Chairs Foreword: Huw Evans

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2 2 RTPI Cymru Annual Review 2018 Advancing the Science Chairs Foreword: Huw Evans It is a great privilege to be chair of RTPI Cymru for I am proud to belong to a profession that has been at the forefront of much positive thinking and progressive action for the last 60 years and more. As I look back on over 40 years of membership I can t help reflecting on the positive achievements of planning in helping to create the spaces that are important to our lives. It is perhaps ironic that, when asked what planning does, a common popular response would be its controlling and in a sense, negative, role in protecting of the countryside, National Parks and AONB from development. Similarly, when meeting new people at social events or sitting next to someone on a train and we respond to the inevitable what do you do?, we are often treated to the lurid details of their bad experience! This can be that they have been refused permission to build their dream home, modest extension to accommodate a dependant relative or a maggot breeding unit at the bottom of the garden. On the other hand, their objections to the 200 houses on the field next door went unheeded and it s all down to who you know and not what you know. As for the new development plan, well we were consulted over 3 years ago and we still haven t heard anything so what s the point asking us? Once you get through defending planners and the system (which can be challenging!) and start giving examples of how it has helped shaped communities for the better then people begin to appreciate its achievements. But only for a short while because the general perception is one of negativity which is difficult to overcome. A lot of it is our own fault because we are notoriously bad at shouting out our successes and getting the positive stories and coverage that it deserves in the media. Well that s the role of the RTPI I hear a lot of you say. Not true. We share that responsibility, but part of the problem is that we are not quick enough to provide examples of our personal positive achievements. We can get stuck in the humdrum of everyday planning life and the good stuff moment gets lost in the next wave of new work or back to the stuff that s being going on for what seems like an eternity. We need to capture that good stuff moment and take credit for it. I look forward to Meeting more people who help shape our community, the President s visit to Wales, and to unashamedly promote the value of planning and the special qualities that RTPI members possess. In particular, to encourage and help young planners take an active involvement in the profession. Their energy and enthusiasm should act as a catalyst for us all. Management Board 2018 Tom Watson Chair Huw Evans Senior Vice Chair Simon Power Junior Vice Chair Alan Southerby Immediate Past Chair Allan Archer - Honorary Secretary Martin Buckle - Honorary Treasurer Corporate Members Allan Archer Charlotte Beattie Mike Cuddy Jane Jones Aneurin Mon Parry Cath Ranson Alison Thomas Emma Langmaid GA Representative Chris Potts GA Representative Rob Chichester - Associate Member Sian Thomas - Young Planners Cymru Kate Davies - Student representative Jane Coppock - Co-opted member RTPI Cymru Staff 2018 Roisin Willmott Director Rhian Brimble Policy Officer Georgina Roberts - Administrator Huw Evans, RTPI Cymru Chair 2019

3 3 RTPI Cymru Annual Review 2018 Advancing the Science Championing the Planning profession Cynllunio Four editions of Cynllunio our quarterly newsletter were published during Media RTPI Cymru Director, Roisin Willmott, was interviewed on BBC Radio Wales four times during the year. We published nine press briefings during 2018, promoting RTPI Cymru announcements and policy positions. Blogs We published three blogs during the year: Creating the Wales we want - January Why visibility matters in women s careers - March Wales: can we make the shift to integrate well-being and planning? - December The Value of Planning In 2017/18 we commissioned Arup to develop a toolkit to measure the value of planning in Wales. Welsh Government supported the funding of the toolkit, which was launched by the Cabinet Secretary in June. The toolkit provides a method for Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to provide a simple measurement of the value that their planning service generates in a year. The aggregated value of planning in Wales was estimated to be 2.35bn. This clearly demonstrates that planning contributes to a range of corporate priorities and generates value, raising its profile and justification for investment. We have also started a programme of speaking with LPA Committees to promote the value of planning and in 2018 have met with Cardiff Council and Bridgend County Borough Council committees. It is important that society values more what planning does and how it contributes to the making of a sustainable and prosperous Wales. This tool makes an important and practical first step.

4 4 RTPI Cymru Annual Review 2018 Advancing the Science Supporting and Growing Membership Conferences We held three Conferences during the year, all with an excellent turnout: The Spring Conference, held in Llandudno, on 8 th March discussed Solving Wales's Housing Problems Shaping and Delivering Planning Responses. The Wales Planning Conference was held in Cardiff on 7 th June at a new venue, the Holland House Hotel. The Conference theme was the value of planning and the Cabinet Secretary, launched the Value of Planning toolkit. The Wales Enforcement Conference, held in October in Llandrindod Wells, heard about a range of enforcement topics. The Conference was sponsored by POSW. University Engagement We attended events at Cardiff University, promoting membership of the RTPI and explaining the benefits for career development. President s visit to Wales The RTPI President, John Acres, visited Wales in March. John visited the Flint Walks Housing Scheme and met with colleagues at the Isle of Anglesey County Council and visited the site of the proposed Wylfa nuclear power station. John also spoke at the Spring Conference on the RTPI s activities relating to housing. On the evening of the 7 th March, the President hosted a reception at Oriel Mostyn to mark International Women s Day and had the opportunity to meet with members from north Wales. We are visiting employers and speaking to staff to promote awareness about the value of RTPI membership. RTPI Cymru Membership Figures % 1% Membership Class Chartered Town Planner 10% Fellow 0% Associate Legal Associate Retired Honorary Licentiate Student Affiliate *This class includes Legal Members 0% 14% 0% 1% 0% 64%

