Tom Curtin

1. Tom Curtin Why consultation is here to stay Green Issues Communications

2. New Planning Law • Government has made major changes to planning • A new planning bill has Royal Assent • Current system:   'slow, ponderous and uncertain… benefits those with large cash and time resources and excludes those without' • Pre-consultation ‘essential’ • New planning frameworks - including neighbourhood plans • Other reforms in secondary legislation • Such as ironing out the local inconsistencies in Section 106 Green Issues Communications

3. New Planning legislation The Aim ‘to encourage local councils and developers to reach out to the community before seeking planning permission’ ‘We will encourage developers to undertake such consultation on the basis that it will improve the quality of planning applications and may smooth the path to planning permission’ (Minister Tony McNulty MP, 16/1/03) Green Issues Communications

4. Putting the community at the heart of development Green Issues Communications

5. Consultation overload • Across sectors, interest is growing • Practice has become more innovative • Yet as the Act recognises… • Industry needs to raise its game • Many wrong processes are being employed • And without addressing the issues creates... A Consultation Overload Green Issues Communications

6. Misunderstood ‘Community Voice’ • Some developers have become concerned • They wish to improve their credentials • On an environmental and ‘community’ level • However, they group all local conflict together • There is also a ‘second guessing’ of the democratic system Result: Against this backdrop the costs of conflict rise significantly Green Issues Communications

7. Licence to Operate • In controversial projects, facts alone cannot win the argument • Regulatory approval does not guarantee success • Airports must also win their LICENCE TO OPERATE Definition: A non-regulatory, society-based ‘permission’ to get on with your business • Coming from broad-based acquiescence • Not necessarily total consensus • From a community that is content with your operations Green Issues Communications

8. A question Why does traditional ‘PR’ or marketing fail miserably on some projects? Green Issues Communications

9. Example: market research • In sensitive - or personal - issues • People don’t necessarily tell the truth • Pressure to give ‘right answer’ • Protection of self-esteem • Nothing to lose by not being fully truthful • Questionnaires are ‘distress purchases’ • Dangers of Market Research • Timing • Funnelling • The garbologists • 85% ‘don’t drink beer’; 75% of bins had beer bottles; Green Issues Communications

10. Public meetings & exhibitions • The problem with Public Meetings is… • ..The Public • Or rather, not the public • Never a representative audience • The modern equivalent of Christians and Lions or fox-hunting • Often the effect is to strengthen the opposition • Always more heat than light Green Issues Communications

11. How about the media • People do not believe the media • In UK, only 15% believe they pursue the truth • Journalists are rated very lowly… • The same as estate agents and PR people • ..so why not ignore them? • Their power is setting the agenda The Press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about Green Issues Communications

12. Information Vs Entertainment • But information is intrinsically boring • So it has to be made ‘appetising’ • Editing and design builds in prejudice • There is a need to appeal to instincts: • Sex, violence, horror, humour, etc. • The Information/entertainment line is blurred Mantra for a Modern Media Entertain them and you can tell them anything…bore them and you can tell them nothing Green Issues Communications

13. Why mass communication fails • There are two types of products • Those which people want to buy • Cars, perfume, TVs, houses, etc • Those which people do NOT want to buy • Prisons, AIDS hostels, new roads, houses, etc • Yet mass media are used for both...and fail • Brochures, the press, exhibitions, etc • The ‘Sin of Origin’ • They would say that,wouldn’t they? • They treat key individuals as ‘just a number’ Green Issues Communications

14. So how can the consultation process be improved? Green Issues Communications

15. Arnstein identified different levels of consultation: 1. MANIPULATION 2. EDUCATION 3. INFORMATION 4. CONSULTATION 5. INVOLVEMENT 6. PARTNERSHIP 7. DELEGATED POWER 8. CITIZEN CONTROL Consultation & Participation are not the same And so ... the industry needs to be moved off the bottom rungs Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation Green Issues Communications

