Hello PD supporters and planning campaigners,
Firstly, thank you so much for all your generous donations to our fundraiser; it is heartening to see that so many came from our regular supporters and people we helped with advice. Including the off-line donations, we are nearly 3/4 of way there with just 3 weeks to go so please share the link with your networks if you can:
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/community-rights-in-planning
Secondly, Scottish Government issued a position statement (https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/planning-architecture/places-people-and-planning-position-statement/) which is also a public consultation on the position statement AND its accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report. The deadline is 11 August for responses and we are working on an article about strength of community voice and our response highlighting that we are not satisfied by the way that the Scottish Govt has scoped ERA out of their legislative proposals. There is also a big concern that the proposed Local Place Plans will be just another distraction and will have no statutory power.
We hope you can respond and convey a similar message. We aim to send a template out by 6th Aug.
We have it on good authority that our persistence on ERA is beginning to pay off, so please help us to keep up the pressure.
Also… as mentioned in my previous email, we are gearing up for a series of actions this Autumn:
· Lobbying MSPs
Our plan is to heavily lobby opposition MSPs in their constituencies as soon as they return from the summer recess, hoping to get the most relevant ones on board with ERA and an amendment to the Planning Bill. This means: Kevin Stewart the Minister responsible for planning (Aberdeen constituency), those in the Local Government and Communities Committee as they will be overseeing the Bill (various constituencies, will send details in a separate email) and Ruth Davidson as the leader of the opposition (Edinburgh constituency).
We are looking into how we can present a potential amendment and we will really need your help to get the opposition MSPs to help us get it through. Our previous lobbying worked as we have secured some considerable support from the Greens, Labour and Lib Dems already and if we could get the Tory backing as well, the whole opposition would then be supportive of our proposals. It is not as daunting as it may sound. Alistair had quite a success last year with Graham Simpson MSP. It only took couple of emails and a visit or two to his surgery (please correct me if I’m wrong Alistair). So, if anyone is prepared to meet their MSP please get in touch, we will send a help pack through on ERA or arrange for someone from PD to come along with you. Also if you know a potentially sympathetic MSP but you are not willing to go yourself please let us know.
· Media campaign
To highlight the struggles with planning issues many people are having in their communities as a proof that the system is not working, we are organising a Scotland-wide media campaign for around Sep/Oct. So by the end of the summer, we will be asking various campaign groups to do a media campaign locally. This will include taking photos at your planning sites (with people holding placards and signs about not being listened to etc.), press releases and letter writing to local papers.
We will provide any support we can, also a template press release for your local media to make things easier and to send a united message. All you will have to do is annotate it with your local specifics and send it to the relevant press contacts with a photo of your group protesting. I really hope most of you can take part.
· ERA postcards
We just had them reprinted (on recycled paper!) and they are ready to distribute for handing them out to people over the summer. As most CCs and Federations will be having a break it would be good to be ready for a big push in September. Some of you have started already and if the rest can email me your address I will post them out asap.
And lastly, we are still working on the map – the aim is to have various planning related issues across Scotland listed in a similar way to this UK fracking map from FoE
https://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/issues/uk_fracking_map_41274
so it makes it easier for people to find any specific issues and make contact with communities who have had similar experience. As we all know there is little professional help for this so such network would bring together plenty of expertise in the communities. We have quite a collection of issues and skills but if you haven’t yet, please get in touch to add yours.
I will be in touch separately about the upcoming peer support training in the Autumn as there was some interest expressed already.
As the persistence is paying off and ERA campaign is gathering traction (despite Gov attempts to quash it) we need all the support we can get now for this final push before the White Paper. This email is being sent to a wider group of our supporters and people who expressed an interest in planning campaigning and ERA, please let me know if you no longer wish to receive these updates. Also no worries if you’re not up to any of the actions right now, just stay informed.
Definitely some exciting campaigning times ahead!
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Daya
Daya Feldwick
Community Network Coordinator
Planning Democracy
Campaigning for a fair and inclusive planning system in Scotland
www.planningdemocracy.org.uk
Charity no. SC041051
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