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HOW TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN LAND USE PLANNING
Don't do anything for the community without the community.42. Scottish Ministers are committed to ensuring that community representation in the planning and delivery of public services is embedded in a range of areas. Of key importance is the Community Planning process found in each local authority area which provides an overarching framework for the design and delivery of all public services in that area, including health, justice and education. Community planning involves local people in shaping their communities and consequently there is a clear link between these community planning partnerships and land use planning. The same processes and people are often involved in both community and development planning, and the community plan will inform and be informed by the development plan. Planning authorities should strengthen the links between these two planning systems and utilise community planning networks in the development planning process.
43. A great deal of practical guidance on how to achieve effective community engagement already exists, including the National Standards for Community Engagement and the RTPIGuidelines on Effective Community Involvement and Consultation. The development of the national standards was supported by Communities Scotland, but they were developed from the 'bottom up' with over 500 people from local communities, the voluntary sector and statutory agencies involved in putting them together. The standards are a flexible tool which aim to help improve practice. They have been endorsed by a wide range of bodies including CoSLA, the Poverty Alliance, SCVO and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland. In this PAN the National Standards for Community Engagement produced by Communities Scotland have been applied to the planning system in the form of guiding principles (see below). The standards are ideally suited for use by planning authorities for development plan preparation, by applicants in pre-application consultations with communities and by communities engaging in general on planning issues.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Step 1: Involvement: Identify and involve all parties with an interest in the subject of engagement.
44. While some community groups and individuals will be well organised and represented, others will not and may be less able to engage in the preparation of development plans, or in making their views known on individual planning applications. Research has shown 3 that those most likely to become involved in planning issues in Scotland are white, the middle aged and the elderly. The same research has shown that the under 35s and those in full-time employment are less likely to be represented, while others such as disabled people, black and ethnic minorities, young people, gypsies/travellers are far less inclined to get involved in planning matters.
45. Changes to legislation mean that equality related duties on race, disability and gender have been, or will be, placed on the public sector. The Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission have each produced a range of support material on the duties. (Refer to the list of useful contacts on page 31). Engagement with all equality groups, not just those concerned with race, disability and gender, is essential to ensure that all communities of interest have an opportunity to get involved in planning - and in ways that best suit their needs. Planning authorities and developers may find it helpful to establish a database (ranging from a simple spreadsheet to a complex database) that enables all contacts with consultees to be tracked. This would monitor all contacts, the issues arising, how the issues have been considered, whether a response has been issued and what the outcome was.
Step 2: Support: Identify the needs of the participants and overcome any barriers to involvement.
46. An understanding is needed about why particular groups or marginalised communities do not participate in planning and of the approaches required to get them involved. Participatory approaches should be targeted at hard to reach groups including those concerned with race, disability, older people, young people, ethnic minorities, gypsy/travellers and women.
'Youngedinburgh' is a groundbreaking youth services strategy by the City of Edinburgh Council and its Community Planning Partners to engage young people in the improvement of public services. The culture of the city with regard to young people is changing in that they are now routinely being asked for their views where they were never consulted before. For further information see www.youngedinburgh.org
Step 3: Planning : Use evidence of need and resources to agree purposes and actions.
47. Thorough project planning is essential in delivering effective community engagement in the planning process. The Participation Statement has a vital role to play in setting realistic and deliverable actions for community participation in development planning. It is equally important that pre-application consultations by applicants with communities are well planned and that the respective roles and responsibilities of those undertaking the community engagement, and those participating, are clear. Any planning policies, planning proposals or limitations to the final result should be expressed openly and honestly and communicated to all with an interest in the engagement process.
Step 4: Methods: Identify and agree appropriate methods of engagement.
48. Community engagement for a development plan, or a master plan, will require the application of a variety of methods and involve different people and groups than for pre-application consultations for a small industrial development. It is impossible to set appropriate methods for every circumstance. What is important is that the approach adopted suits the scale of the project, the people participating and the particular situation. There is a general view that mechanisms which promote dialogue, rather than one way communication, are more effective, less confrontational and more valued by participants. The Community Engagement How to Guide and the website www.communityplanning.net set out a useful range of methods for community engagement. The annex to this PAN contains a number of examples where these methods have been used.
