tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55035074380448041852024-03-05T23:07:34.186-08:00ShapethePlaceShapethePlacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03199445954024981290noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503507438044804185.post-42728045424509002014-04-11T08:09:00.000-07:002014-04-12T01:52:46.533-07:00Break the Rules - Get Tactical
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Break
the Rules - Get Tactical.</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As
the tactical urbanism movement gathers pace across the globe. Communities,
professionals, residents, neighbourhoods, cyclists, pedestrians, mums, dads,
kids, and so on, are all beginning to realise that urban design and place shaping
is not solely the domain of the government or local authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People and community led place interventions
and movements are often found to be better planned, more responsibly designed,
more cost effective, more responsive to local need and better used than those
delivered by the powers that be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However
this movement, which has seen changes to places such as </span><a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/public-plazas.shtml"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Times Square</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> in New York and the
creation of pop up protected bike lanes in </span><a href="http://www.tacticalurbanismhere.com/place/pop-protected-bicycle-lane"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Denver</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> has struggled to get
a strong foothold in the UK.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
the UK we probably lead the world in written guidance about better quality
places, public realm, urban design, streets, spaces, and community
engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add to this that across the
country a great deal of community engagement and neighbourhood planning is
taking place. Yet when it comes to doing it on the ground then quite often smaller
interventions such as knit bombing and graffiti art appear to be the mainstay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not to say it doesn’t happen in some places
and I would mention the excellent work of the DIY Streets programme run by
Sustrans plus a few others listed at the end of this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However this appears to be more isolated
projects and definitely not the norm of street or place interventions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Small Scale Street Interventions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Other
countries, while lacking the plethora of guidance, just appear to get on with
this approach possibly not held back by our sensibilities. Maybe it's our UK
view that the state delivers change in the public domain not communities, that
unless it's official and sanctioned it's not our place to redesign the local
park or street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We appear to be happy
that the local bus station has looked like the arse end of town for the last 20
years despite the production of three separate strategies and several
independent reports calling for its change and upgrade. Content that the town
square has remained as a glorified surface car park since a few souls started
parking Morris Minors on it in the 1950s. Furthermore when and if delivered by developers
we are content that some three letter acronym corporate architecture firm with
no local knowledge and limited place skills will design and deliver a soulless
plaza or new shiny quarter to our town or city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Community Engagement in these cases is often limited to viewing a few
sharp photo-montages and being asked leading questions about the choice of
lights, bollards or paving colour.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Low Cost Interventions Can Transform Places</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Some
have said it's the term tactical urbanism, others the reluctance of local
authorities to embrace this sort of approach both of which have some credence.
However, it should be noted that this has not held the movement back in other
parts of the world. It's is still happening in places where urbanism or
placeshaping is not professionally well established, where there is little
guidance and in many places where the local authority is more deeply entrenched
than it is in the UK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this
difference in context is one of the reasons it happens - maybe having no
guidance is better than lots of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does the UK context prevent us intervening?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">However
I believe that in the UK we are still failing to realise the value of DIY
interventions in places and the many benefits it can have. So for those
considering its use in their neighbourhood or community I thought I would set
out a few.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Engagement
and Real Change</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
ability to inspire local people to make real change, to fire up a genuine
interest in the future of a place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tactical urbanism gives engagement and change a real purpose and end
goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn't being asked about the
wording in some dreary policy document or to choose between crappy option A or
crappy option B. Often the question asked by local authorities is why don't
more people get involved in our decisions well the answer quite often is
because local authorities make it so incredibly tedious and boring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And my do they make it boring! There is very
little that is boring about tactical urbanism, the ability to physically change
a place for the better with your neighbours, community and local business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is how UK towns, villages and cities were
born and grew in the UK and should be a rediscovered route to how they change
and adapt now. What many local authorities miss is that it is also a very
powerful tool in bridging a gap between local authorities and the communities
they serve. It may help with issues I raised in this earlier </span><a href="http://shapetheplace.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/how-not-to-do-community-engagement_3424.html"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Blog</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Communities 'Build a Better Block' Project, Philadelphia - Can the UK follow?</span><br>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Actual
Real World Testing</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
ability to actual test what happens when you close a lane off, slim down a
complex junction create sitting areas or create a park out of a large surface
car park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Test the real world effects of
these changes, impacts and the benefits, not just on traffic movement but
social impacts too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't run your
scheme through some half-baked techno geek modelling program which everyone
tells you was the wrong sort of modelling and doesn't actually model the true
impact of changes - as they say garbage in, garbage out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Modelling factors cold numbers and never
reacts to how people use space or the changes people make when spaces and
streets actually happen on the ground. It is a sad state of affairs that our UK
towns and Cities are shaped more by virtual traffic flow calculations than they
are by what a place should be. Computer models will never factor in the how the
