HOPS considers that an effective Communications Strategy is essential to keep the wider membership informed of HOPS workloads and to ensure that within its wider stakeholder community that its strategic objectives are widely known about and are implemented in full.
This is particularly critical at this moment in time as the new Planning Bill passes through its parliamentary processes on its way to receiving Royal Assent in the summer of 2019. HOPS is determined to ensure that the 3 main strategic objectives of the Business Plan – repositioning planning, properly resourcing planning, streamlining planning are all properly addressed in the Planning Bill and the wider Planning Review.
The ultimate goal of this Communication Strategy is to demonstrate to all audiences via a number of platforms that HOPS strategy objectives are critical to the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Planning reforms and that planning is key to the delivery of strategic outcomes around making Scotland a successful, sustainable and well connected place to contribute to the quality of life for its people
This Communication Strategy will have been a success if HOPS strategic vision for the planning reforms are fully embedded in the new Planning Bill and if we are able to demonstrate/measure that HOPS profile has been raised within our wider Stakeholder Community to show that Planning supports sustainable economic growth, protects natural and built environment assets and delivers quality places that are well connected. Broadly speaking the objective of this strategy is the appropriate increase in positive out-takes (what stakeholders learn as a result of the campaign) and positive outcomes (changes to behaviour or perception – what stakeholders actually do as a result of the campaign)
In order to achieve the objectives set out above we need to consider who the audiences are for this Communication Strategy, how we communicate with them currently, how we could communicate with them in the future and what we know about them.
| Audience | How we currently communicate | Leads |
| HOPS members | Knowledge Hub Formal notes of meetings Briefing notes HOPS research papers/surveys | Trevor Moffat Improvement Service HOPS Members HOPS Executive |
| Scottish Government MSP’s/MP’s | E-mail Briefing notes. Presentation – Parliamentary Inquiry Face to Face meetings Response to consultations | HOPS Chair HOPS Executive |
| Planning Staff | Scottish Planner | HOPS Executive HOPS Members |
| Media Outlets | Press Release Responses to direct enquiries | HOPS Executive |
| Professional organisations : RTPI SOLACE COSLA SCOTS SLAED LABS etc. | E-mail Briefing notes. Face to Face meetings Response to consultations Presentations | HOPS Executive HOPS Members |
| Other Stakeholders | HOPS Website HOPS Twitter Account | Trevor Moffat Improvement Service HOPS Executive |
It can be seen from the above that there are already a number of methods in place for engaging with a wide range of audiences. Generally, it is considered that much of the foundation for a better, more integrated communications approach is already there; it is a case of building on what is already in place in terms of focusing on the key high-level messages and increasing the volume of HOPS output.
Creating detailed, audience – specific messaging is part of the creative process of delivering this Communication Strategy. What are the most important points we wish to get across and how do these messages relate to and support each other.
In terms of HOPS Strategic Objectives and outcomes our top line messages are:
- Planning needs to be repositioned as a strategic enabler.
- A high-level priority is the urgent need for proper and proportionate investment in the planning system to properly resource a high performing system capable of delivering national and local outcomes.
- A more streamlined planning system is required which is more efficient and effective.
- Planning is key to delivering sustainable economic growth.
- Planning delivers quality places that are well connected.
- Planning protects natural and physical assets.
| Audience | Method of Communication | Leads | Comments |
| HOPS Membership | Knowledge Hub – e-mail, formal notes of meetings,briefing notes. HOPS website HOPS – Twitter Account Publications- Annual Business Plan | Trevor Moffat HOPS Members HOPS Executive Pam Ewen | Routine Monthly blogs Regular tweets Living business plan |
| Scottish Government: Planning Division MSP’s/MP’s | E-mail Briefing notes Presentations Face to face meetings Response to consultations Publications – Annual Business Plan | HOPS Executive Chair, Vice Chairs | Routine: as and when required Living business plan |
| All Stakeholders | HOPS website HOPS – Twitter Account Publications- Annual Business Plan | HOPS Executive | Monthly blogs Monthly blogs – links to these Living business plan – promotion on a yearly basis |
| Planners/Other Professional | Scottish Planner HOPS website HOPS twitter | HOPS Executive HOPS Members Trevor Moffat/Pam Ewen | Quarterly submissions/articles Monthly blogs Regular tweets |
| Media outlets – national | Press releases Press responses to direct enquiries TV/Radio – presentation/Q&A sessions | HOPS Executive | Monthly press release to nationals Routine Prior to Stage 3 – Jan –March 2019 |
| Other professional organisations RTPI SOLACE COSLA SCOTS SLAED LABS etc. | E-mail Briefing notes Face to face meetings Response to consultations. Presentations Bi-annual meeting with other local government groups | HOPS Executive HOPS Members | Routine |
Updated 17/4/19
