Planning Policy Wales:Experiences for Northern Ireland

Roisin WillmottDirector of RTPI Cymru

and Northern Ireland

Planning Policy Wales:

• Provides national-level policies• Local Planning Authorities use policies to

base their policies – sets framework• Duty to promote Sustainable Development• Supported by series of Technical Advice

Notes (TANs)• Separate Mineral Planning Policy Wales

Timescale:

• First published - 2002• Latest edition - February 2014• Evaluation of processes to develop

national planning policies – 2017• Positive Planning proposals - 2014

Lessons:• Communications• Policy cycle• Drafting process• Consultation• Introduction of new policy and guidance• Staff resources• Format and updating

Code of Professional Conduct

• Every member acts with competence, honesty and integrity, and exercises independent professional judgement at all times.

• Requires members to promote equality of opportunity and prohibits any discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, creed, religion, disability or age.

• Plus other requirements.

Purpose of Code to ensure that in all their professional activities members of the Institute:

• shall act with competence, honesty and integrity• shall fearlessly and impartially exercise their

independent professional judgement to the best of their skill and understanding;

• shall discharge their duty to their employers, clients, colleagues and others with due care and diligence in accordance with the provisions of this Code;

/ cont…

Cont / …

• shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, creed, religion, disability or age and shall seek to eliminate such discrimination by others and to promote equality of opportunity;

• shall not bring the profession or the Royal Town Planning Institute into disrepute.

A consultant member was found to be in breach … owing to a failure to provide written terms of engagement and to exercise due care with regard to information provided in a planning application.

A consultant member has been found in breach of the code for incurring fees additional to those previously agreed, for failing to act with competence and integrity in terms of work carried out, and in respect of the tone of language used in client correspondence, and for withdrawing a client’s application without authority.

Keep your text and bullet points at least 32 –24 pt so that the people in the back can read it!• Bullet point one• Bullet point two• Bullet point three

Keep your text and bullet points at least 32 –24 pt so that the people in the back can read it!• Bullet point one• Bullet point two• Bullet point three

Keep your text and bullet points at least 32 –24 pt so that the people in the back can read it!• Bullet point one• Bullet point two• Bullet point three

OUT-OF-DATE GUIDANCEDO NOT READ THIS DOCUMENT!

Assessment of Professional Competence

• The professional competence of the Licentiate, as a spatial planner, is assessed after a two year period of reflective learning

• The Licentiate is asked to demonstrate that they work at the suitable professional level to justify election to Chartered status

• Sets a high standard

The APC submission

• 5000 word submission covering• Practical experience statement detailing roles and

responsibilities• Professional competence statement – two to three

case studies demonstrating competencies• Professional development plan – detailing their

continued learning• Assessed by two Chartered members• All details are in the APC guidance

The Licentiate period

• Builds and applies learning outcomes from academic qualifications

• Maintain a log book to record what they did and what they learnt from the work

• Work with a mentor

• Provide evidence that they have met the required competencies and are a reflective practitioner

Practical Experience StatementHas the Licentiate undertaken sufficient relevant practical experience to justify election to Chartered status?

Covers the practice content and planning tasks that have been undertaken over the period of practical experience

Includes:

• The type of employer• Description of role• The type of planning work

Professional Competence StatementThe assessors will assess against each assessment criteria;

1. An understanding of context2. An ability to identify and analyse issues3. Competence in gathering appropriate information4. Competence in identifying and evaluating a course of action5. Competence in initiating action to implement courses of action or

dissemination and application of knowledge (academic research)6. Engagement in a process of reflection and review7. An awareness of the

a) Legal frameworkb) Ethical challengesc) Political framework d) and RTPI Code of Conduct.

Professional Development Plan

• SWOT analysis• Professional Development Plan (PDP) - details goals

for personal professional development and an action plan for achieving those goals.

Remember• SWOT must feed into the PDP• Use the PDP template (RTPI website)

The S.M.A.R.T. Model

SMART MODEL MUST BE USED

• Specific: Precise about what you want to achieve

• Measurable: how will you know if you have achieved the objective?

• Achievable: be realistic!

• Relevant: objectives should relate to your personal or professional development

• Time based: set a time frame in which the objectives are to be reached.

General PresentationMRTPI is a professional qualification and the institute expects the submission to be completed to a high professional standard.

• Proof reading essential• Check for grammatical and spelling errors• Applications accepted in Welsh and Gaelic• Paragraph numbers• Referencing & footnotes• Word count is 4,500 – 5,500 words!• Learning difficulties – speak with membership team in confidence.

Allow enough time for proof reading and general checking!

The mentoring relationship

• Important part of the APC – compulsory from 2014• Mentor is not like a line manager – best if slightly

removed• Challenging candidate to encourage reflection and

analytical thinking • Must be familiar with the competencies and

guidance• Use their knowledge to guide candidate• Should offer positive critique of the application• Confidential relationship

Logbook

• A logbook will be kept for a minimum of 12 months full time spatial planning experience as a Licentiate member. An effective and strong logbook will cover the whole Licentiate period however!

• Experience prior to becoming a Licentiate does not need to be logged.

• Reference relevant logbook entries in the written submission – link both if you want the assessor to read a specific entry!

Date Nature of Professional Work/Task Undertaken

What skills/competencies

has this work developed?

What knowledge and/or understanding has been gained/developed as a

result of this work?

What skills/knowledge do you feel you need to

develop?

Experience

Experience can be:

• Full or part time or a combination of both (pro rata).

• Paid or voluntary.

• Gained in the UK or overseas.

• Spread over a period of time longer than two years. The 24 months does not need to be consecutive.

Experience

• Experience should be detailed in consecutive blocks of 3 months or more.

• Not allowed to count any experience gained whilst registered as a student on an intensive one year masters degree. The Licentiate can only start counting their experience as eligible after successful completion of this type of degree.

• Full and part time experience gained alongside a part time degree is acceptable.

• Experience gained whilst on a sandwich year or vacation placement may also be counted.

Assessment

• Applications are assessed by 2 Chartered Town Planners who receive training each year

• Only assessed on what is on the paper• Cannot be compared to peers• Process – Assessor will recommend action if

required• Work towards meeting all criteria

Resubmissions

• Not a fail• Assessed separately to first time submissions• Shorter resubmission and assessment period• Results in 3 weeks• Can resubmit on any of the dates• Complete in 2 years• Administrative review if not successful after 2

resubmissions

Applicants are unsuccessful when they do not:

• Read the guidance• Hold the relevant level and amount of experience• Demonstrate ALL the assessment criteria• Link the SWOT to the PDP• Make the PDP action plan S.M.A.R.T.• Proof read and check their submission• Reference the submission to the logbook

Why the APC is important

• Ensures a consistent and strong standard for Chartered members

• Protects the reputation of all Chartered Members• Encourages new entrants to the profession to take

control of their career and learning needs• Raises the importance of ethics and the legal/political

framework of planning

The Membership TeamMartine Koch Head of MembershipVacant Senior Membership OfficerQuentin Wood Membership OfficerArtur Salisz Membership OfficerHillary Lush Professional Standards Administrator

Phone: +44 (0)20 7929 9494

Email: membership@rtpi.org.uk

You can find various RTPI groups and contacts on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Young Planners and RTPI NI

• Join in local networks• Learn about professional practice• Make contacts• Rely on participants• Can be fun!

www.rtpi.org.uk