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05 DELIVERING EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN LAND USE PLANNING

DON'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

69 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.

70 A great deal of guidance on how to achieve effective community engagement already exists and several helpful references have been included in Annex 1 of this PAN. The Royal Town Planning Institute's publications Guidelines on Effective Community Involvement and Consultation and the National Standards for Community Engagement developed on behalf of Communities Scotland, are particularly useful and when followed can help plan, monitor and evaluate community engagement. The National Standards have been applied to the planning system below and are ideally suited for use by planning authorities for development plan preparation, by applicants in pre-application consultations with communities and by people and communities in engaging on planning issues.

Standard 1: Involvement: Identify and involve the people and organisations who have an interest in the focus of the engagement.

71 The involvement of people in development plan preparation and pre-application consultations will depend on the nature and scale of the development plan - whether a strategic or local development plan, whether the plan is authority wide or more site specific - and in terms of development management, the scale, size and impact of the development proposed. The relevant communities might include those directly affected for example landowners and those in the immediate vicinity of the site (bearing in mind this could include communities in the adjacent planning authority area); those with a statutory interest for example Scottish Water or heritage and environmental bodies and the wider community who may have an interest through activities carried out in the course of their daily lives. It is good practice to ensure that engagement is broadly representative of a cross section of the community and includes a range of interests such as local Councillors, community councils, community planning partnerships, the local enterprise company, local traders and other businesses, amenity groups, developers, investors and statutory consultees and agencies.

72 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. The under 35s and those in full-time employment are less likely to engage in planning, while others, for example, disabled people, black and ethnic minorities, young people, gypsies/travellers and other people with temporary or unsettled accommodation are far less inclined to get involved in planning matters.

73 Changes to legislation mean that equality related duties on race, disability and gender have been, or will be, placed on the public sector. In recognition of the importance of equality issues, the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 places a duty on Scottish Ministers and planning authorities to perform their planning functions in a way which encourages equal opportunities. 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 (see Annex 1). Engagement with a wide range of interests is essential to ensure that harder to reach groups, like those referred to above, have the opportunity to get involved in planning - and in ways that best suit their needs.

74 As the same people are often involved in both community and land use planning, planning authorities should seek to strengthen their links with the Community Planning process and utilise community planning partnerships and their networks as far as possible. It is useful to develop opportunities for engagement through regular contact with existing, wider local authority networks including, for example, customer focus groups, community councils and Access Panels.

75 The development of a contact database comprising people and groups with an interest in planning issues should be developed and maintained by the planning authority. This can be used to assist with community engagement in development plan preparation and shared with developers for pre-application consultations.

Standard 2: Support: Identify and overcome any barriers to involvement.

76 An understanding is needed of the support that particular individuals or groups require to help them engage. There may be a need for practical support such as the provision of suitable transport, crèche facilities, payment of out of pocket expenses, access to premises and communication aids. Participants and consultees may need access to equipment, for example, computers, telephones and photocopying. The needs of minority groups and people with disabilities should be accommodated where possible, including the opportunity to access information in alternative formats such as Braille, large text and audio and the provision of information in alternative languages.

Standard 3: Planning: Gather evidence of need and resources to agree purpose, scope and actions.

77 Thorough project planning is essential in delivering effective community engagement in the planning process. Planning authorities should recognise the value of continuous engagement through regular meetings with community organisations to support understanding of the process and build capacity for engagement. 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 the public are well planned, and developers may find it helpful to discuss their proposals with the planning authority. Whatever the engagement, the timescales involved and respective roles and responsibilities of those undertaking the community engagement, and those participating, should be clear. Any planning policies, planning proposals, constraints, opportunities or limitations within which decisions will be taken should be expressed openly and honestly, and communicated at an early stage in the process so people know what to expect.

Standard 4: Methods: Agree and use methods of engagement that are fit for purpose.

78 Community engagement for a development plan, or a masterplan, will require the application of a variety of methods and involve different people and groups than those required for pre-application consultations for, say, a small industrial development. The level of engagement may also differ from area to area, for example between heavily populated urban areas and more sparsely populated rural areas. It is impossible to set methods for every circumstance. What is important is that the approach adopted suits the scale and impact of the project, the people participating and the particular situation.

79 There is a general view that mechanisms that promote dialogue, rather than one-way communication, are more effective, less confrontational and more valued by participants.

Choosing the right method

The method used should help achieve the plan or proposal objectives and take account of the:

• History of engagement with the community.
• Culture of the community.
• Demographic, social and economic landscape of the community.
• Literacy levels.
• Skills required to deliver this method.
• Budget in place to support the engagement method.
• Support from communities for this method.
• Time required to deliver a good result with this method.