dwellers of places, pedestrians, businesses and cyclists economically,
environmentally and socially benefit from the improved urban environment.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Cost
effective and shows intent.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
approach is comparably cheap and easy to do. It doesn't take expensive granite
kerbs or bespoke art installations this can be done with a few concrete blocks,
paint, some planters and a few temporary tables and chairs. In times of
austerity and dwindling budgets this approach is a very sensible and
justifiable one. It can avoid dealing with services below ground - the single
most important factor in the rising cost of public realm and infrastructure
projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the proposal doesn't work
or causes real local issues then it's very easy to rectify or adjust, again at
very low cost. It also demonstrates that an area has intent to change that it
doesn't have to wait 10 years for the new shopping area, road diet or the new
quayside development. No huge budget bottom line has to be reached before it’s
done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It shows a city or town can
control its own destiny and is not solely in the hands of a development partner
- who more often than not is more interested in a profit margin or shareholder
interest.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Café in Antiques Quarter, Bridport, Dorset</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b> </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Social
Benefit</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">These
schemes are often led and driven by local communities and therein create social
capital that is more valuable than a few neighbourhood meetings or a
neighbourhood watch scheme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They bring
people together not just to design and craft an idea but to build and use the place,
streets or facility created. This is what true place shaping is all about and
therefore one asks, again, why we don’t do it more in the UK?</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Street Fair in Bath</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Economic
Benefits</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Many
schemes result in improved access, public space or new facilities all of which
benefit the residents and business around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Recent tactical interventions in the US saw significant uplift in rents,
increase patronage of local shops and businesses. This then gave credence to do
more and spend further time on doing some of them as permanent schemes. With
the current threats to our local high streets, economy and businesses, this has
to be a logical step in improving local sustainable economic income.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tactical Café Advert, Falmouth, Cornwall</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Results
in properly thought through and well designed schemes</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It
engenders an interest so much greater than a strategy document sitting on a
dusty shelf. It tests the real effect not just on traffic and parking but more
importantly on people and how they interact with a new space and a pop up
store. It irons out the wrinkles easily and with little fuss and at low
cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It creates real conversations and
problems solving between designers and communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If successful enough it can lead to a full
scheme with all the whistles and bells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Being able to do this quickly and at low cost is invaluable as a design
tool both at concept stage, through design and onto implementation.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Educates
and inspires</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Seeing
people get involved in this sort of project inspires them to want to help shape
their area and surroundings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It acts as
real education in places and spaces helping all sides to understand the issues
faced when making a change to an area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It allows professionals and local authorities to show communities how
decisions are balanced and involves them in the choice and decisions process.
It leads to other projects and initiatives and when people realise how easy it
is and successful they want to do more – surely this should be a key part of
the much talked about localism agenda.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heath Ledger and Christian Bale </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get Tactical During Filming of Batman</span>.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Summary Rant<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I
believe it's about time we realised in the UK that sometimes we might have to
grip the bull by the horns and take hold of projects as a community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check out the links at the end of this piece
or Google ‘Tactical Urbanism’ and see how it's being done in other places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may not all be in the UK but that should
not make a scrap of difference. The benefits to social, environmental and
economic aims of a place can truly benefit in a time when true sustainability
can be created through interventions at a neighbourhood level.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Local
authorities need to wake up to this too and I have found some transport
departments that appear to block some of these initiatives but hopefully as communities
and professionals we can begin to challenge and change that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been contacted by community groups
very keen to do this type of intervention being blocked by extremely regimented
officers, processes and procedures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There probably is a UK notion that we don't do this the government or
the local authority does, however if this can be championed in other parts of
the world surely we can do so here?</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t it time we grew beyond the smaller
intervention in the UK and</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> have a go at closing off some lanes on a city centre
road or converting a major town centre surface car park into a real park!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">With
regard to what it’s called I don’t have the answer and not really sure it
matters that much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call it what you will
Tactical Urbanism, DIY Places, Pop-up Projects, Lean Urbanism, just get out and
do something. Don’t wait for it just to happen because in a great deal of cases
it probably won’t.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Currently
I am researching and working on a few early stage projects on how this can be
done in more UK Cities, Towns and Streets with the use of soft measures, local
community groups, temporary TROs, Pop Up Facilities, Street Closures, removal
of parking so if you want to know more get in touch via Twitter @shapetheplace
or </span><a href="mailto:shapetheplace@virginmedia.com"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">shapetheplace@virginmedia.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will also set up a list blog with examples
in and continue to update and add to as people send me links and info.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Please also c</span>heck out this great resource from the US called
<a href="http://www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/tacticalurbanismvol2final.pdf"><span style="color: black;">Tactical
