Aims of the strategy
Having an up-to-date local plan in place is critical in order to shape the future of the Dorset Council area, provide for development to meet the area’s needs, and manage decisions on planning applications. Public consultation is a vital part of the process, and this consultation will enable a wide range of views to be taken into account in moving the plan forwards.
The Dorset Council Local Plan is currently at ‘Options’ stage having reviewed and added to work already undertaken by the former district authorities in the preparation of their draft plans. As each former district was at a different stage in the policy formation process, some policy decisions have needed to be revisited while new evidence has also been collected at a wider spatial scale. This ‘Options’ consultation therefore seeks to bring together all previous material into one coherent document for consideration. Where appropriate, different policy approaches or options are presented throughout the document where there is more than one possible course of action.
It is proposed that consultation takes place for eight weeks, starting in January 2021. We will write directly to statutory consultees and stakeholders, including parish and town councils, and all those individuals and groups who have asked to be kept informed of local plan progress. We will also make sure that the consultation is well publicised, and will use online events, social media and other means to ensure that people are aware and can comment, even though the normal face to face consultation events are unlikely to be achievable during the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus Pandemic
We have a duty to protect our communities and staff members, and therefore will not be hosting face to face events in January. The statement of community involvement does not require us to host these, and they would involve numerous administrative burdens including:
- risk assessments
- managed entry arrangements
- wearing of face coverings and social distancing
- regular wiping down of all surfaces and equipment
- and potentially even security as these events can get heated
These events would also be very hard to plan for with any certainty as any change to government restrictions, coronavirus alert levels or national lockdowns at the last minute may be difficult to respond to adequately in time. Instead we are proposing many additional methods of consultation beyond the usual consultation approaches associated with traditional local plan consultation held before the pandemic. It is hoped that using a digital process will help reach a wider audience than has been previously achieved as for some they will be able to engage at a time that suits them.
We recognise the consultation approaches listed below, weigh heavily in favour of digital/on-line technology when there is still a high proportion of Dorset residents without the digital skills or access to the internet. Across Dorset, 150,000 adults need help with digital skills and 70,000 have never been online. In order to increase or improve the engagement sessions for those off-line, we are proposing to advertise the consultation through local print media, shop windows, libraries and by working with town and parish councils and the contacts they have built up.
Hard copies of the Plan will be available for click and collect from most local libraries, even during a national lockdown. For those shielding, the library service have confirmed that all residents can have a designated shielding friend that can collect on their behalf.
Although face to face meeting are not possible, and for those not online, the team have set up a dedicated phone line that will operate between 10am – 2pm each day where residents can ask any questions they may have. The online webinars will also have a function that allows residents to phone in from their landline even if they do not have access to the internet and using Microsoft Teams will allow those who have hearing impairments to use captions (speech to text).
Dorset Council Local Plan Options Consultation Methods
Website
All information will be displayed on our website.
Contacting consultees
Those on our database will be emailed or receive a letter informing them of the consultation.
Press releases
Press releases will be published at key points throughout the process.
Libraries
Hard copies of the proposed plan will be provided at libraries that are open for Click and Collect.
Posters
Posters will be disseminated to town and parish councils to promote the consultation. Posters will also be distributed to GP surgeries, through military channels, children services and local schools.
Social media campaign
A social media campaign begins on 1 December 2020. We have been putting together information related to the local plan to go out on Dorset Council’s social media channels with the aim of increasing clarity on local plan related topics. This includes Infographics, animations, social media posts. Later this year, Covid-19 permitting, we plan on doing a ‘real people, real places’ campaign full of quotes and pictures celebrating new development and its occupants, builders, planning officers etc.
Podcasts
A series of podcasts are being recorded that aim to provide an education for each topic. We are even creating our own jingle.
Radio broadcasts
We will promote the consultation through local radio stations.
Shop windows, libraries and market stalls
Information boards will be displayed in vacant shop windows, libraries and in market stalls in high streets where we can obtain coverage. The boards will provide high level information of the key diagrams but their main purpose is to highlight the consultation and where to access information.
