Effective community engagement in local development planning guidance: we asked, you said, we did statement

You said

There were 59 written responses to the consultation. Written responses were published where permission had been given to do so. The largest group of respondents was local authorities, closely followed by individuals.

We spoke to businesses involved in engagement practice, third sector organisations involved in engagement, community development, and equality matters. We worked with Scottish Youth Parliament to have a workshop with some members, and we included relevant questions in a national #WhatsYourTake survey of young people.

We also spoke to members of the Scottish Government's Engagement Working Group. Members of that group had helped to shape the draft guidance.

A range of themes were expressed by respondents, including:

• expectation management
• methods of engagement
• capacity and resources
• local development plan stages
• accountability
• equality matters
• presentation

A summary analysis of the written representation has been published, and other discussions and workshops have been noted, as appropriate, within the associated final impact assessments.

The views expressed and information received indicates support for community engagement in the making of local development plans and that building relationships of trust between community bodies and planning authorities is a long term commitment. However, not all people and groups potentially interested in the local development plan know how and when to get involved and there are mixed experiences of engagement.