Urbanism 2</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pop-up Bar near the National Theatre, London</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My
thanks also go out to friends and colleagues on Social Media who have suggested
a few examples in the UK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So please look
at the links below and hopefully this may inspire a few more of us to do
something in our towns and cities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The UK
Getting Tactical - Links</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pop-up Cafes, Kings Cross, London</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dairy Crest, Totnes. A communities passion to Imagine a hub that is the
heart of a new economy for Totnes and further afield, a food entrepreneurs</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">’ </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">school, affordable housing, a business incubator, a
living, breathing taste of sustainability in practice, rising from the ashes of
the derelict Dairy Crest site. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://atmostotnes.org/"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span style="color: black;">http://atmostotnes.org</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB) is a social
enterprise and development trust which seeks to make London</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">’</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">s South Bank a better place in which to live, to work
and to visit. Since 1984 CSCB has transformed a largely derelict 13 acre site
into a thriving mixed use neighbourhood.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://coinstreet.org/"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span lang="FR" style="mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="color: black;">http://coinstreet.org</span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sustrans brings communities together to help them
redesign their streets to make them safer and more attractive places to live,
where people come first. These projects are known as DIY Streets and offer an
affordable, community-led alternative to the home zones design concept.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-services/what-we-do/improving-streets"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">http://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-services/what-we-do/improving-streets</span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">UK
Guerrilla Gardening a place for guerrillas and wannabe guerrillas from around
the world. Enlist with a username and password to share your guerrilla
gardening plans, activity and advice. Find support or just go for it solo, sow
the seed and get something growing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://guerrillagardening.org/community/index.php?board=2.0"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">http://guerrillagardening.org/community/index.php?board=2.0</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Knit
the City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Yarnstorming (also known
as yarnbombing): the art of enhancing a public place or object with graffiti
knitting" (Or putting knitting on something unexpected in public and
running always giggling wildly).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://knitthecity.com/"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><span style="color: black;">http://knitthecity.com/</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Three years ago one street in South Bristol, backed by
the city council, trialled the idea of a temporary road closure to let children
play out safe from traffic danger. These residents then went on to help other
local streets </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">‘</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">open for play</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">’ </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">for a couple of hours after school to let local children use the space
for scooting, chalking, racing, skipping and a host of other games.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.bristol247.com/2012/10/10/why-letting-our-kids-reclaim-the-streets-is-not-childs-play-58737/"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">http://www.bristol247.com/2012/10/10/why-letting-our-kids-reclaim-the-streets-is-not-childs-play-58737/</span></span></span></a></span><span class="Hyperlink0"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Headington Shark in Oxford – Shark in a Roof – Enough Said!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Headington_Shark"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Headington_Shark</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "American Typewriter";"><o:p>Watching and Hoping to See More</o:p></span></div>
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ShapethePlacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03199445954024981290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503507438044804185.post-50901259288443555122014-02-08T16:30:00.000-08:002014-02-08T12:33:40.509-08:00The Director's New Roads<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The Directors New
Roads! Or a sad tale of Induced Demand!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Inspired
by a recent podcast by the wonderful Andy Boenau - <a href="http://www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/">Urbanism Speakeasy</a>. This is
my take on the inspiring story by Hans Christian Anderson adapted for today and
set out to highlight why we always appear to miss the obvious even though it's
before our very eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How sometimes it
takes the eyes of a child to spot what we can't see through professional
assumptions. Unlike children we've all had our corners knocked off a bit and
that isn't always a good thing. So in reading this I hope I can make you think
about adding a few corners back on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
at least challenging the status quo a bit more! It's a bit of fun or is it? Does
this go on daily across the UK in transport funding, planning and design? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The Director's New
Roads!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Many
years ago there was a Local Authority Director so exceedingly fond of new
businesses that he spent all his money on building new roads for cars and
lorries in the hope it would attract them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He didn’t read evidence or look at current research. He cared nothing
about people that walked, people that cycled or those that ride in a local bus,
except to occasionally spend a little on these modes to try and show fairness.
He had a set of traffic lights for every hour of the day, and instead of
saying, as one might, about any other place, "The Director is engaging
with his community or creating a liveable walkable city" here they always
said. "The Director is planning the next road widening or junction."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In
the great city where he lived, life was always very busy, everyday many
strangers came to town, and among them one day came two professionals. They let
it be known they were traffic engineers, and they said they could build the
most magnificent roads imaginable. Not only were their junctions and extra
carriageways uncommonly fine, but roads made this way had a wonderful way of
making congestion invisible to anyone who was unfit for their position, office,
or who was unusually stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"These
would be just the roads for me," thought the Director "If I build
them I would be able to discover which people in my city are unfit for their
posts. And I could tell the wise people from the fools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will remove congestion! Yes, I certainly