Webinars
A series of webinars on different topics will be held throughout the local plan consultation. Members of the public will be able to submit questions in advance and during the event. They can watch a short presentation followed by a question and answer session. Any questions we do not get time for will be answered after the event.
Telephone line
We have a dedicated consultation phone line for queries during the consultation. This will be open from 10am until 2pm every weekday.
Working with town and parish councils
Town and parish councils (T&PCs) play a key role in helping to distribute information to communities. We met with some T&PCs and asked for advice on how to reach a non-digital audience. Some of them are willing to gather with smaller surrounding T&PCs to make sure information is disseminated equally.
We are hoping T&PCs can help promote the consultation to enable people to take part. We will also use the town and parish e-newsletters and the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils (DAPTC) network by informing them of consultations and asking them to display posters and use their social media outputs.
Dorset Life magazine article
We put together a press release for the autumn 2020 magazine saying what the local plan can and can’t do – this also advertised the plan consultation to be in January. We continue to update people through this mechanism throughout the local plan process.
Responding to the consultation
The plan will be in an accessible format on the website where the user can navigate through the various sections and respond to any questions asked. A hard copy response form will be provided for download or to collect from libraries/town and parish council offices that are open. We may use post offices if no alternatives are available.
Background to the proposal
Cabinet agreed in June 2019 to start work on a single Dorset Council Local Plan, which would replace the current adopted local plans, rather than complete the district local plan reviews that were in preparation at the time. The council’s first Local Development Scheme (the programme for local plan preparation) was agreed at that meeting and has been revised since, in September 2020.
This Options Consultation is only the first formal stage in the process of preparing a Dorset-wide local plan. All representations received during the programmed eight week public consultation will be carefully considered by officers in order to formulate a full draft plan. This publication draft will form the basis of a second formal public consultation before the Plan is submitted to the government for independent examination alongside any further representations duly received.
Gathering information
Data, information, evidence and research used and how it has influenced the decision-making process.
Age
With 29.1% of Dorset Council's population over 65 years of age, we have a considerably higher population of older people than England and Wales at 18.5%.
55.1% of our population are of working age and 15.8% are aged 15 or below.
Dorset Insight: breakdown of population by age. (Source: 2019 mid-year estimate, ONS)
| Population | Total | Percentage | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| All persons | 378,510 | 0 | 59,439,840 |
| All males | 185,390 | 49.0% | 49.4% |
| All females | 193,120 | 51.0% | 50.6% |
| 0-15 | 59,730 | 15.8% | 19.1% |
| 16-64 | 208,730 | 55.1% | 62.3% |
| 65+ | 110,050 | 29.1% | 18.5% |
Disability
Disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day to day activities. Across the Dorset Council area 8% of the population has day to day activities that are limited a lot and 11% have day to day limited activities a little (Source: Census 2011, ONS).
Ethnicity
The current population statistics for the Dorset Council area indicate that the population is predominantly White British (95.6%). The overall statistic for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicities (BAME) is of 4.4% with 1.7% of the population not having English as their mother tongue. However it is unclear whether this is representative of the entire Dorset area and how much regional variation there is in certain parts of the Dorset area.
Source: 2011 Census. Office for National Statistics
| Race and Ethnicity | % |
|---|---|
| White, British and Northern Irish | 95.6% |
| BME (Black and Minority Ethnic population) | 4.4% |
| Main language not English | 1.7% |
98.3% of Dorset residents aged 3 and over have recorded English as their main language in the 2011 Census. This contrasts with a figure of 92% for England and Wales. Over 6,000 Dorset residents, English is not their first language.
Where English is not the main language spoken, 78 other languages feature across the County as resident’s main language, some in very small numbers. Where English is not the main language spoken, Polish is recorded with the next highest number of speakers at 1,457 in Dorset, followed by German 429, all other Chinese 344 and Nepalese 292.
Religion
25.4% of Dorset residents identify as having no religion and 65.1% of residents are Christian.
The five major non–Christian world religions namely Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Sikhism constitute 1.5% of Dorset’s residents’ religious beliefs. These groups are concentrated in Dorset’s towns e.g. Weymouth has just over 300 residents of Muslim faith. There are small areas of the county with relatively high proportions of people from minority religions. Tarrant Launceston and Tarrant Monkton for example have 7% and 4% of the population who are Hindu and 3% and 2% who are Buddhist. This reflects the significant Ghurkha community based in and around Blandford Camp.
