Newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM, gave the keynote address at the RTPI Wales’s recent Planning Conference by outlining her 5 asks of the planning system:
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A visionary and evidence based planning system
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A connected planning system
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A planning system that helps to deliver
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An efficient planning system
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A valued planning system
The RTPI writes:
Newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM, gave the keynote address at yesterday’s Wales Planning Conference by outlining her 5 asks of the planning system. She called on the nearly 300 delegates to work with her to deliver them.
The new Minister’s asks echoed the 10 asks RTPI Cymru made prior to the election, to which she referred, before outlining hers:
- A visionary and evidence based planning system
- A connected planning system
- A planning system that helps to deliver
- An efficient planning system
- A valued planning system
Lesley Griffiths AM, Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs said: ‘If we want a more sustainable Wales we all need to recognise the value of planning, including the economic value that it creates. I look forward to working with the RTPI to explore how we can measure and explain the value of planning, including making the case for investment in the planning service.’
Peter Lloyd, Chair of RTPI Cymru, who opened the conference, said:
‘Given the major changes occurring in the Welsh planning system, the annual conference was the perfect opportunity to understand how these changes can be implemented positively despite declining public spending and in a way that achieves our aspirations for the future of our communities. Hearing about the Government’s priorities from the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths was particularly helpful.’
A range of speakers addressed the conference, including Morag Ellis QC on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, Keith Winter from Fife Council on how local planning authorities can deliver positive planning and RTPI’s own Vincent Goodstadt on the new city agenda.
Delegates chose their own breakout seminars delivered by speakers with expertise on a wide range of planning issues. The Conference was chaired by the RTPI’s Chief Executive Trudi Elliott.
