.

Date

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