must get some of these roads built for me right away." He paid the two
traffic engineers a large sum of money to start work at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">They
set up a large office and began to model traffic, though there was nothing but
numbers and algorithms on their computers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All the finest software and the purest CAD systems which they demanded
went into their new office, while they worked these meaningless computer
systems far into the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"I'd
like to know how those traffic engineers are getting on with my new
roads," the Director thought, but he felt slightly uncomfortable when he
remembered that those who were unfit for their position would not be able to
see the congesting becoming invisible. It couldn't have been that he doubted
himself, yet he thought he'd rather send someone else to see how things were
going. The whole City knew about the new road's peculiar powers, and all were
impatient to find out how stupid their neighbours were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"I'll
send my honest old Head of Transport to the traffic engineers" the
Director decided. "He'll be the best one to tell me how the new roads
look, for he's a sensible man and no one does his duty better."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So
the honest old Head of Transport went to the room where the two Traffic
Engineers sat working away at their software and meaningless computers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Heaven
help me," he thought as his eyes flew wide open, "I can see that this
will just fill up and cause more traffic and not hide the congestion at
all". But he did not say so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G0gmO6MQUNmAj7bJ_QBxvl11LPVIMIiaY7ys9_FZjq_0lCLWGp4VqgeMZkk0ukUHSOhnrHOixXFcWd91pO1O8x3Ob-VLLnP5Muw9YoYSJaNbJdrwISAowLa-ZDdFoXCKh3f_9tikXK5k/s1600/big+computer+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G0gmO6MQUNmAj7bJ_QBxvl11LPVIMIiaY7ys9_FZjq_0lCLWGp4VqgeMZkk0ukUHSOhnrHOixXFcWd91pO1O8x3Ob-VLLnP5Muw9YoYSJaNbJdrwISAowLa-ZDdFoXCKh3f_9tikXK5k/s1600/big+computer+2.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Both
the traffic engineers begged him to be so kind as to come near to approve the
excellent road, the beautiful junctions. They pointed to the meaningless
computer, and the poor old Head of Transport stared as hard as he dared. He couldn't
see anything that made the congestion invisible because there was nothing to
see. "Heaven have mercy," he thought. "Can it be that I'm a
fool? I'd have never guessed it, and not a soul must know. Am I unfit to be the
Head of Transport? It would never do to let on that I can't see the congestion
disappearing."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Don't
hesitate to tell us what you think of it," said one of the traffic
engineers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Oh,
it's wonderful -it's enchanting." The old Head of Transport peered through
his spectacles. "Such a road, what junctions!" I'll be sure to tell
the Director how delighted I am with it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"We're
pleased to hear that," the traffic engineers said. They proceeded to show
all the extra lane widths and to explain the intricate junctions. The old Head
of Transport paid the closest attention, so that he could tell it all to the
Director. And so he did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
traffic engineers at once asked for more money, more computers and more
engineers, to get on with the road design. But it all went into their road. Not
a thread went into the cycle tracks, bus routes or pavements, though they
worked at their designing as hard as ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
Director presently sent another trustworthy official to see how the work
progressed and how soon it would be ready. The same thing happened to her that
had happened to the Head of Transport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She looked and she looked, but as there was no benefits to see in the
new roads she couldn't see the congestion becoming invisible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Isn't
it a wonderful piece of design?" the traffic engineers asked her, as they
displayed and described their imaginary disappearing traffic road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"I
know I'm not stupid," the woman thought, "so it must be that I'm
unworthy of my good office. That's strange. I mustn't let anyone find it out,
though." So she praised the disappearing congestion she did not see. She
declared she was delighted with the wonderful additional lanes and the
exquisite junctions To the Director she said, "It held me
spellbound."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
entire City was talking of these splendid roads, and the Director wanted to see
it for himself while it was still on the drawing board. Attended by a band of
chosen men and women, among whom were his two old trusted officials - the ones
who had been to the traffic engineers, he set out to see the two traffic engineers.
He found them designing with might and main, but without a stitch of congestion
disappearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Magnificent,"
said the two officials already duped. "Just look, Your Majesty, what
carriageways! What a design!" They pointed to the meaningless computers and
drawings each supposing that the others could see how the congestion would
disappear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"What's
this?" thought the Director. "I can't see any congestion
disappearing. This is terrible!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Am
I a fool? Am I unfit to be the Director? What a thing to happen to me of all
people what will big business say! Oh! It's very clever," he said.
"It has my highest approval." And he nodded approbation at the
computers and drawings. Nothing could make him say that he couldn't see any
congestion disappearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">His
whole retinue stared and stared. One saw no more than another, but they all
joined the Director in exclaiming, "Oh! It's very clever," and they
advised him to build the roads from this wonderful design especially for the
great procession he was soon to lead. "Magnificent! Excellent!
Unsurpassed!" were bandied from mouth to mouth, and everyone did his best
to seem well pleased. The Director gave each of the traffic engineers a cross
to wear in his buttonhole, and the title of "Chief Traffic Engineer."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Before
the procession the Traffic Engineers worked day and night, shut off all the
existing roads and laid lots of new concrete and tarmac, to show how busy they
were finishing the Director's new roads. They pretended to take the numbers off
the computers. They made holes in the ground with huge diggers, laid drainage
put in endless traffic lights. And at last they said, "Now the Director's
new roads are ready for him."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpXYvn_pxPOfnO017FIufDA5KphSDzY5_F2-uFjIojn2LlhLe2p8C0IVuQXwdgYtFVELtP6d3EvNzZdndCNo6fEqnvlolpFXCH_AkR7YQq4YicqQMMZE5ZGcNEgPEqcuYWCTGoyBf_nIh/s1600/04+Large+group+of+men+at+meeting,+1920+-+1929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpXYvn_pxPOfnO017FIufDA5KphSDzY5_F2-uFjIojn2LlhLe2p8C0IVuQXwdgYtFVELtP6d3EvNzZdndCNo6fEqnvlolpFXCH_AkR7YQq4YicqQMMZE5ZGcNEgPEqcuYWCTGoyBf_nIh/s1600/04+Large+group+of+men+at+meeting,+1920+-+1929.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Then
the Director himself came with his noblest Heads of Service and local
dignitaries, and the traffic engineers each stood proudly in front of their
designs. They said, "These are the keys to your car, here's your coat,
just get in, drive off and the congestion will miraculously disappear.