Dorset Insight: breakdown of population by religion. (2011 census, ONS)
| Religion | % |
|---|---|
| Christian | 65.1% |
| Non-Christian | 1.5% |
| No religion | 25.4% |
| Religion not stated | 8% |
Deprivation and accessibility
Rural and social isolation creates barriers for communities to access services. Ensuring people can access planning online would help alleviate this however the availability of broadband coverage and cost is in turn a further barrier to accessibility.
15.2% of households do not have a car or van.
Military personnel
Dorset has a large military presence, with 3,150 serving personnel across 4 bases. It is estimated there are around 1,575 spouses and 2,389 children related to those personnel.
The county is also home to two per cent of the UK’s veterans. The total number of members of the Armed Forces Community in Dorset is more than 100,000, around 12.9% of Pan Dorset’s 771,900 population (2011 Census).
Gypsy, traveller and travelling showpeople
Dorset Council has around 289 existing pitches/plots. This figure includes a temporary seasonal planning permission for 100 transit pitches at Tarrant Hinton including limited use for up to three weeks in association with the Great Dorset Steam Fair. A temporary seasonal planning permission for 25 transit pitches at Piddlehinton, around 11 plots for travelling showpeople; and 5 permanent public sites.
Source: Gypsy, Traveller & Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment October 2017
What this data, information and evidence tells us
The information gathered, tells us that the Dorset Council area has an aging population with nearly 30% of residents aged over 65, well above the national average. Conversely the working age population and those under 15 years of age are lower in number than the national average, potentially placing a strain on local employment and services. The split between males and females is however broadly the same.
Approximately 20% of Dorset residents have a disability defined as a physical or mental impairment, which is a significant proportion of the population. Care will be needed to ensure that policies support this vulnerable group in society and that the Plan can be conveyed in simpler terms for all to understand.
Although the majority of the Dorset population is classified as White British (95.6%) there is still a sizable proportion of residents from Black and Minority Ethnic populations or have English not their main language. Where English is not the main language spoken, Polish is recorded with the next highest number of speakers at 1,457 in Dorset, followed by German 429, all other Chinese 344 and Nepalese 292. These groups should be offered help in understanding the policies of the Plan and their implications.
65% of Dorset residents identify as Christian, 25% of residents have no religion and the remaining residents either do not state their religion or are of another faith. Although a relatively small percentage of the total Dorset population, the Planning Policy Team should be mindful of different religious customs and practices to ensure fully inclusive events and to not assume that all residents are Christian or have no-religion.
Dorset is a diverse county with a large urban and rural population which creates its own challenges and barriers to engagement. A sizable number of households do not have access to a car or van and are therefore reliant on other forms of transport. Accessibility to physical copies of the Plan should be considered. Access to online material should increase accessibility but broadband coverage and costs create their own accessibility issues.
Dorset has a large military presence, with 3,150 serving personnel across 4 bases as well as spouses and their children. The military life style can be transient with this group reliant on many of the services on their bases rather than nearby villages and towns. We can’t assume that military personnel and their families will receive information from the usual community channels and therefore more targeted consultation and engagement is suggested. The total number of members of the Armed Forces Community in Dorset is more than 100,000, around 12.9% of Dorset’s population.
Evidence suggests that there is a need for around 289 existing gypsy and traveller pitches/plots. This includes a temporary seasonal planning permission for 100 transit pitches at Tarrant Hinton in association with the Great Dorset Steam Fair as well as 11 pitches for Travelling Show People. Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople are a group that would benefit from specific engagement techniques because of their way of life.
The Dorset Council Local Plan will need to adapt its draft policies to reflect Dorset’s specific demographics and not base decisions on perceived assumptions.
Although a detailed engagement strategy has been developed, many of the consultation approaches are new reflecting the unique circumstances associated with the government’s changing response to the on-going coronavirus. As the public consultation progresses and feedback is received, we can further adapt consultation mechanisms within the council's available resources.
