LEAD – an overarching framework for Community Led Planning [20.04.10]

Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) and Action for Market Towns (AMT) have historically supported two different approaches to Community Led Planning in England; Parish Plans and Town Action Planning. Although these approaches have evolved to suit different geographical contexts, they both place an emphasis on the capacity of communities to bring about change themselves by taking action to improve their area based on a thorough understanding of local needs and desires.

Over the past few months, ACRE and AMT have been working closely to develop a common framework called LEAD that illustrates, at the simplest level, the key steps involved in any Community Led Plan. LEAD refers to a logical sequence of activities that community groups are expected to undertake to produce plans that achieve high rates of participation, are linked in with local service providers and result in well-researched actions that can be implemented to meet local need.

LEAD can be thought of as a process that underpins any Community Led Plan

ACRE and AMT have agreed to use the framework in all future publicity about Community Led Planning. It is hoped that this will lead to a better understanding of what is meant by Community Led Planning by both communities and policy makers alike.

To learn more about the LEAD framework and how ACRE and AMT will be using this, click here.