"All of our designs are truly marvellous you will hardly notice the lack
of traffic. One would almost think we hadn't removed the cars and lorries such
is the subtlety of our design."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Exactly,"
all the Heads of Service agreed, though as they looked out could see queues
building up and no congestion disappearing, for there was nothing new to see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"If
The Director will condescend to drive his car along the road," said the
traffic engineers, "we will help you onto the new roads with our new
traffic signals and computer management systems." “As Director you will not
have to worry about cyclists and pedestrians as we have made no provision for
them at all."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
Director put on his coat, and the traffic engineers turned on the magical
traffic signals and computer system, one road after another. They took him
outside and seemed to be looking at something - that was the supposed car free
roads and the Director turned round and round before the City folk amazed at
his own foresight and planning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"How
well your new roads look. Aren't they becoming?" He heard on all sides,
"That new carriageway, so perfect! Those junctions, so suitable! It is a
magnificent transport system."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Then
the minister of public processions announced: "The Director's car is
waiting."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Well,
I'm supposed to be ready," the Director said, and turned again for one
last look at the roads "It is a remarkable design isn't it?" He
seemed to regard his roads with the greatest interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
Heads of Service and dignitaries who were to follow his car looked from their
cars as if all the traffic was moving freely. Then they pretended not to notice
the huge queues building up behind them. They didn't dare admit the congestion
was not invisible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So
off went the Director in procession under his splendid canopy but moving just a
few feet or so. Everyone in the streets and the windows said, "Oh, how
fine are the Director's new roads! Don't they move the traffic along more
freely? And we see no long queues!" Nobody would confess that he couldn't
see any congestion disappearing, for that would prove him either unfit for his
position, or a fool. No road the Director had built before was ever such a
complete success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">However
from the crowd a small voice spoke "But the congestion hasn't gone at
all" a little child said, "and there is nowhere for me to walk or
ride my bike!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Did
you ever hear such innocent prattle?" said the boy’s father. And one
person whispered to another what the child had said, "The congestion
hasn't gone. A child says the congestion hasn't gone at all."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"But
the congestion hasn't gone!" the whole city cried out at last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySxX8k95gW52DcXogbK15VOx7FECEv0YC4BkXC2BV-F0DRn1bbw0OiZgDTls0e2ewpIF0ofGCday33amFlkkXKm8KTI0AmLvJnyD7-NTSLiDyQEPfqoXHDcwS2VoxK9sSNxNezYffACTv/s1600/Drivers-Stuck-in-Traffic-Jam-for-9-Days-in-China1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySxX8k95gW52DcXogbK15VOx7FECEv0YC4BkXC2BV-F0DRn1bbw0OiZgDTls0e2ewpIF0ofGCday33amFlkkXKm8KTI0AmLvJnyD7-NTSLiDyQEPfqoXHDcwS2VoxK9sSNxNezYffACTv/s1600/Drivers-Stuck-in-Traffic-Jam-for-9-Days-in-China1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
Director shivered, for he suspected they were right. But he thought, "This
procession has got to go on." So he sat stationary in his car more proudly
than ever, as his Heads of Service sat behind him in the congestion that wasn't
there at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
ShapethePlacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03199445954024981290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503507438044804185.post-63494557226486508972013-09-15T11:46:00.001-07:002014-04-14T01:26:30.331-07:00Urban Photography Moments in Places<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKv6WfiKD2trWhg8FjDlDng4XGkeR3OKUZWf_z526pu2E4X0KNHQosgVcuXxhbNOOV9-id_9rTnwWqeBKs-hbT48bSFLKG5s1nxItuAMaaCbNbzbv8jIJA3wiTq3RHwGnvVHCPiysMe2X/s640/blogger-image-243628812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKv6WfiKD2trWhg8FjDlDng4XGkeR3OKUZWf_z526pu2E4X0KNHQosgVcuXxhbNOOV9-id_9rTnwWqeBKs-hbT48bSFLKG5s1nxItuAMaaCbNbzbv8jIJA3wiTq3RHwGnvVHCPiysMe2X/s640/blogger-image-243628812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUguNl-wCmZ0VovR6Q6WvQ7A_cxDBMWIYwu7GC83fg_Bs-wAYLNPmC8H8KuC4W53LulamNFCq1I2WdNjrrcVljMspWVOYZKa0QUq92qE74rZOmfcfFF4MNlYY9_oJOshAsuIVjt_P04a3G/s640/blogger-image-1780741795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Moments in Places</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Places fascinate me. The townscape, the detail, the moments, the people and the events. Over the last few years I have been documenting them via Instagram. Alongside the photos we have tagged the places they were taken You can check out our profile or follow and enjoy over a 1000 bits of the UK. </div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Instagram @shapetheplace if you are intrigued? Here is a small example of those moments. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclTWSBXK5LxWZqrfwTItoS_75lGZmWSh9oQkrokLYlXFrdTdikBdTfByDdqnERWN7y-57qgeNO5S9ZxHc1RuANCXaRlgeI0SKKZDXPmbsNafGqvcSF3iJkzWuubUinsEpitGuR8g6c2YS/s640/blogger-image-787136703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclTWSBXK5LxWZqrfwTItoS_75lGZmWSh9oQkrokLYlXFrdTdikBdTfByDdqnERWN7y-57qgeNO5S9ZxHc1RuANCXaRlgeI0SKKZDXPmbsNafGqvcSF3iJkzWuubUinsEpitGuR8g6c2YS/s640/blogger-image-787136703.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kcI4pBzZ-IKmnuybc7U9Ow83pylhxLcsBC3HjkaLF8STQWcaukO6QhlaM-qTs7IazYns-cNapqIWA2R2fs7S9Y1Dc0eYGpPdUVRhgXZggQ8XWy9dTowg_vvnPc9Vh9aCzTbJUZeeHYKD/s640/blogger-image--2015298435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7TyFyk-hJMQKm7Qk0Ty6qKCe-kzILbbn33_35T34K5GmYhQVlZui0gouu3IhghdXZUVSwprfzLTODExwu99A3OufqaoCsGUfcBzhct_0owokQyzxfmC3wiJBlb63ee_1EI894Q3qpjdW/s640/blogger-image-161180146.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxZI_6spKI9WvPHtOslKUJGK5D54JU3-UWjeay249nJh9tLZmXaiyiZ3earq7HSkW4PKbq3uqeTx81tEntVUi6K0j7LLO8h79ZZcS3KzWevnIwVL-Zues3L0ykdVqDKUyNEvd89NHuF-f/s640/blogger-image-1844502530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxZI_6spKI9WvPHtOslKUJGK5D54JU3-UWjeay249nJh9tLZmXaiyiZ3earq7HSkW4PKbq3uqeTx81tEntVUi6K0j7LLO8h79ZZcS3KzWevnIwVL-Zues3L0ykdVqDKUyNEvd89NHuF-f/s640/blogger-image-1844502530.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTfD9Ex3KlfPapIx6k9c7KwdgWL810SRlzLFHvlOjgZ0bL5ZcooO3JHycKDPWjgvgAZGERURYpJTcq6oPwdMBdd6JQsY0xa_J_3aceskRb5cxkbTIjOvgVg94k-tMcpz6nhYyIv8W85F5/s640/blogger-image--1886941563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTfD9Ex3KlfPapIx6k9c7KwdgWL810SRlzLFHvlOjgZ0bL5ZcooO3JHycKDPWjgvgAZGERURYpJTcq6oPwdMBdd6JQsY0xa_J_3aceskRb5cxkbTIjOvgVg94k-tMcpz6nhYyIv8W85F5/s640/blogger-image--1886941563.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Thanks </div><div><br></div><div>ShapethePlace</div><div><br></div><div>Follow on twitter @shapetheplace </div><div><br></div>ShapethePlacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03199445954024981290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5503507438044804185.post-9820252791924472102013-09-12T22:33:00.001-07:002013-09-12T22:33:07.512-07:00How Not To Do Community Engagement<h2>