Portfolio of methods

• Distribution of information, for example postcards, leaflets, brochures, easy read guides and mail shots to postcode area.
• Use public notice boards in shop windows, GP surgeries, places of worship such as churches, mosques and synagogues, community centres and sports facilities where people congregate.
• Disseminate information through Community Councils and other networks.
• Use e-participation/e-planning systems - interactive plans and applications online.
• Use of the media to raise awareness - newspaper adverts/articles/radio.
• Use a Mobile Unit - taking information and advice into the community.
• Public stalls/street stalls - for example within a shopping centre, or at a market.
• Public meetings, exhibitions, roadshows, workshops and focus groups.
• Visits/talks to established group settings/ meetings, for example to schools and mother and toddler groups.
• Have an open house event/inviting people in - an informal means of communicating information.
• Planning for Real - participants place notes on a map or model containing their ideas.
• Site visits and tours.
• Hold a cognitive mapping exercise or workshop with sectors of the community, such as school pupils.
• Photo survey - taking images of what is important in a local environment for sharing with others
• Visual aids such as Computer Aided Images/3D visualisation, models, photographs, animations.
• Use games - an enjoyable way to get people working together.
• Develop a telephone/enquiry helpline.

Standard 5: Working Together: Agree and use clear procedures that enable participants to work together effectively and efficiently.

80 All participants should be given equal opportunity to engage and all participants should seek to listen and reflect on the views of different individuals and organisations. Behaviour should be open, honest, respectful and non-discriminatory. In all situations it is important for the community to understand the decision making process, their role within it and what can and can not be influenced. If necessary, independent facilitators should be engaged to help build consensus and recognise and resolve conflicts. In some instances, where there is disagreement, or conflict, mediation can be used to help to build bridges between stakeholders and resolve issues of dispute. The aim should be that the various parties understand each other and try to reach an agreement that everyone can live with.

Standard 6: Sharing Information: Ensure necessary information is communicated between the participants.

81 Information relevant to the development plan or development proposal should be shared between all participants. Information should be easily understood, jargon free, accessible, attractive, clear, understandable and relevant. It should be made available in appropriate formats and provided in good time to enable people to take part and consult with others. Regular workshop sessions or forums should take place between the planning authority and customer focus groups. Good use of e-mails and more information on individual cases would enable community councils and other groups to give a better service.

The City of Edinburgh Council made their draft Edinburgh City Local Plan available in hard copy and on-line in an innovative interactive format. They 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. The outreach work undertaken achieved a more representative engagement process, by going out to people in their normal meeting places through 7 libraries, 3 shopping centres, the framers market and Leith gala, than normally achieved through Local Development Committee meetings at which people are invited to attend. Further information at www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Standard 7: Working with Others: Work effectively with others with an interest.

82 Planning authorities should promote sustainable community engagement by making strong links with other community structures and organisations relevant to their work, such as 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. Standard 8: Improvement: Develop the skills, knowledge and confidence of the participants.

83 The skills of all parties should be maintained and improved in achieving effective community engagement. Everyone with public or community liaison responsibilities should have appropriate training and customer care skills. This might require specific training programmes to develop skills and the capacity of community councils and other groups to help ensure that, as far as possible, community engagement is sustainable.

Standard 9: Feedback: Feed results BACK to the wider community and agencies affected.

84 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. People who have made comments on a development plan should be able to see within the participation statement report how their views have been taken into account and the authority's reason for proceeding in the way it intends. In the new system, everyone who has submitted comments on planning applications can expect feedback. They will be informed by the planning authority of the decision and the reasons for approval, or refusal, of planning permission.

East Ayrshire Council have developed a "bottom up" approach to planning and the regeneration of communities through the production of Community Action Plans. Information from the Community Action Plans has been fed into the East Ayrshire Local Plan and vice versa. As a consequence, there has been a significant increase in the number of community groups involved in the statutory development management process for local projects and a greater awareness of the planning process. The direct link between planning staff and communities developed through this programme has helped strengthen the understanding of the planning and regeneration process by communities. It has built community spirit and cohesion and developed partnership working. New community groups have been created and existing groups strengthened, contributing significantly towards building the capacity and confidence of local people to become involved in the statutory planning process. Further information at www.eastayrshire.gov.uk

Aberdeenshire Council allowed representations to be submitted online during the preparation of the Aberdeenshire Local Plan. Comments were then automatically transferred into a database where individuals could log on and view all representations online. This system allowed efficient communication of views and saved time on data entry. Further information at www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Standard 10: Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitor and evaluate whether engagement achieves its purpose and meets the national standards for community engagement.

85 Monitoring and evaluating success is important, and planning authorities should see this as an opportunity to learn from their experiences to improve the quality of their services. In the new planning system, the reporter's or Scottish Ministers' assessment of the Participation Statement required for development plans and the planning authority's assessment of the pre-application consultation report will be used to evaluate community engagement. The Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 also gives Scottish Ministers new powers to assess planning authority performance, with the aim of improving performance and ensuring a more consistent level of service across Scotland. A key part of the new assessments will be to examine the scope and quality of planning authority participation with individuals, communities and other bodies, and to look at issues around access to planning information. Further guidance on the new regime will be developed over the next 2 years.

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