5 5 RTPI Cymru Annual Review 2018 Advancing the Science Shaping and Informing Policy and Practice Influencing During 2018, RTPI Cymru responded to a number of inquiries by National Assembly for Wales Committees, giving written and oral evidence on a range of topics. This year we also participated in workshops with the Committees, a new method used by the Committees to seek input from a wide range of stakeholders. RTPI Cymru Director, Roisin Willmott, has been appointed by Rebecca Evans to serve on the Independent Panel on the Supply of Affordable Housing Review. Speaking at Conferences During the year, staff and members of the Policy and Research Forum spoke at Conferences and events, putting forward RTPI Cymru perspectives on policy and practice issues. Consultations It has been a very busy year for consultations and 17 responses have been issued by RTPI Cymru. Research RTPI Cymru led the commission for the value of planning toolkit which was published in June 2018 and has continued to promote the use of it with Local Planning Authorities in Wales. A focused piece of research was contracted to a team at Cardiff University considering the effectiveness of the Welsh Government policy on exceptions site for the delivery of affordable housing. RTPI Cymru at the Eisteddfod RTPI Cymru held an event at the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff Bay in the Societies area. This was a new venture for RTPI Cymru and worked well, attracting a mixed audience of members and members of the public. The panel discussed transport and planning. Policy and Research Forum 2018 Allan Archer Janet Beauchamp Martin Buckle (Chair) Mike Cuddy Eleri Davies Mark Farrar Jane Jones Lyn Owen John Pearson Abigail Phillips Simon Power Matt Price Ian Stevens Clare Taylor Jan Tyrer Tom Watson Panel discussion at the Wales Planning Conference. Discussion Panel at the National Eisteddfod

6 6 RTPI Cymru Annual Review 2018 Advancing the Science Celebrating Planning Wales Planning Award The Wales Planning Award 2018 was presented to Flintshire County Council for the Flint Walks Housing Scheme. Judges also chose to Highly Commend Snowdonia National Park Authority s Yr Ysgwrn the home of Hedd Wyn and Commend WYG and Bridgend County Borough Council s The Jennings at Porthcawl. They all demonstrated excellence in planning. Students Recognised Cardiff University students, Dominic Willson and Daniel Warburton, were awarded the RTPI Cymru prize for Academic Excellence for The prizes are awarded based on the highest marks achieved in the first year of Cardiff University s two RTPI accredited undergraduate courses - BSc in Urban Planning and Development and the BSc in Geography and Planning. Outstanding Service Award We were able to honour and thank one of RTPI Cymru s dedicated members Neil Harris, who was awarded the RTPI s Outstanding Service Award. Quality placemaking sits at the heart of the Flint Walks housing scheme. Planners through this scheme have reinvigorated a sense of place and community. Victoria Hills, RTPI Chief Executive, presents Neil Harris with his Outstanding Service Award The team from Flintshire presented with the Wales Planning Award 2018 for the Flint Walks Housing Scheme

7 7 RTPI Cymru Annual Review 2018 Advancing the Science Achieving Good Governance RTPI Cymru Executive Committee The RTPI Cymru Management Board / Executive Committee has worked hard during 2018 to deliver events and activities for members in Wales. During the year the rules for RTPI Cymru were reviewed and a new scheme of delegation was approved by the RTPI s Board of Trustees in September. The scheme also now provides parity across all of the RTPI s Nations. The scheme sets out the roles and responsibilities for the Executive Committee within the RTPI structure and the structure of the Committee itself. The new scheme also brought a change in the Committee s name from the former Management Board. The scheme came into operation immediately and has shaped the Executive Committee from Policy and Research Forum The RTPI Cymru Policy and Research Forum has had a very busy 2018 with a raft of consultations to respond to and met four times during the year. Representation on RTPI Committees RTPI Cymru has been represented on the following RTPI Committees and Panels: General Assembly: Chris Potts and Emma Langmaid (Jane Jones and Cath Ranson are directly elected representatives) Policy, Practice and Research Committee (PPRC): Martin Buckle Nations and Regions Panel: Huw Evans Our revised Scheme of Delegation enables us to effectively deliver and be reflective of the membership in Wales.

8 The RTPI is a charity registered in England (262865) and Scotland (SC037841). Registered Office Address: Royal Town Planning Institute, 41 Botolph Lane, London, EC3R 8DL. wales@rtpi.org.uk