The Scottish Government

Name

Bill Potts

Job title

Organisation

Glasgow City Council - Development and Regeneration Services

Address

229, George Street, Glasgow G1 1QU

Telephone

0141-287-8605

Fax

0141-287-8444

Email

bill.potts@drs.glasgow.gov.uk

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Development Plans Development Management Development on the Ground Community Involvement

Title of entry

City Plan 2 - Engaging Communities of Interest.

Professional knowledge Innovation Management Sustainable development

Partnership Community interest Regeneration Customer satisfaction

The project relates to the Council's approach to improving awareness/engagement in relation to the development of City Plan 2 from the earliest stages in the process. The vision being for fuller and more effective engagement around an integrated package of project management, cultural change, service improvement, training and development and increased awareness initiatives throughout the plan cycle, as opposed to simply focusing on key documentation drafts at separate stages. This involved the need to address both internal and external frameworks for engagement. To this end, an early decision was taken to found the approach around the key messages of the modernising planning agenda (eg. focusing at the front end of the system, the need for feedback etc) and the more specific proposals developing through the, then, emerging Planning Bill (eg. setting service standards, the early consideration of issues and options). Self assessment was also an important part of the process and built-in from the outset.

The time period covered by the submission runs from early inception to conclusion of engagement over the finalised draft stage of Glasgow City Plan 2.

In fulfilling the Executive's requirement to review the local development plan within a 5 year timeframe, the City Council embarked on a review of City plan 1 in late 2004. Using the experience gained from City Plan 1, together with public feedback (questionnaires, citizens panel etc) and a best value continuous improvement review of the city plan service itself (2005), the aspiration was to further develop our approaches to public awareness/engagement in ways which would encourage constructive two way dialogue throughout the process to a wider audience than hitherto and engender more support for the final plan outcomes. This stage of the project concluded with publication of the Finalised Draft Plan / SEA in spring 2007 with consultation taking place during May-July 07.

The overall aim is to raise confidence in the development plan process by opening up more inclusive and accessible opportunities for engagement

The key objectives being to :-

• Set clear service standards (then seek to exceed these)
• Achieve cultural change based on an assessment of previous development plan activity and the need to deliver service improvements related to the modernising planning agenda (linked to an assessment framework)
• Increase awareness/understanding of and the level of engagement with the development plan process (commencing prior to the formal stages of the process)
• Encourage a two way dialogue approach with opportunity for feedback (using different formats)

With overall progress towards the aim/objectives being set/monitored against management plan which would seek to deliver improved outcomes within the 5 year review period

Initial consideration was given to opportunities for improvement prior to the adoption of City Plan 1 in August 2003, with the vision/aims /key objectives for City Plan 2 being discussed soon, thereafter. This was in turn linked to a service level review of the complete City Plan process during 2004/05 (including input from external stakeholders). The formal notice of intention to start preparation of City Plan 2 was advertised on 5 January 2005. with formal consultation on the finalised draft concluded on 6 July 07

The innovative element is seen as the integrated approach outlined under the description of the project ie drawing engagement in the development plan process into the wider framework of the modernising planning agenda and associated cultural change. This was combined with a step by step approach to engagement starting a best value review of the service (including key stakeholders) and citizens panel questionnaire, followed by awareness/development activity (both internal and external stakeholders), moving through a sequence of the development of service standards , issues and options, preferred strategy/ SEA, finalised strategy/ policies/ SEA. Examples of very specific elements include the use of early warning presentations/letters to stakeholders regarding the impending start of key stages and the circulation of consultation documents free of charge.

Partnership elements involved working with eg Planning Aid to set-up community awareness/dialogue sessions and with the Community Council Resources Centre, Glasgow Council for Voluntary sector, Schools Council and other umbrella organisations to hold actual participative events. (

Community interest was also maintained through feedback (eg information bulletins, article circulation to all city households) ,promotional dvd ,extensive touring exhibition (shopping centres/community facilities/major cultural facilities), area committee involvement , substantial number of specific presentations/discussions, attendance at the Asian Mela festival, posters/leaflets in different languages and use of plain English (crystal mark) for key summary document (all documentation available on request in different formats and on the Council's website)

Key management elements include early service review and development of guidance related to development plan/ SEA process, a clear project management framework prior to commencement with regular monitoring/reporting.

Customer satisfaction assessed through feedback, including questionnaires at different stages.

Whilst this is not a joint application it is clear from the entry under "Explain the process and the action taken" that partner organisations have played an important part in securing successful engagement at different stages in the process(eg Planning Aid for Scotland and Glasgow Council for Voluntary Sector)

In addition, the city plan team is represented on both equalities (internal) and health working groups (cross agency) in order to take greater account of relevant issues pertaining to both these areas during the plan development stages.

Increased awareness of the development plan process and the merits of becoming involved including with certain previous hard to reach groups

Increased engagement and the continuous nature of that activity

Increased level of support for the Plan (both anecdotally and in terms of the number of recorded support representations to the Plan)

Fewer major Plan objections which are not capable of further negotiation

It :

• embeds the key principles from the modernising planning agenda /Planning Bill whilst still meeting the requirements of the 97 Act / 83 regulations.

• increases awareness of the development plan process and the ability to engage with that process
• encompasses extensive and innovative approaches to engagement from the outset
• is founded on clear project management principles
• gave rise to substantial increase in the number of representations in support of the Finalised Draft Plan (representations indicating unqualified support and support with minor word changes outweighing the number of objections).