A presentation at the Planning Advisory Service's Spring Conference.

2. David McGrathDavid McGrath
 Former Birmingham City CouncillorFormer Birmingham City Councillor (8(8
years)years)
 Training members & officersTraining members & officers (21(21stst
year)year)
e.g. ‘Planning and Communitye.g. ‘Planning and Community
Leadership’, ‘Engagement and Advocacy’,Leadership’, ‘Engagement and Advocacy’,
‘Chairing Skills’, ‘Media’, ‘Scrutiny’ etc.‘Chairing Skills’, ‘Media’, ‘Scrutiny’ etc.
 Qualified trainer (Chartered Fellow IPD)Qualified trainer (Chartered Fellow IPD)
 Voluntary and commercialVoluntary and commercial support forsupport for
communities on controversial issuescommunities on controversial issues
 30 years30 years community campaigning,community campaigning,
advocacy, chairing groups andadvocacy, chairing groups and
committeescommittees

3. KEY MESSAGES: CONTROVERSIAL
PLANNING ISSUES
 LPA’s, Planners and Councillors need to be
mindful of the ‘anatomy’ of a community
response to highly controversial Applications
(etc) and use this knowledge to
 (a) engage effectively
 (b) gain new knowledge to improve
recommendations and decision making
 (c) avoid costly errors and reduce exposure
to successful appeals
 (d) help build ‘capacity’ in the community
 Target areas for change: Training, process
re-design, addressing ‘systemic’ issues

4. Methodology
Highly
controversial
issues
Community
engagement
‘A model’. Tips
and ideas
‘Uncomfortable
truths’
Case study:

5. WHAT IS THE FIRST REACTION
(BY THE COMMUNITY) TO
CONTROVERSIAL
DEVELOPMENTS, PROPOSALS
OR PLANNING APPLICATIONS?

6. ‘THE STORMING STAGE’
People are shocked, scared, angry,
seriously lack knowledge, rumours
are rife, ill informed views,
cynicism, outrage – also apathy
(repressed anger) ‘it’s a done deal’,
‘they’ve had a backhander’ etc. etc.
Fast action: e.g. public meetings

7. Responding to the ‘STORM’!
People (including Councillors) don’t
know what they don’t know!
 DISSEMINATION OF FACTS AND KNOWLEDGE
IS KEY
 Stakeholders: Technical ‘NOW’ briefings and action
(e.g. TSN) with ward and parish Cllrs. Clarify
decision-making processes, timescales & issues to
enable enquiry handling
 The Public: examine, reform or ‘tweak’ ‘governance
structures’ e.g. Area Committees or ‘No Committees’
to avoid excluding discussion, questions & knowledge
(‘systemic issues’). Use social media and comms
 Members: train Councillors to Chair and contribute
to challenging public debate (generic skills). Briefing
or coaching for members on media interviews
 Promote: support the next stage ‘Forming’

8. ‘THE FORMING STAGE’
The search (in the community) for
knowledge, organisation and
resources to construct materially
relevant responses (usually to stop
the proposal/development).
Leaders emerge.

9. Responding to the ‘FORMING’!
 Stakeholders: Clear lines of communication
open with key influencers (by members and
officers). Support an understanding of the
‘community of words’. Pre-determination
paranoia?
 The Public: embrace ‘right to film’, review
circulation list of interested parties. Is Action
Group reflecting their views?
 Members: gearing up to support stakeholders
regarding ‘right to speak’ and ‘ask question’.
Support key community activists to navigate
local authority processes. Training for
members: effective liaison with lobby groups
 Promote: support the next stage ‘Norming’

10. ‘THE NORMING STAGE’
The Action Group has an embedded way of
working, organising, engaging, responding
and informing.
A new level of ‘thought leadership’ can
emerge e.g. ‘what we want, not just what we
don’t want’
Long term stakeholders.
Media relations developed

11. THE ‘PERFORMING’ STAGE
AN ADDITIONAL POSSIBLE PHASE
The Action Group asserts strategic
influence based on knowledge and
experience
(e.g. on Council’s wider strategy, national
and international lobbying, fraternal links)
Action Group ‘morphs’ at conclusion of
campaign to support new or related
community initiatives