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Communication and publicinVolVement212 2 Communication and publicinVolVement213 Communication and publicinVolVement214 respecttothe partner’sself-image. AWide range of instruments and toolswerepractised and tested and arepresented in the next sub-chapters.The objectiVeistoshareeXperiences gained from the actiVitiesand tointroduceamixtureofpossibilitiesforadditional participation. Figure4.1: Publicperception in GermanYand the Netherlands regarding Waterissues LeVelsof participation Participation: alloWing influenceonthe outcome of plansand Working processes Information: LoWest leVel of participation proViding access toinformation and disseminating information actiVelY(often legallyrequired, basisof inVolVement) bY:brochuresand newsletters,information meetings, eXhibitions,Websites,eXcursions Consultation: publiccanreacttogoVernmentproposals.Itisoften legallY required topublishdrafts and toallowthe publictocomment bY:objections/hearingsin regionalplanning and planning approValprocedures,adVisory Workgroups,bilateralmeetings ActiVeinVolVement/ cooperation: publichasarealVoiceand anopportunity tochange and plan actiVelY bY:projectgroup, politics,press,Workshops,committeesof representatiVesof affected interest groups,municipalities, science, round table, Working groupswiththe authority to decide, polderadVisory committee Publicparticipation consists of differentmechanismsforaction. Participation can take placeinthe folloWing Ways: beforeauthoritiesmake decisions bY:giVing adVice, participating in consultations,and promoting projects afterdecisionsaremade bY:acting in the implementation of suchdecisionsorbY controlling theirimplementation Communication and publicinVolVement216 4 Figure4.2:Ladderof participation BoX4.1: LeVelsof participation Participation canbedifferentiated bythe people addressed (stakeholders orgeneralpublic) orbYinVolVementthrough formaloradditionalinformalinstruments.Publicparticipation bY informalinstruments iseXplained in detail in chapter4.1 While the othercharacters are described in the folloWing paragraphs. Participation of stakeholders Stakeholders areimportantpersons,agroupofpersons,institutionalised organisationsor spokespersonswho areorcanbeaffected bythe actiVitiesin the projectorhaVeaninterest in the projectorprojectarea.Asalreadystated, itisof greatimportancetoinVolVethese personsorgroupsactiVelYin the projectprocessesbeYond the leVel of just proViding information. While planning and implementing the localproject,the SDF Partners applied seVeral instruments and gained eXperiencesin the participation process.AdVisory and projectgroups (mostlYconsisting of stakeholders)Wereinstalled asaccompanYing projectcouncils.TosolVe certain difficulttasks,itproVed Wisetodiscuss matters bilaterallYin ordertoreach stakeholders on amorepersonalleVel. Thisallows adeep insightand betterunderstanding of the projectplanscompared toinstruments suchasfield Visits orworkshops. Participation of the generalpublic Generalpublicisdefined asincluding all non-goVernmentalstakeholders.IndenselY populated countrieslike the NetherlandsorGermanY,propercommunication Withthe generalpublicisanessentialprecondition forcarrying out aproject.Aplancanbe sustainable and cancontributetoimproVing the quality of life in anareaonlYif itisaccepted and supported bYlocalpeople Who areVery Well informed Withtransparentinformation. Communication and publicinVolVement217 Inthe past,therehaVebeen bothsuccessesand failureswithprojects in Which communication Withlocalpeople plaYed acrucialrole. EffectiVecommunication starts bY deVeloping good and if possible long-termcontacts (continuity). Therefore, the communication should notfocus solelYon the period uptoand including implementation but alsothe post-implementation period. Itisnecessary togain publicconfidenceand neVertodamage it.Thisiseasiersaid than done, and uneXpected eVents cancausepublicopinion toturnagainst aproject.Itis necessary toadoptapublic-friendlYapproachthatalsoensuresthe required continuity in publicconfidence. Decisionsmust alWays beeXplained in aclearand transparentmanner, although some information isconfidentialand cannotbemade public.One problem isthe Working method: the necessary deploYmentof fundsand manpoWer,continuity asregards contactpersons,and the ability tocope Withchanges.HoWcanthe best possible servicebe proVided? PublicinVolVementin formalprocedures The legalpermitproceduresin bothcountriesimposethe requirements of public participation atdifferentstagesof the legalprocedure. The Dutchand Germanplanning systemsaredifferent.DifferenceseVen eXist between the Germanfederalstates,e.g. dueto the responsibilitiesforflood preVention orspatialplanning leVels. BothcountrieshaVesimilarcriteriaforEnVironmentalImpactAssessments (EIA)(e.g. list of measuresbased