Local Authority Guidance

By Phillip Vincent & Alison Eardley

The Localism Act introduces new rights and opportunities for communities to be able to determine their own future and do more for themselves. Local authorities will be expected to support communities where they want to take over local services and assets, or where they want to stipulate what new development takes place in their neighbourhood.

This guide examines the practical ways that local authorities have already sought to empower communities to take action locally by making the most of Community Led Planning (CLP). The guide is essential reading for anyone who wants to know how localism can work in practice – where communities are supported to come together, research and then implement a plan of action that contributes to the overall wellbeing and sustainability of their neighbourhood.

The best practice featured is drawn from 12 local authorities and 12 RCAN members that participated in the research phase of the project. Their collective knowledge and experience was used to identify a range of practical actions that local authorities can take to support communities at each stage of any Community Led Plan to make sure it is inclusive, evidence based, achievable and feeds into new policies announced in the Localism Act.

Building on existing resources and support, the guide is split into two sections:

• Section A sets the context, providing a brief introduction to CLP and its relevance to the localism agenda. It outlines the process involved in developing any Community Led Plan, why local authorities should engage with it and how their support can lead to better served communities that are more able to meet their own needs.
• Section B provides best practice examples, showing how local authorities are already making the most of CLP. It explains what typically happens at each stage of a plan detailing the practical things that local authorities can do to add value to the work of communities, usually in partnership with independent local facilitators.

Making the most of CLP has been jointly produced by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) and Action for Market Towns (AMT) with part sponsorship from the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG).

The guide has received praise from Greg Clark MP, Minister for Decentralisation and Communities who recognises the value of CLP as existing best practice that local authorities can build upon to put communities are the heart of the planning process and local decision making.

To download a copy of Making the most of CLP: a best practice guide for local authorities, please click on the link below:

ACRE AMT (2011) Making the most of CLP.pdf