Examination of Witnesses (Questions 116-119)
MR ROBERT
UPTON AND
MS SUE
PERCY
12 MAY 2008
Q116 Chair: Good afternoon and welcome.
The Committee has already heard significant evidence about the
need to replace the missing generation of planners but also to
upgrade the skills of the planners that we already have. Can we
start off with you briefly explaining what the RTPI is doing to
try to meet the gap in availability of skills, to meet the sustainable
communities agenda and the other parts of the Government's planning
agenda?
Mr Upton: I think there are two
element to this, firstly the shortage of professional planners
in general and secondly the actual shortage of skills. When it
comes to the shortage of planners we have undertaken some quite
significant educational initiatives over the last seven years
or so which has increased the throughput, particularly of postgraduate
planners. Some very able people are coming through the planning
schools now. We have also revised our routes into membership so
that, for example, through the new class of associate membership
it is possible for more people to be drawn mid-career into planning
and to be developed that way. In terms of the actual shortage
of skills, we ourselves offer a very wide range of training on
both the commercial basis and also low cost events. We have our
own programmes like Planning Matters which provide online
support to planners. I think it is important here to take the
long view. The development of skills absolutely rests on a bedrock
of education. The skills which planners require will change many
times during their working careers and that is a function not
just of new legislation and new policy but changing circumstances
and changing requirements. What good planners critically need
is a very solid educational foundation. If they have the solid
education and they understand the "why" then they will
be able to develop new approaches to the "what" and
the "how" over the years. For us that is a very major
part of our mission.
Q117 Chair: Who are you addressing?
Which institutions are you addressing when you are trying to ensure
that that bedrock of education is provided?
Mr Upton: We have a direct relationship
with planning schools and universities in this country and indeed
elsewhere and we set the basic educational philosophy which they
are required to respond to.
Q118 Chair: They are required?
Mr Upton: If they want accreditation
that is.
Q119 Chair: So the lever that you
have is that you provide the accreditation.
Mr Upton: That is right and that
is quite valuable. We have been very successful and very much
assisted by the bursaries which the CLG gives to postgraduate
students. One thing which we think for a very small amount of
money in relative terms could be done which would improve the
situation would be if the Government were to make a similar amount
of money available to support final year undergraduate students,
in particular those who are progressing to what we call a professional
masters. There is a critical shortage and it is still quite hard
in current circumstances to make sure that all courses are full
of good people. We think that a small amount of money would go
a very long way there.
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