Engagement or consultation that has taken place as part of this EqIA
The options consultation document, sets out as fully as possible the policies and proposals being considered for inclusion in the Local Plan, and includes questions to encourage people to respond.
It has been prepared taking account of the work previously carried out on the district local plan reviews; the consultation responses made on those reviews; discussion with internal and external stakeholders and service providers; and a range of studies commissioned to inform it. Internal stakeholders include specialist; landscape, design, conservation, transport and flood risk officers as well as external organisations such as Natural England, Historic England and the Environment Agency. Earlier draft Plans have also had engagement with groups representing protected characteristics including local accessibility groups and the gypsy and traveller community.
The Plan is also based on a wide range of commissioned evidence including a landscape and heritage study, Green Belt study and land availability assessment. A cross-party informal Executive Advisory Panel of members has met regularly throughout the preparation work so far, to advise and steer progress.
Gypsy, Travellers & Travelling Showpeople
The council has sought to engage with the Traveller community as part of the preparation of its new local plan. This engagement has included attendance at a number of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Liaison Group meetings in 2019 and 2020 with further engagement planned during the public consultation. Officers also attended a meeting with Kushti Bok (a Gypsy & Traveller led organisation) on the 11th March 2020. A ‘call for gypsy and traveller sites’ took place between 13th September and 25th October 2019.
Please note that the Dorset Council Local Plan draft policies are subject to a separate EQIA with this EQIA exclusively considering the public consultation arrangements.
Feedback
All comments and feedback received will be carefully considered by officers and made publicly available with the key messages being shared with members. The responses will be taken into account in the preparation of a full draft plan which will then go to Cabinet and full Council in the autumn of 2021 to agree publication and submission for examination.
Assessment
Impacts of the strategy
| Impacts on who or what? | Effect | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Age | All age groups: Children/young adults: This could have a positive benefit for children/young adults however those without digital skills and technology may not benefit. We also intend to circulate posters in more prominent locations such as shop windows and market stalls, libraries and GP surgeries/local health centres to address this point. As an action, information can be shared via Children's services to youth projects/youth clubs using Family Information Service or Dorset Youth Association. Young couples/families It is anticipated that a wider social media campaign supported by posters in more prominent locations; shop windows and market stalls, libraries, schools and doctor’s surgeries / local health centres will all help to raise greater awareness among this seldom heard from group. It is also proposed that programmed webinars will be held during lunch hours and that they will be recorded allowing the opportunity for discussions to be re-visited when time permits. A function of MS Teams will allow users without internet access to listen in using their phone. MS Teams also has caption facility, so people can read what is being said. This could have a positive benefit for young couples / families however those without digital skills or technology may not benefit. Older people (65 plus): It is anticipated that a wider awareness of the draft Local Plan can be achieved through greater engagement with Town and Parish Councils who will often have their own newsletter or notice board. We also intend to circulate posters in more prominent locations such as shop windows and market stalls, libraries and GP surgeries / local health centres. Although town and village hall events are switching to on-line webinars, a function of MS Teams will allow users without internet access to listen in using their phone. MS Teams also has caption facility, so people can read what is being said. We have also set up a dedicated phone line for the consultation to respond to higher level of calls anticipated. As libraries have restricted access, to view the Plan, libraries will have several hard copies of the written statement and proposals maps available that can be leant out for short periods of time allow for quarantining procedures. |
|
| Disability: (including physical, mental, sensory and progressive conditions) | Those who have limited mobility: Further distribution could be through the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), Home Library Service and other home-based services in the community. Home Library Service volunteers are a friendly, familiar face making a regular home visit to people whose mobility and social interaction are limited. Deaf or hard of hearing: The recorded webinars also include captions Blind or partially sighted: People with a learning disability: Further distribution could be through the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), Home Library Service and other home-based services in the community. |
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| Gender Reassignment and Gender Identity: | No impacts identified at this present time. The diversity monitoring questions used in our consultation includes a gender identity question. |
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| Pregnancy and maternity: | Pregnant individuals, and in some instances those with babies and young children, may be less mobile and potentially less able to travel. The consultation documents will be available on the website enabling pregnant individuals and those with babies and young children to access the information and comment at a location and time convenient to them. This could have a positive benefit however it should not be assumed that this group all have access to digital technology, and it therefore could be a negative impact. |
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| Race and Ethnicity: | Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicity (BAME): Those from minority backgrounds may be less familiar with written or spoken English. This language barrier will be overcome by providing summary translations of the Local Plan documents upon request, enabling all people to contribute to the consultation. There may be cultural issues surrounding the methods of correspondence during the consultation. For example, it could be inappropriate for members of some cultures to interact with officers of the opposite sex. Consultation will therefore have a mix of male and female officers in order to respond sensitively to cultural needs. Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople: |