How Not To Do Community Engagement</h2>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Having spent the last 15 years both organising and attending a wide variety of community engagement events I felt it worth writing some thoughts on the type of engagement carried out by some authorities and in some case others (developers, partnership organisations, etc). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While many of these are well understood mistakes it is interesting how many authorities and developers continue to make them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a couple of recent engagement events and talks I have been asked by some community groups to post these thoughts in the hope that some will read and improve their community communication approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am posting this mainly for the benefit of communities and what they really should be expecting from their local authority and others. I also hope some local authorities might use it to advise and improve their own engagement processes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The blog doesn’t discount that some of these approaches can sometimes be used as part of a suite of engagement measures but far too often they are used in isolation and held up as wide and proactive engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The unfortunate result is that these techniques are often taken as the view of the community and worse still used to develop designs, polices and strategies!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In writing this post my thanks go out to the many communities and individuals who helped to write this and shape my engagement events with their own suggestions, thoughts and issues over historic engagement calamities. The thing that really hacks me off about this subject is that it is not difficult to do it properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good engagement is vital to shaping places and using public funds, it just takes a bit of thought and effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I thought I might start with a brief introduction to the legal view of consultation and engagement set out by the Gunning Principles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Gunning Principles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The decision-maker’s discretion in how to consult or engage is not unbounded, however, it is commonly accepted that certain fundamental principles must be adhered to. These are known as the Gunning (or Sedley ) principles, having been propounded by Mr. Stephen Sedley QC and adopted by Mr. Justice Hodgson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quick Google search on the Gunning Principles will give you a wealth of legal and guidance background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To summarise the key Gunning principles are that: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">consultation must take place when the proposal is still at a formative stage;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">sufficient reasons must be put forward for the proposal to allow for intelligent consideration and response;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">adequate time must be given for consideration and response; and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">the product of consultation must be conscientiously taken into account.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I can already sense many of you thinking well that wasn’t what happened in the last consultation I went to – and unfortunately this is often the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With these principles in mind I will set out where many consultations or engagement events go wrong. So with those thoughts in your mind here are some of the more commonly made mistakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Council Meeting or The ‘Tin Can Alley’<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This type of event has been going for a while and normally involves a panel show arrangement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Council officers and sometimes other professionals attend the ‘top table’ and to a packed room present the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What then happens is normally those with the loudest voice or the most confident or the most hacked off get to fire comments at the ‘targets’ on the top table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally very confrontational events and it often does not tackle the subject of the engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fundamentally it misses some of the key issues around wider engagement. Those quieter or more reserved members of the community who may have some great ideas or options rarely get to express their view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The meeting is often dominated by the best ‘shot’ or loudest voice and the debate often gets skewed to those views with little balance. Officers tend to become defensive and not a great deal of compromise or solutions is achieved. Just don’t do it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Location, Location, Location – and Time<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The choice of venue can be a big issue and often is given very little thought or attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it is a difficult one to resolve as the large venue that’s ideal for the event isn’t always on the main drag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But some sensible issues can be looked at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally there is a choice of venues so pick the one that is more easily accessible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ground floors with level access – yes sometimes rooms on the first floor and up steps are still used!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little bit of fun signage and way marking if the entrance isn’t clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enough space for the event type table layouts, games and discussion areas all need to be considered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The obvious choice isn’t always the best for example a busy shopping centre will catch lots of local shoppers with a bit of time on their hands however it may miss a big percentage of the local community or those with other demands on time and attention. Often the space in shopping centres is squeezed, there are other events on and it is not great for considered discussion and ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I have always felt that you always need to review the location after the event and maybe consider a second venue if it didn’t work or how you plan your outreach consultation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s often not good enough to choose just one event on one day in one location for issues you are trying to get a decent response for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should of course be doing some outreach consultation, going to see those that may not be able to make it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The time and day for events is also critical, too often they are in the week and between 9-5 this is no good a large part of a community, for example those who work or might care for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to consider evenings and weekends and in some cases going to meet groups at their events and times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again this take a bit more effort and work but not much and is well worth the rewards and responses gained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Communications and Engagement - ‘well it’s the same thing isn’t it’.