The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide - Democrats Against UN ...

The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide
in implementing an Action Plan. Triggers are unique forms of targets. They are agreed-upon future conditions that trigger
further action by stakeholders when addressing a problem. For example, a community with air pollution problems may not
be able to agree at present to establish restrictions on private automobile use, but they could agree that when local roadway
use reaches a certain level they will institute a system of road pricing, such as toll collection.
• Action Strategies and Commitments: It is essential that an Action Plan specifies the action strategies and commitments
of different stakeholders in order for them to work as partners in achieving the different objectives of an Action Plan.
Action strategies and commitments should be very precise and contain specific projects, time schedules for
implementation, and commitments to allocate money, time, and human resources.
Ideally, these action strategies will include commitments by service users to contribute to implementation. It is recommended that
action strategies be designed to commence immediately. This is especially important because the sustainable development planning
process will inevitably raise community expectations for action and change.
1.3.5 IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
The implementation of partnership-based Action Plans requires adjustments in standard operating procedures and, oftentimes, some
institutional reorganization. Pre-existing administrative procedures, divisions of responsibility among municipal departments,
contract arrangements, and other practices must be adjusted to allow for the active participation of service users and partner
institutions in the implementation of an Action Plan. While the municipality institutes internal reforms to support partnership
approaches, external projects and/or service partnerships must be formalized. Agreements that outline the responsibilities and
investments of each partner are required, including specific work schedules and methods for ongoing monitoring of work. The
Stakeholder Group or municipality may consider it necessary to establish a new organization or institution to coordinate the
implementation of certain aspects of an Action Plan.
Monitoring begins during the implementation phase; not afterward. Accurate documentation of both implementation activities and
their impacts should be kept regularly, in order to allow for the evaluation of action strategies, service approaches, and their impacts
on local conditions. Such documentation is extremely valuable, and at times necessary, to identify the causes of problems that arise
during the institution of new service approaches.
1.3.6 EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK
Monitoring is primarily useful for internal management purposes. Evaluation and feedback are used for both internal and external
purposes. It is necessary to maintain accountability among the stakeholder participants in the implementation of an Action Plan.
Evaluation and feedback are also used to inform the general public about progress in meeting specific targets, and to signal when the
Action Plan must be altered in the face of change.
An effective evaluation and feedback system provides regular information to both service providers and users about important
changes in local conditions and progress towards targets; with this information, the actors can adjust their own actions and
behaviors. Evaluation information is used to guide planning and resource allocation (budgeting) processes so that these processes are
kept accountable to the Community Vision and its action objectives. If an Action Plan fails to correct problems or to satisfy
prioritized needs, the feedback system triggers further planning or action.
In summary, the sustainable development planning approach presented in the Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide is a participatory
planning process. It can be used to improve municipal sector performance, to mobilize and focus resources available in a
community, and to address the sustainable development challenge at the local level. Since the Guide emphasizes partnership
approaches to service delivery, values the concerns of residents and validates their role and contribution in development, and
addresses the need to preserve environmental and community systems, it will almost certainly contribute to the implementation of
Agenda 21.
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