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| Religion or belief: | The options consultation will need to ensure that the faith demands are met. Where possible, the council will check that consultation events don’t clash with religious ceremonies or festivals that may prevent people from participating. The consultation will be conducted over a period of eight weeks to allow maximum opportunity for participation. The council will also ensure that the communication methods used do not compromise religious customs. For example, some religions do not consider it appropriate for a male officer to speak to a lone woman. Therefore, the council will be flexible in terms of the officer that conducts any conversation. |
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| Sexual orientation: | The Local Plan consultation does not identify specific communication channels for contacting LGBT+ communities, a neutral impact. As an action, local plan consultation material should be distributed through known local groups. |
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| Sex (consider both men and women) Marriage or civil partnership |
No impacts identified at this present time. |
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| Carers | Non-paid or informal carers are likely to be time poor and unable to devote significant amounts of time to participating in public consultations, a negative impact. It is anticipated that a wider social media campaign supported by posters in more prominent locations; shop windows and market stalls, libraries, schools and doctor’s surgeries / local health centres will all help to raise greater awareness among this seldom heard group. It is also proposed that programmed webinars will be held during lunch hours and that they will be recorded allowing the opportunity for discussions to be re-visited when time permits. A wider social media campaign supported by posters and webinar, and a telephone helpline is considered more inclusive and a positive for informal carers. |
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| Rural isolation | Dorset is a large rural district with many communities located away from towns and urban centres where information is easier to access. Many rural communities may have limited public transport options or broadband coverage, a negative impact. It is anticipated that a wider awareness of the draft Local Plan can be achieved through greater engagement with Town and Parish Councils who will often have their own newsletter or notice board. We also intend to circulate posters in more prominent locations such as shop windows and market stalls, libraries, schools and GP surgeries / local health centres. Although town and village hall events are switching to on-line webinars, a function of MS Teams will allow users without internet access to listen in using their phone. We have also set up a dedicated phone line for the consultation to respond to the higher level of calls anticipated. As libraries have restricted access, to view the Plan, libraries will have available several hard copies of the written statement and proposals maps that can be leant out for short periods of time to allow for quarantining procedures. A wider social media campaign supported by webinars is considered more inclusive and a positive for rural isolated residents. |
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| Single parent families | Single parent families are likely to be time poor and unable to devote significant amounts of time to participating in public consultations, a negative impact. Feedback from previous Local Plan consultations undertaken by the former districts has often found that they struggled to contact single parent families through the usual communication channels. It is anticipated that a wider social media campaign supported by posters in more prominent locations; shop windows and market stalls, libraries, schools and doctor’s surgeries / local health centres will all help to raise greater awareness among this group. It is also proposed that programmed Webinars will be held during lunch hours and that they will be recorded allowing the opportunity for discussions to be re-visited when time permits. A wider social media campaign supported by posters and webinars is considered more inclusive and a positive for single parent families. |
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| Social & economic deprivation: | A range of methods will be used to contact all social economic groups. It is anticipated that awareness of the draft Local Plan can be achieved through greater engagement with Town and Parish Councils who will often have their own newsletter or notice board. A wider engagement strategy using social media and posters located in more prominent locations such as shop windows, markets, schools and GP Surgeries / health centres should also raise wider awareness. Although town and village hall events are switching to on-line webinars, a function of MS Teams will allow users without internet access to listen in using their phone. As libraries have restricted access, to view the Plan, libraries will have available several hard copies of the written statement and proposals maps that can be leant out for short periods of time to allow for quarantining procedures. Those who are in economic deprivation may not be able to afford to access digital services but other methods may mitigate against this. |
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| Armed Forces communities | Dorset has a large military presence, with 3,150 serving personnel across 4 bases. It is estimated there are around 1,575 spouses and 2,389 children related to those personnel. We will make specific efforts to engage with military personnel through the Blandford and Bovington HIVE information centre. |
Key to impacts
| Type of impact | Description of impact |
|---|---|
| Positive Impact | The proposal eliminates discrimination, advances equality of opportunity and/or fosters good relations with protected groups. |
| Negative Impact | Protected characteristic group(s) could be disadvantaged or discriminated against |
| Neutral Impact | No change/ no assessed significant impact of protected characteristic groups |
| Unclear | Not enough data/evidence has been collected to make an informed decision. |
Action Plan
Stronger engagement with children and young adults
We will make contact with the Councils education services and other community and voluntary sector organisations that have strong links with schools and colleges across Dorset in order to distribute posters / newsletters. Information can be shared via Children's services to youth projects / youth clubs using Family Information Service or DYA.
