ROYALTOWN PLANNING INSTITUTE IN SCOTLAND

Scottish Executive Committee

SCOTTISH YOUNG PLANNERS NETWORK

Meeting held on Thursday 8 December 2011 atWaverly Court, City of Edinburgh Council

MINUTE AND ACTION NOTE

1) Apologies and Previous Minutes

Present

Sophie Corbett

Zoe McClelland

Nikola Miller

Emma Rigg

Stuart Salter

Andrew Trigger

James Welsh

Jenny Wood

Apologies

Chris Collins

Alasdair Edwards

Craig McLaren

Carla McWhinney

Iram Mohammed

Andrew Sim

Malcolm White

Previous minutes agreed.

2) Welcome to new Steering Group member

ZM welcomed new member, Emma Rigg, to the Steering Group and thanks were given to Zara Stewart for her contribution to the Group over recent years.

3) Review of roles and responsibilities

In light of recent changes to the Steering Group, it was agreed that NM and SS would take the lead on the website; CC to take lead role on PlanningSchools and AE to lead on Jim Boyack Award.

4) RTPI National Director Update

ZM talked through updates from CM.

Actions:

- ZM to draw up and circulate list of proposed SYPN events for 2012 before passing to CM.

5) Conference

- Sub-group meeting to take place early January.

- Pressing issue is confirming venue and sending out formal letters to ‘informally confirmed’ speakers.

- AT stressed importance of keeping speakers’ briefs simple and clearly linked to objectives of conference.

- It was noted that more sponsorship is needed.

- Agreed that display space should be made available to Scottish Government (Spatial Planning Assessment for Carbon Emissions - ‘SPACE’ tool), Planning Aid, and APC helpdesk (rota for SYPN Steering Group members).

Actions:

- ZM to firm up date for next sub-group committee meeting.

- Members to take forward formal letterfollow-ups and draft speakers’ briefs

[Update: see note of 12 December 2011 from ZM for key tasks/members identified to follow up].

- ZM confirmed she is waiting for Alastair Macdonald at GCC to confirm use of City Chambers as conference venue; ZM to follow up. If GCC venue falls through, IM and CC to look at Lighthouse as potential back-up and explore other Glasgow city centre venues;

- ZM/SC to draft letter to new Planning Minister to introduce the Group and suggest meeting early in new year.

Sponsorship specific actions:

- Everyone to think of potential sponsors.

- JW to speak to Bob Reid of HFM regarding potential sponsorship;

- SS to speak with Bob Salter regarding potential sponsorship;

- NM to approach Dominic Fairlie at Scotia for sponsorship support.

6) Events

Agreed that priority over next few months is the conference, with newsletter identified as our second top priority.

ZM noted her thanks to everyone for their input into RTPI Scotland events during 2011.

Planning Schools

Only Heriot-Watt left to present to 2011/12 academic year.

Action: SS to follow up with Sarah Mackintosh at HW.

APC seminars

Likely to be held in February 2012.

Actions:

- AE to firm up dates with Philip Woodward of RTPI.

- JW/CM to liaise with AE on dates/venues.

7) Communications

Website Update

Agreed that we need to give a ‘face’ to the SYPN.

Action: Everyone to submit photograph and short bio to NM/SS for inclusion on website.

Marketing Strategy

ZM circulated proposed marketing strategy and noted CM’s suggestion to include Linkedin as tool for advertising events.

Action: ZM encouraged everyone to submit updates to the SYPN Linkedin page to keep it up to date.

Branding

ZM explained new SYPN strategy of using consistent branding in all communication; ZM circulated proposed templates.

General agreement that consistent form of branding is needed and that proposed branding looks great, though it was noted that more could be done to the Newsletter template.

Action: Ideas on newsletter/other templates to ZM.

Newsletter

Agreed next edition of newsletter should be published late January 2012 and include ‘save the date’ for SYPN Annual Conference as well as section on Steering Group members.

Action:Everyone to submit photographs/short bios (Note: same action as that required for website).

Article specific actions:

- ZM to contact students who attended Waterfront Expo event to remind them of short article contribution for newsletter;

- Review of RTPI Annual Conference (NM/ZM);

- Review of SPEL conference (ZM);

- Piece on two nominees for Young Planner of the Year award;

- HoPS - call for issues.

Scottish Planner Articles/Planning Magazine

Action:

- ER to draft article on her experience of working on the Edinburgh MIR for next edition of Scottish Planner (CD: 23 January 2012).

- ‘Save the date’ article on conference to be published in January edition of Scottish Planner.

8)Awards

Peter Suttie and Boyack award to go to SEC for approval and next steps.

9)Dates for 2012 meetings

Action: Craig/Annette to send proposed dates to ZM.

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