Latest News

CLG Committee endorses TRA position on the role of Councillors - 12/08/08

The CLG Committee looking into Labour Shortage and Skills Gaps in Planning has recently published its final report. TRA made a number of responses to the questions asked by the Committee about officer training and the skills of Councillors. Given that TRA is the country’s largest provider of Councillor training it is perhaps not surprising that the Committee was particularly interested in what we had to say on the role of Councillors and the wider principle of democratic accountability. Indeed, the Committee noted that TRA had “best grasped the essential importance of the principle of democratic accountability” when we stated that:

"The role of the planning officer is to provide an objective analysis of the issues in a clear and succinct way, so that the decision maker can make an informed decision…the Councillor needs to be able to have an appreciation of what is proposed but also be able to ask difficult questions in order to test the robustness of the recommendation…The system rests on the basis that the technical specialist can be challenged by a non-specialist, so that there are checks and balances and that the decisions being made reflect the needs and desires of the wider community."  

The Committee concluded that whilst Councillors should be as well informed as they can be, it did not accept that compulsory training was either essential or necessary. The full report can be read on the House of Commons website.

Manchester Conference for Planning Support Staff - details announced - 11/08/08

Details are now available of the latest TRA Conference for Planning Support Staff taking place in Manchester on Tuesday 30 September 2008.

This event has been extremely popular in recent years and early booking is strongly recommended. 

Publicity leaflets are currently being circulated by post or email to our usual mailing contacts. Details of date, venue, price etc can be found on our website and you can also download a PDF leaflet/booking form.

Latest on re-launch of Planning Administrators' Network - 07/08/08

Back in June, we announced that the Planning Administrators' Network (PAN) was about to undergo a re-launch. As part of the preparations for the re-launch, we have since circulated a short questionnaire to all PAN members to get an idea of their interests and expectations of the Network in order to help us develop the discussion groups to better meet their needs. Thanks very much to all those who responded to the questionnaire; your input is much appreciated.

It was clear from the responses to the questionnaire that there is an appetite for greater discussion on the Network, despite everyone being very busy in their jobs. Several specific topics were identified and we will be focusing on these initially.

Beginning on Monday 11 August, we will be regularly introducing new topics for discussion via the Network forums. Initially, this is likely to cover several new topics each week.  If you are already a member of PAN, we do hope that you will regularly log on to the Network and join in with any of the discussions that are of interest to you. If you haven't yet joined but would like to, just visit the PAN website and register (registration is free and very simple).  As one respondent to the questionnaire put it "the more people online at any one time, the better the Network performs".

October Enforcement Forum - details now available - 04/08/08

Details are now available for the latest 'Forum on Enforcement' taking place in Warrington on 16 October 2008.

This is always a very popular event and lots of people have already made advance bookings. Prompt booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

Publicity leaflets are currently being circulated by both e-mail and post to our usual mailing contacts. Details of price/venue etc are available on the website, where there is also a leaflet/booking form available to be downloaded in a pdf format.

New workshops for Planning Chairs and Portfolio Holders - 24/07/08

Following the success of our Workshop for Planning Commitee Chairs and Portfolio Holders which has been running for the last couple of years, we have decided to develop additional workshops to form a series of sessions for Planning Chairs and Portfolio Holders focusing on key topics of concern.

The three workshops planned so far will focus on:

  • Planning Committee procedures and protocols
  • the interface between the Planning Committee and the Cabinet
  • planning obligations.

The workshop will follow the popular format established with the previous workshop ie a mid-afternoon start on Day 1, dinner and evening workshop session, an overnight stay, and a mid-afternoon finish on Day 2. Initially, each workshop will be run twice, once at the Monkbar Hotel in York and once at Madingley Hall, Cambridge; both excellent venues for this kind of event. Dates will be announced shortly. 

If you would like to make sure you receive details of these new workshops as soon as they are available please let us know at promotion@tra-ltd.co.uk.

Workshops for Planning and Development Staff - 08/07/08

The TRA 2008 training programme of workshops is currently taking a break whilst everyone is enjoying their summer hols.  Looking ahead to when the programme re-commences in the Autumn, there are still places available on some of the workshops due to take place in October. These include:

This comprehensive workshop is ideal for local authority officers who are required to engage consultants to carry out work for their authority, and includes useful advice and information on how to construct a brief, how to select and appoint the most appropriate consultant and how to manage contracts in order to obtain a timely and value for money outcome. 

This workshop is aimed at all planning staff involved in writing, editing, monitoring and reviewing policies at local and regional levels. It covers the process of policy making from initial drafts, through consultations, changes and editing, to the examination process and the importance of monitoring and review. 

Sustainable development underpins Government planning policies and its principles must be incorporated into all planning policy documents, as well as the process of development management. This workshop provides an introduction to sustainability as a concept from the global to the local level, and will explain the Government's requirements and discuss the role of sustainability in decision making.

If you would like to reserve places on any of these workshops, provisional bookings can be made by telephone or via our online provisional booking facility. Firm bookings can be made by completing and returning the appropriate booking form.

Award ceremony for Madingley graduates - 07/07/08

A number of students who have successfully completed one of TRA's certificated courses at Cambridge University returned to Madingley Hall in late June to attend an awards ceremony.

 

Two students were there to receive the Certificate of Continuing Education in Planning Enforcement and four were being awarded the Certificate of Continuing Education in Management Concepts and Skills in Planning.

