Planning Inspectorate Newsletter - Issue 3
New Training Approaches – Waste Update Training
On 24 February 2006 the Inspectorate held what is hoped will become the standard approach to update training for Inspectors as part of its commitment to openness through providing briefing and opportunities for discussion on revised DCLG and DEFRA policy in the presence of representatives of all parties that may be involved in waste planning casework.
The objective was to achieve a shared understanding of the application of PPS10 (and in so far as relevant PPS23); the revised Waste Management Strategy 2006; equivalent guidance for Wales and related best practice advice on issues that may come before the Inspectorate, including the underlying EU Directives and the significance of emerging technologies.
73 delegates attended, including 15 from Government Offices, other Government Departments, the Waste Industry and Waste Planning Authorities. The numbers of outside representatives were slightly lower than hoped for as some of those invited could not attend. Unfortunately, Planning Aid whom it was intended should represent the wider public, were not able to be represented. Nevertheless, in the morning we were able to have presentations from both DCLG and DEFRA and the Assembly government; from Hampshire CC and Caerphilly Council putting the Waste Authority perspective and from the Environmental Services Association [ESA] putting the industry viewpoint. In the afternoon all sides were able to be represented in the three parallel workshop sessions in which the issues could be discussed in more depth.
It is clear from talking to delegates from both within and outside the Inspectorate that the presentations were well received and that the discussion sessions were useful in encouraging understanding of different perspectives. Based on feedback from 57 delegates, an impressive 96% of delegates rated the seminar as very good/good/satisfactory and 91% felt that it had achieved its objectives. While we recognise that there were teething problems such as an element of information overload in the morning through attempting to deal with the Welsh dimension as well as two English Departmental presentations and that greater structure to some of the workshop sessions would have assisted the discussions, it is clear that there was an increase in mutual understanding of the challenges we face. For example, John Bolden of Cory Environmental on behalf of the ESA indicated in closing that he would be stressing to his members the need for their early involvement in the preparation of waste DPDs as only through such front-loading would we get the right facilities in the right places at the right time. I think all were impressed with the success of Hampshire in securing implementation of incineration and other controversial projects with a minimum of opposition as a result of meaningful community involvement at the outset.
We are keen to build on this success, and the feedback is helping us look at improvements to the timing and structure of future seminars, but it is expected that more comparable events will be held over the coming months from September onwards at various regional locations.
Peter Robottom MA DipTP MRTPI MCMI
Inspector Manager, Major & Specialist Casework
