Our General Assembly

So far in 2026 the General Assembly has received presentations on, and discussed:

• Regeneration projects in Bradford and Leeds.
• Misconceptions about planners
• The work of the RTPI’s Education and Lifelong Learning Committee and Membership and Ethics Committee in 2025 and going forward.
• Proposals for a single regulator for the construction industry (presentation from Graham Watts OBE, Chief Executive of the Construction Industry Council)
• The findings of the 2025 State of the Planning Profession reports from across the nations.
• The RTPI and TCPA’s updated guidance for local authorities on Planning for the Climate Crisis.

During 2025 the General Assembly received presentations on, and discussed:

• Research into strategic planning current practices and future directions and the Wales Perspective on strategic planning
• MHCLG initiatives to build capacity and capabilities in the planning profession (presentation from the MHCLG)
• Terminology and governance of the Young Planners network
• The RTPI's mentoring programme
• Spatial approaches to energy planning
• How virtual reality or augmented reality can be used by planning professionals
• The research paper entitled "The 'Maybe in My Backyard' Majority" on early community engagement (presentation from Demos)
• Findings of commissioned research into New Towns across the world (presentation from the research team)
• The use of AI in planning practice (presentation from Dr Wei Yang OBE)

Along with a visit from the President and CEO of the American Planning Association and regular updates from the Board, the Chief Executive, the RTPI's Standing Committees and from across the Nations and Regions.

In 2024, the General Assembly received updates from all areas of the RTPI and discussed the RTPI's Corporate Strategy, Education for Everyone and Planning as a career choice looking at routes into the planning profession. 

In 2023, the General Assembly held discussions on strategic planning, digital planning and artificial intelligence (AI), the future of the green belt, and how the profession can self promote to reduce abuse and harassment to planning professionals.

Jan Bessell, President (also a Trustee)

Helen Fadipe MBE, Immediate Past President

Samer Bagaeen, Vice-President

Elle Cass, Chair

Nicola Linihan, Vice Chair

Richard Max, Honorary Secretary & Solicitor

Alan Brown

Aidan Culhane

Maria Dunn

Nick Gallent

Jack Glonek

Catherine McKinney

Simeon Shtebunaev

Andrew Taylor

Tom Venables

Nick Baker

Harry Burchill

Craige Burden

Lucy Carpenter

Ifeanyi Chukwujekwu

Pamela Clifford

David Coleman

Karen Daye

Matt Dugdale

Ros Eastman

Uche Echeozo

Pam Ewen

Sandra Ford

Peter Geraghty

Colin Haylock

Jessica Herritty

Mark Pender

Sarah Scannell

John Scott

Mark Southgate

Stefano Smith

Anna Sutherland-Bamber

Hillary Ugwuoke

Sebastian Wilkins

Angharad Williams

Jennifer Winyard

Nick Wright

Bernadette Hillman

Dylan Lewis-Creser

Aishwarya Patil

Ding Rong

Clarizza Tabadda

Lewis Whittaker

Maura McCormack - Scotland Convener

Duncan Smart – Scotland Vice Convener

Emma Watkins – Cymru

Allan Archer – Cymru

John Downey – Ireland

Mark Hanvey - Northern Ireland

Joanne Harding – North West

Andrew Dorrian – North East

Christine Naylor/ Will Steel - Yorkshire

David Atkinson – East Midlands

Benjamin Simm – West Midlands

John Dagg – East of England

MD Miftahur Rahman - London

Stephen Harness – South East

Chris King - South West