Participation and consultation with children and young people in the planning process is central to the strategic framework for the delivery of local government services.

England

The Local Government Act 2000 called for widespread local authority reform in order to ensure better delivery, coordination and more responsive services to the public which take account of the needs of future generations. Part One of the Local Government Act 2000 requires principal local authorities to prepare Community Strategies. The Act also specifies that efforts should be made to involve underrepresented groups, citing children and young people as an example. The emphasis on local government working in partnership with children and young people is also evident in the guidance for creating Local Development Frameworks.

The introduction of Local Development Frameworks (LDFs), through Planning Policy Statement 12, in September 2004, required local authorities to move away from the old system of ad hoc approaches to community consultation by introducing statements of community involvement. The LDF guidance promotes ‘frontloading’ of community and stakeholder involvement, in order to involve people in the process at an early stage and improve the responsiveness of local planning service delivery. LDFs present an opportunity to introduce a proactive approach to managing the involvement of children and young people in the planning process.

Governance reform has favoured spatial planning and involvement exercises can be done together for both Community Strategies and Local Development Framework documents thus avoiding unnecessary duplication. The RTPI/CLG document Planning Together provides further information: available at www.rtpi.org.uk.

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 places a much greater responsibility on local authorities to increase community participation in the new planning system.

The former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) published a discussion document ‘The Future of Local Government: developing a 10 Year Vision’ in July 2005, setting out four broad themes for the future of local government in England: leadership, citizen engagement, service delivery and new settlement between levels of governance. The participation and engagement of children and young people in planning can therefore play a valuable part in helping to push forward the Government’s vision for the next 10 years.

Every Child Matters: Change for Children is the Government’s approach to the well-being of children and young people up to the age of 19. The aims of the programme are for all children and young people to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. The Every Child Matters Agenda, when implemented, will require every local authority to work with partners through Children’s Trusts to ascertain what will work to deliver the programmes’ aims and implement changes, involving children and young people at all stages of the process.

Local authorities are subject to an Annual Performance Assessment (APA) of local services for children and young people. The APA makes judgements about the children’s services delivered by local authorities and the contributions those services are making to improve outcomes for children and young people. The APA also examines the performance of local authorities in the delivery of a Children and Young Peoples’ Plan.

Scotland

Scotland has operated a two-tier development plan system for 30 years, with every part of Scotland covered by a structure plan and a local plan. Since the change to a single tier local government structure in 1996, structure plans have been the responsibility of groups of local authorities acting jointly for the urban parts of Scotland and of the individual local authorities in large rural areas. The introduction of a National Planning Framework for Scotland in 2004 provided an overarching national perspective for all development plans.

At the very end of 2005, the Scottish Executive (the devolved government of Scotland) submitted a Planning Bill to the Scottish Parliament (which has full legislative competence within the scope of its devolved powers) to bring about changes, inter alia, in the development plan system. The Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament in November 2006 has since received Royal Assent to become the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006. At every stage, the opportunities for public involvement are improved. A two-tier structure is retained with strategic development plans being prepared for the four main city regions while local development plans will be prepared for the entire country. The large rural areas will be subject to a single tier development plan.

Under the new proposals, each planning authority is obliged to prepare a consultation statement, indicating how it intends to consult all sectors of its community, including young people. There are examples under the existing regime of special arrangements for consulting young people, such as the Highland Youth Forum which was formed in 2001 to assist with the preparation of the Highland Structure Plan.

The Scottish Executive is publishing a Planning Advice Note (PAN) on Community Engagement within the planning system. The PAN contains advice on techniques for consultation with all groups, including young people, and on working with other partners interested in effective consultation. The RTPI in Scotland is supporting this work through its Community Engagement Task Group and Planning Aid Scotland is commissioning research on the engagement of young people in planning.

Wales

In Wales, the Community Plan (or Community Strategy) provides the context for involvement with children and young people. They include structures for consultation and participation or policies regarding sustainable development and global citizenship.

The Local Development Plan procedures include new provisions for public participation. Local authorities will agree a Community Involvement Scheme with the Welsh Assembly, setting out the proposals at each stage of the plan process. Children and young people may be identified as a 'hard to reach' group where specific effort is needed to involve them.

In Wales, there is strong support for education for sustainable development. The Assembly has produced a Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship, which includes proposed actions for schools and the youth sector as well as further, higher, continuing and work based education.

Northern Ireland

The Planning Service, an Agency within the Department of Environment, is responsible for the preparation of Development Plans for the 26 District Council Areas of Northern Ireland. Development Plans may be in the form of area plans, local plans or subject plans. They apply, at a local level, the regional policies as contained in Planning Policy Statements and are required to be in general conformity with the Regional Development Strategy. Development Plans provide a framework for guiding investment by public, private and community sectors and help harness additional resources though collaboration in tackling spatial problems by:

• Providing confidence for those wishing to develop and those affected by development proposals
• Establishing a framework for positive co-ordination of public policies in joined-up government at both regional and local levels;
• Providing an effective land supply phased and allocated to meet the full range of needs to support the life of the local community and social and economic progress; and,
• Establishing a process for involvement and ownership by local communities wishing to influence the future development of their area.

Full details of legislation and information on Development Plans in Northern Ireland can be obtained from the Planning Service web site at www.planningni.gov.uk. Further information on the Planning Appeals Commission can be obtained from www.pacni.gov.uk. It is advised to watch these websites closely as the Planning System in Northern Ireland is likely to be subject to major change as planning powers are proposed to devolve from central to local government by 2009 under the Reorganisation of Public Administration. 

Author:

Jacqui Ward

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

11-Jun-07

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