- What action has been taken at a local level to improve community participation and collaboration between partners since the requirements of the 2015 Act came into force? Can you provide examples of success?
Please provide your views:
The community planning process is a means by which local authorities and other public bodies work with local communities, businesses and community groups to plan and deliver better services and improve the lives of people who live in Scotland. Whilst many will recognise that spatial planning is an integral component and a key consideration for the community planning process, for a number of years we have advocated for fuller alignment between community and spatial planning. This theme has been identified in the recent planning review process and we note in the draft Local Development Plan (LDP) guidance[1] the intention to integrate Community Planning Partnerships in the new proposed LDP Evidence Report stage to support the creation of place-based, people focused LDPs. We also note the intentions set out to involve CPPs in town centre audits. We expect forthcoming Scottish Government guidance on community engagement in planning to provide more detail in this regards. Indeed, the Local Development Plan for an area should be seen as the spatial articulation of its Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP).
As a national organisation RTPI Scotland is not directly involved in the community planning process and therefore does not wish to provide specific examples but instead focus on the challenges and opportunities presented to the community planning process through wider changes to regulatory and policy landscape since the 2015 Act came into force. At a local level, RTPI Scotland believes that the effective implementation of place-based approaches is a critical means by which we can ensure maximum societal value is derived from interventions. Place-based approaches are about considering all aspects of a place when considering an intervention. To achieve a place-based approach, in 2019 the Scottish Government and COSLA agreed to adopt the Place Principle to help overcome organisational and sectoral boundaries. This includes improving coordination between stakeholders and enhancing collaboration and communication across local authority departments, key agencies, NGOs and the private sector. The principle requests that all those responsible for providing services and looking after assets in a place need to work and plan together, with local communities, to improve the lives of people, support inclusive growth and create more successful places. The Place Principle supports collaborative place-based action and the Place Standard is a commonly-used tool to help people think about the quality of their place and where action might be required. Whilst the Place Principle has been around for a considerable number of years it has yet to make a significant impact upon ways of working in the public sector and in planning services, a review of the community planning process provides an opportunity to embed the Place Principle.
There is also a clear opportunity to link emerging Local Place Plans with wider Locality Plans. This could reduce any potential duplication and focus resources to where it provides maximum benefit for communities and achieve inclusive growth.
RTPI Scotland also believes that some progress has been made in better joining up community engagement through better aligning consultation carried out by different parts of the public sector. This needs to be built upon to ensure that communities are not overburdened by many different consultation exercise asking very similar questions from different departments or organisations. There is more scope to improve on this. A key tool that has been used to do this is the Place Standard and we advocate for it be seen as central piece of engagement toolkit within and across Community Planning Partnerships.
- What progress has your CPP made in tackling inequalities since the 2015 Act? How are you responding to the current cost-of-living crisis?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
- To what extent has your CPP adopted a preventative approach in seeking to tackle inequalities? Can you provide examples of success?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
- How have Local Outcomes Improvement Plans and locality plans reduced inequalities? Can you provide examples?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
- What are the challenges faced by CPPs to the effective planning and delivery of their outcomes? How has the Act changed how community planning partners deliver their services?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
- What role did your CPP have in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic? What has the legacy of the pandemic been to approaches to community planning?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
- Does the existing guidance for Community Planning Partnerships need to be updated?
Please provide your views:
Yes, in light of the substantive changes to spatial planning since the guidance was published, this would provide an opportune moment to do so.
- How does community planning align with other strategies and planning requirements?
Please provide your views:
As set out in response to Q1 RTPI Scotland has, for a number of years, has been advocating for the closer alignment of spatial and community planning. We have seen progress in this regards, with, for example the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 removing the requirement for LDPs to provide a vision statement to avoid conflict or confusion with other visions for area, with an expectation that LDPs will contribute to the priority outcomes set out in LOIPs. LDPs are expected to set out how LOIPs relate to development and land use but this should be reciprocal relationship to ensure strong alignment. As stated above, the Local Development Plan for an area should be seen as the spatial articulation of its LOIP.
- Do partners in your CPP contribute resources to enable the delivery of outcomes?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
- Has inclusion as a planning partner changed the way your organisation works, spends its budget and makes decisions?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
- Does the statutory membership of Community Planning Partnerships need revisiting?
Please provide your views:
No comment.
[1] https://www.gov.scot/publications/local-development-planning-regulations-guidance-consultation-part-c-draft-guidance-local-development-planning/