on EU ruleswhereEIAsareobligatory). The differencesareinthe procedure itself, the time-line (Whatstep comesbeforeand after)and howthe publicisinVolVed in the procedure(e.g. in the NetherlandsanYbodYmaYproVide input,inGermanYonlYorganised public (TÖB) and directlYaffected residents). The main differenceseemstobethatin GermanY,the Planfeststellungsverfahren sumsupall potentialimpacts and releVantrights/rules,leading toadecision bythe competentauthority (Bündelungswirkung).Inthe NetherlandsfolloWing the EIA procedure, the permission process starts WithagreatmanYproceduresrelating toimpacton priVaterights,eXcaVations procedures,laWon surfaceWatercontamination and manYmore. Setting upapermission managementsystem isimportanttokeep aneYeonthe process and tostart procedures simultaneouslYand toWorkmoreefficientlY.Forfurtherand detailed information on public participation in permitproceduresin GermanYand the Netherlands,pleaserefertosee Annex2. 4.1 Publiccommunication bYinformalinstruments The formalparticipation process isdefined bYplanning legislation and allows onlYa temporarilYlimited and restricted influenceinthe permitprocedure. Realinfluencebythe broaderpublicon the deVelopmentand implementation of the projectislimited in most cases,asdecisionsarestill taken on the basisof technological(often hYdraulic)reasonsand participation issupplementary.Foramoredemocraticand reliable publicinVolVement, projectplanners seek additionalsupport bYimplementing furtherinformalparticipation tools.Through aguided process of transparentknoWledge transferand practical inVolVement,the Voiceofresidents should beenlarged. AWell thought-out participation process from the beginning of aprojectphaseWill leadtoanincreased publiccommitment and createsaWin-Win-situation. Furthermore, measuresin floodplainscannotbe implemented successfullYif theYdo notmeetwithbroadpublicacceptanceand if theYare notsupported bYkeystakeholdergroups.Therefore, publicparticipation in decision making about futuredeVelopmentisfundamentalinachieVing lasting solutions. Communication and publicinVolVement218 4 Participation impliesadYnamicinteractiVeprocess.Thisrelieson building trust and confidencethatthe publicWill haVerealinfluence. The importantrequirementforsuccessful participation of residents isthe access totransparentinformation thatcaneasilYbe understood, Withgradualupdatesthatreflectongoing Work. InanYcase, proViding information isanimportantpreparatory step forthe planning process.Ingeneral, the stable inVolVementof the identified stakeholders during the planning and implementation period bYgiVing clearrulesof participation from the beginning isadVisable. The useofinstruments and theirtargetgroupshould beWorked out in acommunication plan. Inthe caseofHondsbroeksche Pleij, foreXample, acommunication planWasdeVeloped Whichindicated the broadoutlinesof hoWcommunication should take place. Duetothe fact thatthe projectisalong termproject,adecision Wastaken touseadYnamicdocumentthat could becontinuallyupdated. The main message of the Hondsbroeksche Pleij projectwas emphasising generalfamiliarity Withthe name and objectiVeofthe projectand getting people tounderstand thatprotection against flooding isnotjust aforegone conclusion. The attitude adopted forcommunication focuseson improVed, cost-conscious,and predictable services.Accountwastaken of the needsand Wishesof users of the main Watersystem. Products and serviceswill onlYbepromised if theYcanactuallYbedeliVered. The Various stakeholders haVebeen considered and efforts haVebeen made toensurethe cooperation of Various groupsrepresenting the public.Targeted publicinformation programmesin the Westervoort areaduring planning and preparation of the projecthaVemade localpeople moreaWareofthe riVer.TheYhaVebecome increasinglYaWareofthe need forproper discharge distribution and room forthe riVers. Informalinstruments areused in the SDF actiVitiestoboost additionalsocialaction and participation processestorespond tothe increased demand forinVolVementof localpeople in theiroWnenVironment.Duetodifferentdemandsof land useand conflicts of interests between the Various stakeholders,delays often occur,Whichalters the planning and implementation of ameasure. The delaYcanresultin aloss of confidenceand trust With regardtoachieVing results Within areasonable time frame. The SDF projectagreed thata projectleadermust haVeand demonstrateacooperatiVeattitude. Forthe residents and the authorities,heorshe hastohaVegreatpersonalcredibility.Itisimportantforthe process to beopen touneXpected results,aswell asapoliticalWill toacceptuneXpected changes. NeVertheless,atime limitforthe participation process hastobeset,otherwiseitdragson for fartoo long and the stakeholders looseinterest. Without claiming tobecomplete, the objectiVeofthischapteristopass on eXperiencesand toolsforasuitable