Strategic

Planning: Using communication and

collaboration for successful plan making
within local government.
Byron Davis. 2015
Trainee Planner; Bachelor of Urban & Environmental Planning.
School of Environment; Griffith University
Supervisor: Sonia Kirby
Course: 4017ENV Planning Practicum

B y r o n D a v i s
S 2 6 7 4 9 0 9
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Introduction.

Strategic planning in the urban and environmental context in Australia is

determined at the federal, state and local government level. Strategic planning is
an action that takes the future into account, planning for future growth and
impacts (positive and negative) while also improving the decisions made in the
present. The nature of collaboration between governments and external
organizations can be complex, however professional engagement has led to a
large number of collaborative agreements between local, state and national
government being successful. Through the strategic planning, collaboration and
communication is important to ensure the desired outcomes are met,
collaboration within professional and government agencies is paramount to the
success of the plan and decision making process.

This article will address strategic planning, its basic principles as well as its
implementation and importance for urban Australia. The importance of
communication and collaboration in regards to professional behavior and the
outcomes of relationships will also be discussed. Finally the importance of
collaboration and communication for strategic planning in the local government
context will be explored.

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Strategic planning for urban Australia: what is it and why it is

important.

Strategic planning captures a long-term planning vision for urban and
metropolitan regions, which contain strategic proposals directed toward
practical and successful implementation (Searle & Bunker 2010). This long-term
vision must be flexible and well defined to ensure it is able to respond to and be
flexible to changing national and global political, economical, social and
environmental circumstances (Searle & Bunker 2010; ODonnell 2012). Building
upon a statutory framework for urban regions allows for the opportunity for the
strategic planning process to be streamlined, with well-defined boundaries and
constructive plans for the future (Searle & Bunker 2010; March 2010). The goal
of creating a holistic vision however, may be challenged by the changing culture
and practice of other tiers of government (Parham & Konvitz 1996.
Environmental practice through sustainability and the onset of climate change is
a modern issue within statutory planning causing conflict among many state and
local governments (ODonnell 2012).

The construct of sustainability and sustainable planning within the urban
precinct is increasingly being filtered into the strategic models and plans for
local and state government (Davidson & Arman 2104). Byron Shire Council, New
South Wales are a local council that are challenged to provide strategic
framework that will mitigate the effects of climate change with the interest of the
public and the environment in mind. Throughout the trainee planning
experience, within the Coastal and Estuary Department, emphasis on the coastal
processes and the impact on dune structure and health is of great importance for
protecting the Byron Bay embayment now and in the future. Strategic planning
in the public sector is a process that involves wide catchment of individuals at
various levels of an organization, to ensure the organizational direction is taken
into account as well as the vision for the community and public outcomes
(Parhman & Konvitz 1996; Birch 2009). As previously mentioned, strategic
planning is undertaken to give clarity and direction to a department or
organization as a whole, however it provides an opportunity for community to

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be involved within the planning process (Basagio 1996; Birch 2009). Good plan
making involves collaboration outside of the organizational boundaries and
public sector in particular for local government where long-term planning
decisions should include as many stakeholders as possible to achieve the desired
planning outcome (Birch 2009; ODonnell 2012). This means including non-
government

organizations,

professionals,

consultants,

neighborhoods

associations, chambers of commerce and state governments officials (Parham

1996). Strategic planning in the public sector must be a highly participatory
process with an emphasis of building lasting professional and personal
relationships.

Strategic planning in the Australian metropolitan context has become an
important, competitive procedure. Australian strategic planning has continually
evolved due to governmental structures, population and economic growth as
well as the demand on urban areas and the expansion that has ensued (Davidson
& Arman 2014). The urban system is dominated by the major capitol cities in
Australia, where, the state governments are responsible for economic, social,
environmental factors and the structure of growth within these areas (Parham
1996; Searle & Bunker 2010). Primarily, infrastructure is provided by the state
governments and is delivered through strategic state, rural and regional plans.
However when considering the economic cost of development capitol cities and
metropolitan growth areas will at times overshadow the regional areas leading
to less funding and strategic support (Searle & Bunker 2010).

The theoretical aspect of strategic urban planning in terms of the economy and
development are important, but there must also be underlying support for
environmental and social equity. Strategic leadership at the state government
level calls for this, and the strategic policy must take into account the changing
population demographics and the environmental circumstances due to climate
change and environmental factors (Birch 2009; Castellani & Serenella 2013).
This is where a conflict has been observed by the trainee planner, between the
strategic directions of a government versus the public desire. NSW State
Government has a number of policies in place where strategic outcomes are

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supported financially for regional councils, such as Byron Shire Council. The
outcomes are required to be met, requiring time and services to meet them,
which in tern removes the ability for Byron Shire Council to address public
concerns such as infrastructure upgrades. This was observed and found due to
the limited access to finance and support Byron Shire Council must be diligent
and engage in specific tasks focusing on the overall outcome instead of short-
term gain.

Collaboration and communication in the professional

workplace.

The government sector includes a vast array or departments, inter-

organizations, laws, programs and plans. Coordination and collaboration
throughout these various networks is essential in order to deliver the desired
outcomes of government and the community. This can be achieved by way of
clear and concise communication (Attan et al 2012). If however this
communication and collaboration breaks down then organizational processes
and professional networking establishments may be damaged (Attan et al 2012).
Good Communication and collaboration within the professional work
environment can only lead to good outcomes and is an essential part of
professional conduct within the workplace.

