Community plans in the North West of England aim to empower local communities and involve residents in decisions that affect them. The document finds that community-led planning is critical for community empowerment, supporting local councils, and informing local development strategies. However, for these plans to be effective, communities must ensure the plans are robust, credible, and evidence-based. Local councils and agencies also need to be responsive to the plans and demonstrate how the plans' evidence and actions have been used.