Delivering Planning Reform looks to increase the pace of reform through co-operation and better joint working. The Scottish Government works with a wide range of stakeholders in a number of ways :
Heads of Planning
The Scottish Government host an annual meeting with Heads of Planning from Scotland's 32 planning and 2 national park authorities. These take the form of an afternoon session, evening dinner with speaker and morning session. Each is held in a different location around Scotland and the agenda varies to accommodate key issues at the time.
Head of Planning information can be found on their website.
Planning Convenors
The Scottish Government host an annual meeting with Planning Convenors from across Scotland. No council officials attend. These again take the form of an afternoon session, evening dinner with speaker and morning session. Each is held in a different location around Scotland and the agenda varies to accommodate key issues at the time. Convenors have particularly welcomed these meetings as an opportunity to speak with their peers and learn how others carry out this role around the country.
Private Sector
The Scottish Government host regular meetings with representatives of the private sector, including representatives bodies and individuals developers and agents. The purpose of these short breakfast sessions is to provide feedback on the progress of planning reform and to consider what more the private sector can do to maintain momentum in delivering reform.
The Key Agencies, comprising Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS), Historic Scotland, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Scottish Water and Transport Scotland, meet every other month to co-ordinate the delivery of actions in DPR and to monitor progress. The Scottish Government and COSLA also attend these meetings. Each Agency Chairs the group on a rotational basis. The work of the group is overseen by a high level group of Agency Chief Executives and the SG Chief Planner.