SPATIAL PLANNING Key Instrument for Development and Effective Governance

Box 6: Regional partnership arrangements in Scotland
Statutory partnerships. Statutory partnerships have been established for some issues at a regional level to comply with
legislative requirements for authorities and their partners to come together to plan for the provision of services or
facilities across geographical boundaries. Joint boards for police and fire authorities, joint-structure plans and the
Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority are examples of where this happens at a functional level. The legislative
backing for statutory partnerships generally ensures that partners are committed to implementing and resourcing the
plans and proposals that are produced. However, such partnerships often face considerable difficulties balancing the
different needs, hopes and ambitions of their constituent authorities/areas.
Non-statutory or Voluntary partnerships. In other instances, local authorities and other agencies have come together
voluntarily to form partnerships to plan and provide for services or infrastructure across their city-region. Executive
agencies have also encouraged partnerships and Communities Scotland has a strong reputation for promoting and
supporting partnerships at different geographic scales: within communities, at the city level and across housing market
areas. Voluntary transport partnerships are one example where authorities voluntarily come together to plan
strategically and to try to resolve discrepancies between their unitary plans and/or tackle areas of dispute. Informal
partnerships can help to foster mutual understanding of the needs and ambitions of their constituent communities, and
to promote cooperation on the development or financing of infrastructure and services.
“Informal” networking arrangements. Various partnerships exist that might best be described as informal networks,
designed to encourage collaboration between the different authorities/agencies in the region on particular functions,
and/or to facilitate the cross-fertilization of ideas about solutions to particular problems. Examples include the
occasional informal conferences of local authority leaders in the city-regions and informal liaison between neighbouring
community planning partnerships. Most act merely as a forum for information exchange and do not adopt a formal
“planning” role. They help to foster understanding and encourage collaboration between partners but often lack the
“legitimacy” or the formal delivery mechanisms to ensure the implementation of agreed strategies and plans.
Source: Scottish Executive, 2002.
7.4 Political and professional development
Spatial planning requires effective working relationships between political and professional spheres.
The politician’s role is to drive the policy making process and the professional role to provide sound
impartial advice on alternatives and the implications of policies. Training and education in spatial
development and planning is critical in both spheres. In Slovakia, for example, the EU Phare
programme has supported training in development partnerships. In the Balkan, Black Sea and Eastern
Mediterranean countries, several spatial planning initiatives have been supported by the Greek
government’s bilateral programme of development assistance (Box 7).
Box 7: Greek Bilateral Programme of Development Assistance and Cooperation
The Greek Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works has supported various projects related to
integrated spatial planning policy and capacity building via the its Bilateral Programme of Development Assistance and
Cooperation. The Bilateral Programme includes three thematic areas, one of which is spatial planning. Under the
thematic area of spatial planning are three subsectors: (a) strategic spatial planning and priorities of spatial
development; (b) institutions and administration – management of spatial planning development and organization; and
(c) establishment of mechanisms and agencies collecting information and data. The Programme has funded projects
in countries from SEE and EECCA.
Source: Hellenic Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, 2004.
7.5 Guidance and guidelines for spatial planning
Important resources for professional development include examples of good practice or demonstration
projects. Regional and national governments and NGOs have an important role in giving support to,
and disseminating the findings from, demonstration projects. National governments, the EU, the
Council of Europe, UNECE and NGOs have all provided extensive resources on particular issues (for
example, sustainable urban management and coastal zone management.)
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