 

All the students were able to bring along family members or friends who had supported them during their studies, to say thank you and to share the celebrations with them. Pictured below left with their Certificates in Enforcement are Debbie Threlfall (Lancaster City Council) and Mark Lane (Herefordshire Council).  Below right from the Management programme are Alison Young (East Herts DC), Anne Shorland (East Lindsey DC), Ruth Sainsbury (Broadland DC) and David Lewis (Tendring DC).

  

TRA tutors Vivien Green and Trevor Roberts were also at the ceremony to see their students receive their hard-earned certificates. It is a considerable achievement and we send our congratulations to them all. 

New look for TRA website - 04/07/08

If you are a regular reader of TRA ENews or visitor to the TRA website you will probably have noticed something different this month. We've had a makeover!

The website has been re-designed and re-organised to make it more attractive and, hopefully, more informative. We hope that you will approve of the changes.

Planning agreements and obligations - training and consultancy options - 04/07/08

TRA is currently developing a new package of training and consultancy services relating to Planning Agreements and Obligations (s106 & s75), aimed at improving understanding, application and management of this tricky aspect of the planning system.

Full details will be available shortly but in the meantime, here is a sneak preview of what will be available:

  • a series of inter-authority training workshops, run in venues across the UK, to build up the skills and knowledge of planning staff
  • in-house versions of these workshops for individual authorities (or groups of neighbouring authorities) plus some extra sessions only available on an in-house basis
  • two annual Forums (north and south) to provide updates and facilitate information exchange
  • inter-authority and in-house workshops for Councillors
  • an in-house workshop for beneficiary departments
  • specialist briefings for agents and developers
  • procedure reviews and specifications relating to s106/s75 agreements
  • a highly specialist facilitation consultancy service for parties involved in discussions about significant applications where planning agreements/obligations are involved.

Look out for further details on the website and in ENews in the next month or so. If you would like to make sure you receive details as soon as they are available please let us know at promotion@tra-ltd.co.uk.

Reception skills training for Kirklees - 04/07/08

TRA recently delivered a training workshop for reception staff working in planning, building control and local land charges at Kirklees Metropolitan Council. The workshop was based on a session which has been run many times on an in-house and inter-authority basis. Although aimed aimed primarily at staff who undertake front-line public reception, it is also of benefit to those who have supervisory responsibility for reception staff, functions and areas.

Specific objectives of the workshop are:

  • to equip participants with an understanding of the structure and stages of the reception process; this is more complex than sometimes realised, even by those directly involved
  • to develop skills associated with the different stages of reception, emphasising the highly critical initial stage
  • to consider how reception facilities and organisation can be improved
  • to explore aspects of reception practice and how this can be improved

  • generally, to equip participants with a deeper and more systematic understanding of the job of reception and to develop their confidence in doing it.

If you would like further information on this course and how to commission TRA to deliver it for you please contact Suzanne Waldram (suzanne@tra-ltd.co.uk). Please see our website for details of our other in-house training for planning support staff.

The Damaging Process of Reorganising Local Government? - 03/07/08

One of TRA's Associates, Steve Leach, has just written a book (jointly with Michael Chisholm) castigating the process of local government restructuring which has culminated recently in the creation of string of new unitary authorities. It is unlikely to win him any friends in Whitehall!

If you would like to read it for yourself, the booked is titled – “Botched Business – the Damaging Process of Reorganising Local Government”, and costs about £17.00 via Amazon.

Steve Leach is Professor of Local Government at De Montford University. He has worked with TRA for many years, most recently alongside Trevor Roberts delivering a two-day inter-authority workshop for Planning Committee Chairs and Planning Portfolio Holders.

Trevor Roberts addresses Scottish Councillors - 03/07/08

Trevor Roberts recently gave a plenary presentation to the first Scottish Councillors Conference organised by the RTPI Politicians in Planning Association, held in Glasgow. 

The conference was attended by councillors from all over Scotland. Trevor addressed them on “vision – the role of local councillors”, drawing parallels between planning and malt whisky, and emphasising their need to stick up for a long term view, not always politically popular in these days of customer care and demands for quick results.

TRA provides a range of planning-related services in Scotland, including an extremely well-supported programme of inter-authority workshops for staff, and in-house training for Councillors which has been provided for around a dozen authorities.

Stewart joins NAPE Management Committee - 03/07/08

Stewart Glassar, TRA's Planning Manager, was recently selected as the representative for the South East Region on the NAPE Management Committee.

The purpose of NAPE, the National Association for Planning Enforcement,is to promote and enhance the role of planning enforcement within the planning profession. If you would like more information, including how to become a member, you can visit the NAPE section of the RTPI website.

If you based in the South East and would like to contact Stewart you can email him on stewart@tra-ltd.co.uk.

New management e-bulletin - 02/07/08

As trainers and consultants, we spend a great deal of our time working in local authorities and we see the many issues facing local government and the relationship between councils and central government. We are also acutely aware of the pressures on managers to:

  • improve performance, efficiency and customer relations
  • manage people and other resources
  • respond to political and economic pressures
  • recruit, develop and retain staff, and
  • manage constant change.

To try to help, we will be launching a new e-bulletin called Managing in Changing Times which will be directed at those involved in local government management (in any discipline). The bulletin will also be of benefit to others working in councils who are generally interested to know what's going on around them.

Within the bulletin, we will comment on topical issues and share some of the experience from our work in a straightforward and informative way. We would also very much welcome contributions and feedback from readers.

The bulletin will be circulated quarterly, beginning at the end of August 2008. If you would like to sign up to receive it, you just need to submit your email address via this online form.