are not updated frequently enough to reflect changes in the economic market. It is perhaps time for us to realise that we need systems that are as dynamic and reflexive as the communities and places we want to plan for, or else relegate ourselves to the pejorative stereotypes that plague the profession.
KATRINE DEAN
Give youth its head Katrine Dean is a public sector planner working in development control for a London borough Local authority planners are constantly under scrutiny from their private sector counterparts for inefficient working practices. The system is often thought of as one wrapped up in the cogs of bureaucracy, beyond the control of the individual. But there is opportunity to challenge and improve ways of working – especially if we approach it with a vision of what planning is and what the system is trying to achieve. In my view, local authorities must streamline service delivery by operating in a more business-like manner and make wise choices, like investing in their staff. I would consider all staff as assets and nurture them from graduate level through a structured career path. I’d look to harvest ideas for improving inefficient processes and maintaining this improvement from these young and creative individuals. I wouldn’t expect junior members of staff within councils to deal solely with minor developments, but give them opportunities to develop knowledge and skills through major projects. I’d invite them to contribute to policy formulation and regeneration projects, which would increase job satisfaction and strengthen their desire to remain in their workplace This, in turn, would reduce staff turnover and save resources, which are allocated to constantly training new staff. The result, I think, would be a more fluid local authority planning department. Planning should ultimately be about
“ACCEPTING THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS LIKE STAYING IN AN UNHAPPY RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE OTHER OPTIONS ARE SCARY AND DIFFICULT”
driving for the best possible scheme. To achieve this we need more understanding between private and public sector planners. So I would also look to create partnerships and secondments between consultancies and local authorities so that planners could share knowledge, experience and ideas. This would again contribute to a flexible system and simplified but enhanced processes, which would improve customer and staff experience of this multi-faceted profession.
TRISTAN DEWHURST
Devolve, decentralise Tristan Dewhurst is a graduate planner at GVA in Bristol I absolutely believe that planners need to embrace and champion devolution and decentralisation. The unanticipated surge in public interest in this subject following the Scottish referendum has catalysed a real debate about democracy and governance in the UK. Planners have a clear role in shaping this evolving debate. Decentralisation presents the best opportunity to achieve the things that our planning profession sorely needs: an adrenaline shot to the heart of public engagement and direct democracy; the chance for collaborative spatial and regional planning; and (critically) the means and resources with which to implement visions for better communities and places. It has the potential to be more sincerely empowering than the cynically conceived ‘localism agenda’ and to have better popular understanding and support than the advent of spatial planning 10 years ago.
IRAM MOHAMMED
More delegated powers Iram Mohammed is major assets project officer for East Dunbartonshire Council and chair of the RTPI’s membership and ethics committee Removing the risk of local political agendas from the development management process and increasing delegated powers would be a change for
the better, as I believe planners are the best people to make objective decisions about developments in their area.
WAYNE REYNOLDS
Stability in Wales Wayne Reynolds is founder and director of Atriarc Planning and Construction and junior vice-chair of RTPI Cymru I would like to see some stability come back into the planning system. With the Welsh council merger programme up in the air, I think there is huge uncertainty in the profession as to how the merger programme will impact on the planning system in Wales, both in terms of employment and the planning system in general. The Wales Planning Bill can provide the framework for regional working – however, I am not convinced that future significant changes are around the corner. The next two to five years will be very interesting indeed!
ZOE GREEN
Integration, integration, integration Zoe Green is a senior planning consultant with Atkins in London and the RTPI’s Young Planner of the Year We are entering the era of the city; by 2050 two-thirds of the global population will be living in cities. Our cities across the world are facing increasingly similar risks from flood risk to energy shortages and ecosystem damage. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to address the evolving structural and strategic threats. Planners must use their professional capabilities to assess the risks facing cities in a more integrated way and develop solutions that will help cities adapt in the face of an uncertain future.
n Join the discussion We’d love to know how you would change planning (whether you’re a young planner or not). Join the discussion in The Planner Think Tank on http://tinyurl.com/PlannerThinkTank
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