Person responsible: Frances Summers
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Support for members of the community who are deaf or with hearing impairment
Officers will be available during the consultation period over the telephone to provide help and advice in completing the consultation form (Telephony with deaf capability (Type Talk) is available via the Customer Services Team). MS Teams also has caption facility, so people can read what is being said.
Person responsible: Spatial Planning Team
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Support for members of the community who are blind or partially sighted
Large print or alterative format will be available during the consultation period upon request. The accessible version of consultation on our website supports screen readers and other adaptive software.
Person responsible: Nick Cardnell/Frances Summers
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Those from minority backgrounds may be less familiar with written or spoken English
Offer help in understanding the policies of the Plan and their implications.
Person responsible: Spatial Planning Team
Date to be completed by: March 2021
Some members of the community do not have access to the internet or the digital skills to feedback their comments on-line
A range of methods will be used to advertise the consultation in public locations, view the Plan via the library click and collect service and provide feedback by post or over the telephone on the dedicated phone line for the consultation.
Person responsible: Spatial Planning Team
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Support for members of the community who are either time poor or unable to travel For example; carers, pregnant individuals, young families, the elderly and those isolated in rural communities
Many in society are either time poor or unable to travel for example with mobility issues or caring commitments. The consultation documents will be available on the website to view and comment on at a location and time convenient to them.
Person responsible: Spatial Planning Team
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Due to cultural reasons, it may be inappropriate for some people to speak with a member of the opposite sex
Both male and female officers will be available to answer questions.
Person responsible: Spatial Planning Team
Date to be completed by: March 2021
Engaging with Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople
We will attend the local Gypsies and Travellers liaison meeting to discuss the changes proposed and collect direct feedback.
Person responsible: Steve Boyt
Date to be completed by: March 2021
The Local Plan consultation does not use local communication channels to contact the LGBT+ community
Local plan consultation material should be distributed through known local LGBT+ groups, for example, Space and places of worship and Inclusive Church.
Any information collected should be on gender neutral forms as some individuals may not identify with agenda binary.
Person responsible: Nick Cardnell/Frances Summers
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Religious ceremonies may prevent some members of the public from attending on-line consultation events
We will check for religious ceremonies or festivals that may prevent people from participating during the consultation. The consultation has been extended to eight weeks (rather than the legal minimum of six) to maximise engagement and minimise this risk. Though they're not open for public worship many churches are holding online services and using link people in congregations to get information out to non-digital members.
Person responsible: Nick Cardnell/Frances Summers
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Engaging with military personnel
We will make specific efforts to engage with military personnel through the Blandford and Bovington HIVE information centre.
Person responsible: Nick Cardnell/Frances Summers
Date to be completed by: Mid January 2021
Who has agreed this equality impact assessment?
| Job title | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Planning Officer | Nick Cardnell |
11 December 2020 and 9 January 2021 |
| Equality Lead | Susan Ward-Rice |
12 February 2021 |
| Equality and Diversity Action Group Chair | Pete Bartlett |
16 February 2021 |