Step 5: Working Together: Agree and implement procedures for how the parties will work together.
49. Relationships between planning authorities, the community and applicants should be based on trust. All participants should behave in an open, honest and non-discriminatory manner, using plain language and having respect for other people's views. Conflicts have to be recognised and resolved. If necessary, independent facilitators should be engaged to help build consensus.
Step 6: Sharing: Identify how information is communicated between parties.
50. Frequently people do not hear about changes in their neighbourhood until they happen, or do not know how to make their views known. Information should be provided early and throughout the process in an easily understood, jargon-free format. A web page or CD-Rom can improve access, particularly for those with a high level of online access such as young people and businesses. The circulation of easy-read information brochures can be helpful, especially if they can be made available in public buildings and prominent places such as GP surgeries, libraries, and community centres. Press notices, community newsletters and features on local radio stations can also be effective. More accessible settings for placing information and for holding participation events should be considered, for example supermarkets, leisure centres and shopping centres, to encourage greater involvement. Basic information about the local planning system in alternative formats such as minority languages, large text and Braille should be made available upon request.
The City of Edinburgh Council have made their draft Edinburgh City Local Plan available in hard copy and on-line in an innovative interactive format. They have simultaneously published a consultation paper for a review of the Edinburgh and the Lothian Structure Plan, jointly with Lothian Authorities, and their own City Vision to 2040. An exhibition featuring all three documents was toured around libraries, at the city's farmers market, at shopping centres and at a local festival gala. The public was able to discuss the plans and surrounding issues with staff. Presentations and discussions on the draft Local Plan were arranged at meetings of the City's Local Development Committees. These took place at local venues - various schools, a football stadium, an arts centre and a neighbourhood centre. Further information at www.edinburgh.gov.uk.
Step 7: Working with Others: Identify how the participants will work with others.
51. Planning authorities should promote sustainable community engagement by making strong links with other community structures and organisations relevant to their work, including existing local authority networks, community planning networks, Disability Access Panels and the Black and Ethnic Minority infrastructure in Scotland. Working with these networks can ensure a more co-ordinated approach to community engagement and help to avoid consultation fatigue. These networks can provide links to other organisations, where mechanisms are already in place for involving communities. There might also be opportunities for resources to be shared. There is scope for better links, in particular between community engagement in the preparation of development plans and community planning. As the two processes develop ways in which to work effectively together, this will inevitably deliver greater certainty and enhanced accountability for people and communities.
The East Fife Community Consultation Initiative, enabled Fife Council to develop a consensus on a range of locally important issues, including transport and land use planning. This was achieved by working with a wide range of community planning partners, outreach working with schools and street polling. 28 events were arranged, involving 2,200 people and generating 9,300 comments. This enabled early public involvement and community awareness about a range of important issues in the area which could then be applied to various Council plans including the Fife Development Plan, the Local Transport Strategy and the Local Housing Strategy, including NHS Fife, and other partners. Further information at www.fife.gov.uk
Step 8: Improvement: Develop the skills, knowledge and confidence of the participants.
52. Everyone with public/community liaison responsibilities should have appropriate training and customer care skills, including specific training programmes, to develop the capacity of community councils and help ensure that as far as possible community engagement is sustainable. Further advice on training and support for community engagement is included at paragraphs 55-65.
Step 9: Feedback: Feedback results to the wider community and agencies affected.
53. Effective feedback is critical to let stakeholders know how their views have been considered and what the outcomes and next steps are. The more the process is clear and transparent, the more likely it is that people will be able to understand and accept the final decision.
Step 10: Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitor and evaluate performance of the engagement.
54. Measuring and evaluating success is required to see whether participation measures are working and what effect they are having on community perception of, and involvement in, planning.
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