RBKC is preparing a “Statement of Community Involvement” and held a meeting on 1st March with interested parties to discuss how this should relate to planning issues. The Chelsea Society was represented by the Chairman of its Planning Committee, Michael Stephen. He drew attention to the submission which the Society had made in response to the Council’s consultation on a Code of Conduct for officers and councillors involved in planning.
The Society welcomed the following statement of principles on which the Council’s planning function is based:
- connecting with residents;
- focusing on what matters;
- listening to many voices;
- involving before deciding;
- communicating what we’re doing;
- inviting residents to take part;
- being clearly accountable;
- responding fairly to everyone’s needs
However, it is difficult for each individual resident to have a meaningful input into local planning policies, but the Borough is fortunate to have two strong and well-established amenity societies, The Chelsea Society and The Kensington Society. The Chelsea Society has more than a thousand members, and has been representing the interests of local people for more than ninety years, and the Borough also has many well organised and effective Residents’ Associations.
It is important that the local Amenity Societies and the Residents’ Associations have the opportunity to be fully involved in the planning process from an early stage and not be simply presented at a late stage with the results of preparations and discussions in which they have had no part.
The detailed proposals by The Chelsea Society are published on the Society’s website at https://chelseasociety.org.uk/planning-code-conduct/
