Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
Key Stakeholders and the wider public will have opportunities to comment and make representations regarding the Draft SMP over a consultation period of 3 months duration.
Stakeholders will be invited to public exhibitions, facilitated workshops and meetings.
Effective and efficient administration throughout the SMP process will be essential, particularly with regard to responsibilities relating to Stakeholder Engagement.
Comments and representations will be collated by the Client Steering Group (CSG). Responses will be catalogued and stored in a database to aid administration and analysis activities, and demonstrate transparency of approach.
The CSG will need to fully consider the comments and representations received and will respond to the consultee in an appropriate manner. Differences of opinion or view will aim to be resolved through conferences, round-the-table meetings or facilitated workshops.
Such an approach will provide opportunities to present facts and details and allow differences of view to be raised and discussed in an open manner, with dialogue, comments and outcomes being recorded. Negotiated outcomes will enable a consensus on issues, values and policies to be sought.
A Stakeholder Engagement Report will be produced that will summarise the issues raised, and the proposed outcomes and justifications following discussions between the relevant parties. This report will be publicly available via the North Solent SMP website in a form to enable effective feedback to all parties.
The final SMP will be disseminated in a number of formats. The documents, maps and supporting appendices will be available to view and download directly from the internet; hard copies will be retained by each of the operating authorities, and member organisations that comprise the Client Steering Group; summary leaflets will be available via the internet, and in a number of public centres, such as public libraries.
The CSG will need to make decisions regarding amending or retaining policies in the Draft SMP, and be able to demonstrate and explain why any issues and policies are not going to change.
They will need to be able to generate technically sound outcomes that are politically acceptable and accountable, be mindful of resource implications, and be able to present key issues, information and policies to an appropriate level of detail, depending on the stakeholders involved.
A summary of the Draft Stakeholder Engagement Strategy is detailed below:
Approx. Dates | Purpose of Stakeholder Engagement Involvement | Stakeholders Involved | Method of Involvement | |
Initial Elected Member Contact | Dec06 to May 07 | Inform interested parties that an SMP is being prepared on behalf of Defra and relevant operating authorities Define memberships of the Elected Members | CSG Elected Members | Covering Letter Follow up telephone calls |
Identify Key Stakeholder | Mar to May07 | Define memberships of the Key Stakeholders Group from known sources (SMP1, CDSs, etc) | CSG | Email / telephone calls Covering letter |
Review issues | Feb to July07 | Provide more detail of SMP process Explain roles, responsibilities and requirements of EMG Agree SMP objectives Agree Terms of Reference for EMG | CSG Elected Members | Presentation Round the table discussion Briefing notes |
Initial Key Stakeholder Contact | Jun to Jul07 | Inform interested parties that an SMP is being prepared on behalf of Defra and relevant operating authorities Request information and/or data from interested parties Gather views on issues relating to the SMP coastline Review issues and features identified | CSG Key Stakeholders | Covering letter Questionnaire (hard copy and website) |
Stakeholder Engagement Strategy | Jul07 | Produce Stakeholder Engagement Strategy | CSG Elected Members | Stakeholder Engagement Strategy Document (hard copy and website) |
Assessments to Support Policy Development | Aug07 to Dec08 | Review draft appendices - Appendix C - Baseline Process Understanding Check that issues, features, benefits, beneficiaries have been identified, and objectives are representative and fully consider the available information Review of No Active Intervention scenario Identify actual and potential areas of agreement / conflict Establish potential scope for compromise and acceptance of future change Determine approved method for undertaking an SMP scale Appropriate Assessment | CSG EMG | Draft Appendices (website and/or hard copy) Round the table discussions Presentations Website |
| Jan08, Mar08 | Establishment of advisory group to inform environmental appraisals and Appropriate Assessment | Environment Group CSG members | Briefing notes | |
Jan09 | Agree methodology to assess and prioritise importance of existing heritage data in relation to appraising and determining SMP policies | CSG members Heritage Officers | Briefing note | |
Jan09 | Implementation of policies not based solely upon engineering solutions but through control of development via planning process | CSG members Planning Officers | Briefing note Facilitated Planning and Development Control Officers workshop Website | |
| Feb09 | Seeking clarification on interpretation of environmental legislation and advice. Appropriate Assessment | Environment Group CSG members | Briefing notes Website | |
| Mar09 | Raise awareness of flood and erosion risk, and the SMP process. Identify issues and concerns, and objectives are representative and fully consider the available information. Reassure landowners that right to maintain defences will not be affected by SMP policy. Raise issues and habitat creation requirements arising from environmental legislation | Key Stakeholders CSG members EMG | Series of workshops Presentations Draft Appendices (website and/or hard copy) Summary note Website | |
| Mar09 | Solent-wide strategic assessment and identification of High Tide wader, wildfowl and Brent Geese roost and feeding sites. Function of network of sites (including non-designated sites) critical in assessments relating to realignment for inter-tidal habitat creation that affect coastal grazing marsh sites | Independent ecological expert Reserve and site managers, bird survey and ornithological experts CSG members | Facilitated workshop Briefing notes Website | |
Policy Development | Dec08 to Oct09 | Identify and confirm drivers for directing future policy, considering requirements of environmental legislation, private landholdings and maintenance of defences | CSG Elected Members Key Stakeholders Environment Group | Briefing notes Presentation Round the table discussion Website |
| May to Jun09 | Initial draft policies identified prior to economic appraisal | CSG EMG | Presentation Round the table discussion Website | |
| Jul09 | Clarification of implications of potential proposed policies, considering requirements of environmental legislation, private landholdings and maintenance | Key Stakeholders CSG Members | Round the table discussion | |
Examine Preferred Policy Options | Feb to Oct09 | Discuss proposed policy options Identify areas of agreement and conflict Establish potential scope for compromise and acceptance of future change, clarification of consultation process Raise awareness of draft plan Provide opportunities for support and objection Determine approved method for preparation of SEA | CSG Elected Members Key Stakeholders | Briefing notes Website Presentations Round the table discussions |
| Oct09 | Establishment of Communications Group to cooridnate and advise on the consultation process and delivery | CSG members Communications Group | Website Round the table discussions Presentation | |
Preparation of Draft SMP, Draft SEA, Draft AA, Draft WFD | Oct09 to Jan10 | Raise awareness of draft plan and assessments Provide opportunities for support and objection Revision of Draft subject to comments | Elected Members | Draft SMP document (hard copy and website) Round the table discussions Website |
Public Examination of Draft SMP | Jan to Mar10 | Raise awareness of draft plan Provide stakeholders with opportunities for support and objection Resolve differences | CSG Elected Members Wider public | Advertisement poster Summary pamphlet Draft SMP document (hard copy and website) Public exhibitions & formal presentations Press and Media |
Revision of Draft SMP | Jan to May10 | Collation of responses Revision of Draft SMP | CSG EMG Key Stakeholders | Revised Draft SMP (hard copy and website) |
Finalise SMP | Jun to Jul10 | Review output from public examination and agree amendments Members presented with final plan Adoption of final Plan by each operating authority | CSG Elected Members | Presentations Round the table discussions Website |
Dissemination | Jul to Aug10 | Make stakeholders aware of final plan Submit final adopted plan to Defra for approval | Elected Members wider public | Media / Info bulletin / website / exhibitions Presentations Website |
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