Consultation, stakeholder involvement and public participation

Sustainable Futures involves communities, local authorities, partnerships and other organisations in joint planning and decision making, enabling communities including the least powerful to develop their own sustainable solutions.

“This has been a truly bottom-up exercise with stakeholders involved right the way through from start to finish and could be a model for others …to follow. Community ownership, in my opinion is the key to the long-term success of this initiative. The stakeholder involvement so far has been impressive and this must be maintained.”

A participating District Councilor

Over the years we have contributed to major reviews of best practice in consultation and community engagement. A number of our projects and methods have been incorporated into government guidance.

We use a range of approaches and methods, these include:

• Exhibitions
• Strategic Planning Events
• Interactive digital media
• Partnership and Capacity Building Events
• Neighbourhood Improvement Forums
• Planning for Real workshops
• Community Planning Events
• Review and Evaluation Workshops
• Design Statements and Workshops
• Road shows

Our particular areas of skill and expertise:

• Supporting local and regional planning teams and partnership to effectively engage with local neighbourhoods, communities, stakeholders and decision makers in creating successful communities and places
• Working with partnerships, Steering Groups and communities who are preparing and implementing strategic action plans

Facilitation skills

Sustainable Futures has a considerable history of facilitating stakeholder involvement – including residents/community groups, voluntary, statutory and local government organisations in both urban and rural communities

Sustainable communities

We have worked with the issue of sustainable communities in a variety of settings. We have facilitated and involved citizens, communities, local authorities, and development agencies in developing partnerships for several large-scale regeneration programmes that address social inclusion issues. In addition, Sustainable Futures has facilitated urban and rural anti-poverty initiatives, developing strategic partnerships and practical project work.

Partnership Development with Local Strategic Partnerships

As part of our work we have developed and facilitated joining up and action planning workshops for Local Strategic Partnerships

Building Schools for the future

Sustainable Futures worked with the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council on a large scale partnership project involving the Learning and Skills Council, Education Bradford, primary and secondary schools, FE colleges, parents, employers and learners of all ages.

Strategic Planning

We have successfully supported communities and organisations develop strategic action plans. Our experience includes working at all stages of the development process and with a range of diverse stakeholders from senior managers in Government Agencies to the least powerful groups within local communities.

Strategic Planning - towns and surrounding rural areas

We have completed several projects funded through the Market and Coastal Towns Initiatives; producing long-term community strategic plans covering the social, economic, environmental and cultural futures of their towns and surrounding rural areas. These Initiatives are community based regeneration programme for market and coastal towns and their surrounding areas led by the communities themselves.

Strategic Planning - across regions

Sustainable Futures supported Halcrow co-ordinating and managing the participation and stakeholder involvement in both the South Coast Multi-Modal Study and South West and South Wales Multi Modal Study. Our involvement included: managing, designing and facilitating all the local, regional and cross regional workshops and participative conferences.