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Many authorities see their communications teams the same as community engagement teams and therein is the first mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The majority of communications teams are solely geared to delivering the ‘corporate’ messages, service unit information and dealing with press enquires and many do excellent jobs dealing with this sort of communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However the skills required to engage with a variety of community groups and open up to both different views and criticisms is not what they are set up to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It requires a different skill set and a different approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result is often the standard questionnaire, the Local Authority ‘bland’ magazine or rather redundant leaflet approach to consultation to ask if people like having their bins emptied - don’t we all? These approaches often do not reach many in the community apart from those who always respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore the understanding of real engagement in communication teams is limited and often gives rise by suggestion to some of the other mistakes set out in this blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Appointment of Public Relations (PR) teams.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This is similar to the previous issue and made by both local authorities and third party consultations. Once again PR firms who are extremely skilled in delivering slick PowerPoint’s, crisp marketing and advert style literature rarely chime with local people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They descend on places in a swarm of people in pointy shoes and shiny suits or as a friend once commented ‘pointless shits and shiny shoes’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have often seen these well-oiled and well-dressed machines come to a juddering halt when trying to engage with communities and wider public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lots of good money is often wasted on these firms in the name of ‘engagement’ which could be better spent on more local ‘low tech’ engagement techniques. One individual in a West Midlands community once told me as soon as they see someone in a sharp suit with a clip board they know they are in trouble and tend not to bother!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Routes in and Routes Out<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The failure to put in place, what I call, a simple way in or route map into the local authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A simple plan on a web-page or in the reception of who to contact for everyday community needs and how to get things delivered – even small things. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very fine to talk about engagement and breaking down silos but getting into local authorities is still very difficult for many community groups especially those hard to reach groups which find the route in even hard to access.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understanding that public space might be delivered by three separate units or that the planning tree team doesn’t deal with the trees on your local park is not translated to the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How a community might access funds to help improve a local place space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We often use the simplification of the London tube map as an example of trying to help authorities simplify unit structures to help assist local groups getting to the right person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As anyone who has worked in local authority will tell you a layout of current services units within the local authority will not tell the full picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The inability to sort this out can ruin all the good work done during positive engagement events.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Option A or B?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The late consultation or do you like terrible scheme number one or terrible scheme number 2?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The decisions have been made the budget set, the scope of works defined and we are just asking you if you like paving or planting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is one of the worst kind of engagement mistake and the most likely to both upset the community or scupper a scheme or project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus as you can see above meets none of the Gunning Principles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The community gets no real say in the process and it is in effect notification not consultation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet it still happens and baffles me as to why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I attended a training event last year where this type of engagement was being championed and early blank paper engagement being discouraged – I left and requested a refund.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Great and the Good <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This relates to the well-used stakeholder group a selected list of the chosen few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often full of those who turn up to all the other engagement events or are regular objectors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also used used to avoid conflict with or tackle powerful local objectors who because they are given such a focus in a group are allowed to craft the project or consultation to address their own self interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This approach often misses the bulk of the residents and smaller businesses in a community and thereby the scheme only really responds to the stakeholders demands and wishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stakeholder groups are useful but they need to be combined with wider engagement and some leg work in going out to hard to reach groups and the wider community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sending an e-mail and then ignoring them because they don’t respond is both lazy and arrogant. I have a half written blog on getting out to hard to reach groups I will post soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Missing 3<sup>rd</sup> of the Community<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The UK population demographic shows in 2011 the over 19 million people were between the ages of 0 to 24 just under a third of the overall population. I would ask you to consider the last consultation event you attended and the social makeup of that gathering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is unlikely that unless specifically focused it did not have many attendees under the age of say 25. This often falls into the too difficult or the hard to do box and then gets forgotten or side lined. The local youth parliament or young persons representative groups is often chosen but again choses those who always get asked and often results in a narrow young persons response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not hard to go and speak to local schools and youth groups it just takes a bit of time and effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Tea Party Engagement<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I wrestled with this one a bit and was the most difficult one to put in this blog and I know many will feel differently about this type of engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The issue here for me is often some very skilled engagement skills and personnel are used for these events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is often done by very committed officers and representatives and is done with the aim of starting engagement or generating community interest however it normally has no end goal or power to shape or influence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They often end up as nothing more than well-meaning social events. They often raise community aspirations or promise things that can either not be achieved or they have no influence to achieve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some cases this