Communication and collaboration happens on multiple levels when working for
a public or government organization. There are not only the professional inter-
governmental aspects but also the interaction with community groups and
individuals outside of the professional working environment (Lawrenence
2014). At all times conduct must remain professional, with differing skills
required for succeeding in these environments. Communication has the ability to
initiate, define or maintain relationships, usually determining the overall success
of the interaction (Foskin 2003; Bambacas & Patrickson 2008). Interpersonal
skills, as mentioned, are essential in people management and relations, and

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communicating information in the correct manner has the ability to empower

others (Bambacas & Patrickson 2008).

The dynamic framework within organizations means there are a series of
distinctive transactions and interactions within everyday professional life. As
witnessed by the student planner in Byron Shire Council where departments are
small and at times having one individually supervising a whole department,
collaboration becomes extremely important and at times is required in order to
complete tasks. Collaboration can be exchanges that are organized or even less
formalized, as different approaches are required to achieve specific outcomes
(Delcambre 2010). Another key factor is communication and collaboration
within government organizations is the use of transparency in communication as
best practice (Fairbanks et al 2007). Transparency when having discussions with
superiors, colleagues and other staff allows for a more open dialogue and down
the line less resistance to tasks (Manoela & Cecilia 2013). Workload disputes are
raised through a lack of clear and concise communication, and when working in
a micro-team environment can be very detrimental to the overall outcome of a
workplace and project (Bambacas, M & Patrickson, M. 2008; Fairbanks et al.
2007).

Professional communication and collaboration must extend to outside of the
workplace as the public is required for collaboration and contributions during
the decision making process (Foskin 2003; Delcambre 2010). Contact with
contractors, community groups, consultants and the general public must be
approached in a way where the relationships are respected. Correct use of
language through voice, tone, body language and gestures, in particular, will
often determine the outcome of such an interaction. When collaborating
professionally, in particular with the public, it is important to establish the type
of relationship early (Miller 2007; Manoela & Cecilia 2013). When dealing with
the public and greater community emotion in communication is often involved
(Miller 2007). It is important as a professional to ensure all lines of
communication remain professional as emotional and compassionate
communication may often lead to exchanges where expression of personal

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feelings distort the judgment of the party or parties involved (Miller 2007).
Emotional responses however must be thoroughly thought through if and when
delivered, as this can compromise the overall collaboration between parties.

Local government and the importance of communication and

collaboration

Local government collaboration with the state and federal governing bodies can
range from cooperative arrangements to complex relationships. The need for
local governments to collaborate with the larger government sectors has become
increasingly complex due to the result of financial, competitive and political
practices from both internal and external pressures (Warm 2011).

In order for a small local government like that of Byron Shire Council, NSW, to be
successful collaboration with the New South Wales (NSW) Government is needed
in order for the successful implementation of strategic plans and policy.
Networking, coordination and cooperation are important and useful practices
that must be undertaken under the banner of collaboration (Benton 2013;
Lawrence 2014). Collaboration, as mentioned, requires working across broad
boundaries engaging individuals outside of the organization to ensure the
process of decision-making and action can be completed accordingly (Benton
2013). Although collaboration is becoming more prevalent in the local
government context there are a number of pressures and forces that affect all
tiers of government that challenge the collaboration and communication process.

Some of the forces that can impact local government are: financial and public
demands, practical outcomes and political forces (Lawrence 2014). Leadership is
also a barrier that presents itself at times within local government, and can
create a distinct problem Fairbanks et al 2007). Direction is required for
strategic planning and acceptance is needed from the higher government power
in order for the process to go ahead thus potentially compromising local

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governments control of the outcome (Warm 2011; Lawrence 2014). Although

this is not always the case, the process of collaboration can be disruptive to the
overall outcome.

The benefits of collaboration in the local government context outweigh the
negatives, overall producing beneficial and positive outcomes for all parties
involved (Benton 2013). Collaboration helps local governments financially, at
times allowing for the implementation of plans and programs while also
providing needs for the community Benton 2013). Improved efficiency leading to
more effective outcomes and decisions for both the local government and public
are outcomes that have been produced through NSW Governments overarching
support of Byron Shire Council. Perhaps most importantly, this professional
relationship allows local government the opportunity to implement bottom-up
practices in dealing with local and regional issues using collaboration as a
support tool in ensuring the outcomes are achieved (Warm 2011; Fairbanks et al
2007). These collaborations will also have an impact on the future, success of
collaboration means that local government can continue to provide services into
the future. Within the Byron Shire Councils Sustainable and Economy team
constant communication was held between various internal stakeholders from
different hierarchy level within the council.

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Conclusion

Strategic planning activities arte designed to help members and departments

and organizations anticipate the future demands of the urban and environmental
landscapes in Australia. In order to achieve the desired outcomes of strategic
planning, professional collaboration within the workplace must be utilized, most
notably through communication. Professional communication whether it be
spoken or written has the ability to allow for the objectives of an organization to
be achieved. Collaboration between government departments, private
organization and the public is extremely important for local government as
relationships are needed to ensure within the public sector is a process that
requires input and from many members from different departments within an
organization. As observed through experience local government must rely on
these relationships for plan making, funding and implementation to be
successful. Strategic planning is plan making for the future; the inclusion of
collaboration and professional communication will ensure that governmental
interests and public outcomes will be successfully implemented.

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