Part 1 - Inclusive Engagement for Street Design
There are five high level principles on engagement for street design. Also provided are guidance notes for engagement on street design, based on the National Standards for Community Engagement. Additional guidance can be found within the Scottish Government Participation Framework which provides advice on participation including the spectrum of participation; inform, consult, involve, collaborate, and delegate. Participation Framework (www.gov.scot)
Principle 1 - Why?
The need for engagement.
We need to engage, listen, and understand what a community needs to ensure that designs are inclusive so that people can access and navigate their local town centre. Genuine engagement is something more than consultation and is additional and prior to the formal consultation process. It is a commitment to involve, listen and where appropriate, take on board and respond to comments and views as per the Participation Framework referred to above. Public bodies, and those funded by public bodies, need to ensure they are meeting the general requirements of the Equality Act 2010, and the Public Sector Equality Duty for example, by ensuring reasonable adjustments are made and those sharing Protected Characteristics are not negatively affected or disadvantaged during the consultation/engagement process.
Principle 2 - When?
Early and ongoing engagement is required.
Engagement should start at the concept stage, continue through the project’s construction and completion, and go beyond to a post completion evaluation of the project. How people already use or would like to use the space is important in developing contemporary designs for a place and helps to ensure that accessibility issues are considered throughout the design and construction process and thereafter.
Principle 3 - What?
All engagement materials and language used should be accessible to the audience.
Design teams and those involved in the design should ensure that all engagement materials and language are accessible to the audience (for example by using tactile plans, exploring the need for British Sign Language Interpreters and or electronic note takers), and that people are given sufficient time to understand the information before they are required to respond. Engagement should be accessible including opportunities for digital participation and should follow the guidance:
Principle 4 - How?
There is a need to engage with individuals, local communities and groups who use, or may use a place.
The people who live, work, or use a place know it best, and it is important that they are able to contribute to and influence decisions on future change.
As well as local people, people who travel through an area, experiencing the place for only a brief time, should be included when undertaking engagement activities. This engagement can offer a unique perspective of how a place is perceived and functions. National organisations, particularly those whose remit is to promote inclusivity and accessibility, disability organisations and local Access Panels should also be included.
The capacity of local and national organisations to contribute effectively to all consultations should be considered and built into timelines.
Principle 5 - Where?
The engagement should take place at convenient locations for all parts of the community to attend.
Flexible approaches including virtual means of engagement should be implemented to meet the needs of all groups. Engagement should take place in accessible locations that are convenient for the community, at times that suit local people and convenient for local accessible transport.
National Standards for Community Engagement
There are already well-established guidelines for community engagement and the additional recommendations for street design should be read together with these. There are seven National Standards for Community Engagement. These are:
- Inclusion
- Support
- Planning
- Working Together
- Methods
- Communication
- Impact
The seven national standards shown in the graphic above are repeated below accompanied by specific actions for engagement related to street design.
As in the national standards, ‘We’ refers to the leaders or organisers of the engagement process. All of the information from the National Standards should be followed as well as the additional information noted below.
As detailed above engagement on street design should be based on the National Standards for Community Engagement and follow advice on participation including the spectrum of participation; inform, consult, involve, collaborate, and delegate which can be found within the Scottish Government Participation Framework.
Inclusion
We will identify and involve the people and organisations that are affected by the focus of the engagement.
For street design:
The engagement needs to start early, at concept stage, and continue through the design process. Adequate time for engagement needs to be bult into any project plan.
Local people (who live, work, visit or travel through an area) and groups who have an interest in the project should be included in an engagement plan. This can include national groups and organisations as well as Access Panels (see Link below).
The engagement plan should ensure that all sections of the community have opportunities to input into the design.
There should be engagement and dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders at events, to promote collaborative dialogue.
All communications should be in accessible formats and should reach as many groups as possible.
Early and ongoing engagement will benefit the EqIA process. It will help embed the right methodology from an early stage and provide a record of the approach to inclusion adopted within the design process.
Support
We will identify and overcome any barriers to participation.
For street design:
Individuals will differ in the type of meeting or event they are comfortable in attending. A range of event options should be considered and may include individual meetings if appropriate, informal on-street events, virtual engagement, and other flexible approaches as well as more formal consultation.
Planning
There is a clear purpose for the engagement, which is based on a shared understanding of community needs and ambitions.
For street design:
Engagement should be an on-going activity during the design process, with a timetable setting out when and at which stages engagement will happen. Any changes to the design that has been agreed will require further engagement.
Consideration should be given to setting up a working group; such groups can provide valuable continuity over the lifetime of the project and will become more knowledgeable on the design as the process goes forward.
All engagement should consider accessibility regardless of the scale of the project but should be proportionate to the size of project, with larger projects likely to require more engagement.
The wider project programme should allow for the identification of stakeholders, provide sufficient time for stakeholders to plan and attend engagement events and sufficient time to allow interested parties to respond to consultation throughout the engagement period.
Sufficient budget should be provided to allow for an inclusive engagement process (from concept stage to post-completion evaluation). This should be acknowledged by the project funder.
Working Together
We will work effectively together to achieve the aims of the engagement.
For street design:
As well as the roles and responsibilities being set out early in the process, a timetable for the project should be set out, indicating when there will be opportunities for people to engage. This should include all stages of the project delivery and should be shared with individuals, groups and those delivering the project.
Methods
We will use methods of engagement that are fit for purpose.
For street design:
Although it is important to have maps and images or models of the street available, there are benefits to visiting and physically interacting in the area of the project. It is also important to have material samples available at engagement events.
Site visits at various times of day and lighting conditions can help ensure the design and materials are suitable. It is also important to check materials in different weather conditions.
It is important to provide street designs, including layouts, paving patterns, material samples, tactile plans and any 3D plans of key locations or features.
Communication
We will communicate clearly and regularly with the people, organisations and communities affected by the engagement.
For street design:
All the engagement materials need to be accessible. This includes accessible websites and published materials.
Different communication methods will help to ensure that the different communication needs of individuals are met. Individual preferences or needs for communication should be requested, understood, and accommodated.
Information should be provided in appropriate formats, which should be reasonable, appropriate, and accessible to both the receiver and the sender, for example, larger font size Sans Serif, descriptors and alternative text for all graphics, images, and braille. Having the ability to provide information in an alternative format is key to fulfilling the request. It is important this is done in a timely manner. Communication should follow best practice guidance on accessible engagement.
Supporting diversity at events can encourage more informed discussion and develop a greater understanding of the differences in requirements for accessibility.
Good record keeping at engagement events can help improve the design and be used to show the people involved how their input has been considered and acted on as part of a feedback loop.
Keeping a record of engagement also supports inclusive engagement and demonstrates how the design has developed through the process. This can be used to show compliance under the Equality Act 2010 for reasonable adjustments, should continue to inform the EqIA and show compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Impact
We will assess the impact of the engagement and use what we have learned to improve our future community engagement.
For street design this will include:
- How maintaining records that include the design response to the engagement can inform the EqIA or Access Audit.
- How the engagement process has demonstrated compliance with the relevant legislation and regulations associated with inclusive design and engagement; and
Ongoing evaluation can demonstrate how valuable engagement is and can be used for lessons learned for future projects.