frustrates communities and can lead to consultation fatigue which then affects subsequent meaningful engagement processes and projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anything these officers need to be used by those with more influence such as planning and transportation departments rather than their own professional officers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Professional Ignorance and Assumption<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Many professionals go out into the community and engage on government policy, recycling strategies or planning issues assuming that Communities understand the system or legislation that supports it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People reading this are probably thinking this is a thing of the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However I am seeing it quite a bit particularly in planning and transport related fields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have recently seen a number of local authorities advertising the test of soundness for their Local Plans or Core Strategy documents with absolutely no explanation of what that means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Community groups spending long hours sending in comments that were discounted because they didn’t fit with the tests of soundness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is very easy to overcome but needs some thought, care and testing before consultation and not just in the office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be hard to hear but often as professionals we are not always the best people to explain professional issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Press Advert Solves All Problems!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This is a classic and often results in standard officer responses to lack of engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Well no one showed any interest when there was a press advert last August in the local paper’!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What they actually mean is we shoved a tiny indecipherable bit of text in back of the local newspaper next to all the traffic orders and general Planning notices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It leads to members saying well they only complain when there is an application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes that’s because the advert didn’t saying anything about the 14 storey tower or demolition of the locally listed building – however the document to which it referred to sitting on the dusty shelf may have! Use pictures, use films, use cartoons use a press article use anything to get it out of the back page in get it noticed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Now you see it Now You Don’t - Budget Sleight of Hand <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Local Authority budgets are notoriously difficult to understand – even for officers (outside the Finance Department that is).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are a minefield for local communities who may want to access funding or just understand how money has been spent in their area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Authorities are great at the pie-chart saying this is the department that we have decided where your council tax goes to but being able to have any access to those decisions or find local funding or support is like finding a needle in a haystack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Local Authorities are going to embrace Localism and community partnership working then this has to change and become a bigger part of an engagement package.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Shock and Awe – Bang and Whimper!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Large scale community engagement doing all the right things and then no tangible response from the local authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have seen a series of these recently and this is a fatal error made by some local authorities. A consultation event where a strong response had been made across the community on the need for better public realm, and improved cycling and pedestrian facilities resulted in no action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The authority did nothing with this feedback apart from produce a few booklets - the approach of both planning and transport teams was to put it mildly non-existent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This weakens the credibility of both the authority and the positive engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes big issues are raised by communities but it is vitally important to go back with some kind of response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be honest say it is a big issue you were not prepared for and give the community some indication of a response and action that might follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Don’t call us we’ll call you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This feeds on from the previous issue and still affects many consultations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the inability of many local authorities to give feedback on engagement once it’s done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some now do a consultation summary but often it’s a set of standard responses with no real meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is vital that following engagement that a conversation is struck up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing annoys communities more than no response. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Communities are extremely intelligent and intuitive and aware of how the world works – in some cases more so than the local authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure you come back and tell them what you are doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know that nobody has got endless resources but they know you have some - so tell them what and let them help you work on the priorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">One Man and His Dog<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A brief and final point for the scheme or issue generated by an individual resident with a specific personal complaint. This is often someone with the ear of the local councillor or a vocal local, who generates a large expenditure of officer time and sometimes resources in a personal compliant or issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In isolation this is not this is not too much of an problem but I have seen thousands of pounds wasted across a district or area on a number of these schemes where small individual complaints with little wider community benefit have been progressed by officers unwilling to provide local members with a strategic community view or perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Summary<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This has been born out of frustration over the years but at the core of this blog is a plea that we should all be aiming higher and wider in the aim to deliver better community engagement. Those of us who work in the world of place shaping are very privileged and owe it to those communities affected to do better and more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I realise there are many more and I could possible write a small book on all the issues that this subject raises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With this in mind I would welcome your thoughts on this post whether you are in local authority, work for a developer or in a community trying to work with it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">If I get some more thoughts I will definitely update this blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Regards ShapethePlace</span><br />
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