16. Contentious Issues What has any chance of succeeding when all seem to oppose? Green Issues Communications

17. Appropriate communication • We have a deep mistrust of written corporate information • Which we feel has been massaged: “They would say that, wouldn’t they?” • Sometimes we never read it - there is too much paper already • Many do not have the education • Politicians - and everyone else! - prefer verbal communication Green Issues Communications

18. The difficulty of liaison • A ‘fear’ of face-to-face dialogue is normal • The ‘siege mentality’ fuelled by: • Vociferous opponents • The media • Looking for the ‘entertainment angle’ • Most treat these with ‘a pinch of salt’ Green Issues Communications

19. Sociodynamics A methodology to try to understand why society behaves as it does and what mobilises people to oppose, accept or ignore a project? Green Issues Communications

20. What is sociodynamics? • In any project, there is a small number of key individuals who can make or break it • It is actions taken by them that leads either to success to failure • Their actions are not always rational • Supporting players must be identified… • Opponents are (politely) ignored • …but supporters are useless unless mobilised • On their projects which are parallel to yours Green Issues Communications

21. 1. Get to know the territory and its people Locations are no longer just parcels of land - they are a living part of a community 2. Find supporters Recognising that they may not look like supporters 3. Uncover the win-win projects Also the hidden agendas 4. Maintain the Momentum Be ready for the unexpected Our methodology - how we work Green Issues Communications

22. Finding supporters In a controversial project, there will - by definition - always be opposition • We naturally tend to focus on the opposition • Potential supporters are categorised as opponents • We are very quick to stereotype individuals • Using our own preconceptions of their group • There are people who can support the project - but they want something in return • Often they are not approached and do nothing Green Issues Communications

23. Corporations & organisations • Companies tend to be very defensive and inward looking with difficult issues • This is normal - the Caveman response • Most Issues Management campaigns draw only on internal resources • Fear, embarrassment, arrogance • Large organisations are rightly cautious • Erroneous statements will come back to haunt you • This is not very media or stakeholder friendly Green Issues Communications

24. They would say that, wouldn’t they? • The company solely by itself cannot sway the debate: • the ‘source’ effect • perceptions of history • self-interest, financial gain • Employees, trade groups, etc have problems: • the ‘zealot’ effect • lack of independence • People do not trust or believe organisations • When they see they have something to gain Green Issues Communications

25. Finding Supporting Stakeholders • Stakeholders - a definition • Dependent stakeholders; employees, suppliers, etc • Impacted stakeholders; e.g. those living near a facility • Unknown stakeholders; e.g. those not known or who have not made themselves known; • These are the supportingstakeholders; sub-sets of the above three categories • Vampire slayers; those intractably opposed TPAs Green Issues Communications

26. Identifying Allies & Supporters Positive Zealots Best Allies Schismatics +4 Anarchists +3 Waverers +2 Opponents Passives Moaners +1 -1 -2 -3 -4 Negative Green Issues Communications

27. Mobilising the supporters • One must personally know key players in order to be able to influence them • A Third Party is often best placed • No direct financial interest • People can speak much more openly • Presented as wanting to consult fully and early • Best done on a one-to-one basis and early • Groups have a different dynamic • The individuals who influence the politicians (residents, etc) and their concerns (often minor) must also be known Green Issues Communications

28. Uncover win-win projects • Communities will not accept detriment • Without some compensating benefit • However, this benefit cannot be imposed • It must be demanded by the community • Therefore there must be ‘win-win’ projects • Which are championed by local individuals • These projects are often not obvious • They are sometimes irrational • They are parallel to your project • Often, your project facilitates the win-win Green Issues Communications

29. Conclusion It is actions by keyindividuals that leads to success in difficult or contentious projects Green Issues Communications

30. Case Study Green Issues Communications Green Issues Communications

31. Why consultation is vital • Reputation management • Impacts on sales, credibility, credit rating, etc. • Could make recruitment more difficult - hits internal morale • Uncomfortable for management • Expensively built brand image is tarnished • Winning the ‘Licence to Operate’ Green Issues Communications

32. Conclusion The more people know The more they will accept Consultation is not a business cost It can be a real business benefit Green Issues Communications