Statement of Community Involvement 2025

5. Empowering Engagement

5.1 Helping People Engage in Planning

5.1.1 Planning Aid England (PAE) is funded by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and offers a range of planning services and support in order to empower individuals and communities to engage in the planning process. The organisation is guided by the following key principles:

Being clear and knowledgeable
We aim to explain what is and what isn't possible in relation to planning.

Being collaborative and supportive
We aim to understand your needs and always try to address them in relation to planning.

Being volunteer-led
Our work is delivered by over 300 dedicated volunteers who are supported by a small staff team. All our volunteers are members of the RTPI and have a range of skills, interests and expertise.

Being independent
PAE is funded by the RTPI, a registered charity. It is separate from both central and local government and provides completely independent and impartial professional planning advice.

5.1.2 Planning Aid England (PAE) provides advice and guidance on all aspects of the planning system depending on individual needs and eligibility for further support. PAE can help individuals to:

• Understand how the planning system works
• Comment on planning proposals
• Get involved in the preparation of your Local Plan
• Participate in neighbourhood planning
• Apply for planning permission or appeal against the refusal of permission

5.2 PAE Contact Information

5.2.1 Box 2 below provides information on contact information for PAE.

Box 2: PAE Contact Information

5.3 Unlocking Engagement

5.3.1 The Council is seeking to engage more effectively with under-represented groups through:

• Generally – engage the services of PAE and neighbourhood partners in expanding the interest and options to engage in planning across Bradford's communities with a particular focus on under-represented groups.

• Specifically
  1. Continue to engage with the Bradford Youth Service and networks on plan-making and planning policies. In November 2022, the Council launched our 'Child Friendly Bradford District' initiative. This approach, rooted in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, states that children and young people should have a voice and influence when adults make decisions that affect their lives.
  2. Widen engagement through neighbourhood partnerships including direct in community events and through attending existing events.
  3. Connect to community leaders, advocates and champions within local communities.
  4. Tackle gender biases in design and engaging with Women in Planning, Muslim Women's Council and West Yorkshire Police on design elements for safety.

5.3.2 The council will consult with a variety of community groups, networks and organisations to involve as many people as possible in planning consultations. This will involve tailored communication styles, accessible locations, outreach work and digital methods of engagement.

5.4 Monitoring Engagement

5.4.1 The Council will actively monitor the success of its community involvement techniques. This will ensure that the procedures are achieving an effective level of representation amongst the community and that they are making best use of resources. The Council will consider revising the SCI where monitoring information concludes that there is substantial dissatisfaction with the community involvement processes for developing local planning policy or considering planning applications. This will not preclude any minor adjustments to the methods of consultation, or updates to the consultation database.