FOI - Activities under the Planning for London Programme [May 2023]

Your request

Specifically, in relation to the Planning for London Programme (PfLP):

1. Where the originally submitted formal evidence from December 2021 to January 2022 is collated, recorded or listed and accessible.
2. The identity of the consultants who were being appointed to lead the (second) phase of 'deliberative events' running from late 2022 to early 2023.  
3. The eventual topics and objectives defined for the day events. 
4. Progress with the holding of these events with copies of background information or agendas provided for participants. 
5. The basis of recruitment of participants to secure the stipulated representativeness of 'London communities', and the available information about categories of participant in this phase.
6. The reports prepared (for Plan Team Leader, Mayor’s Office or Assembly or Committee use) on these events and related work undertaken by consultants and GLA staff on each focal topic.
7. How these are being followed up in the planned 'stakeholder phase' scheduled for this calendar year of this PfLP work, preparatory to the Integrated Impact Assessment and a new version of the London Plan. 

Our response

Please note that much of the information you request can be accessed through the Planning for London webpage and through our online engagement portal using the links in the hub page. 

In relation to the specific parts of your request:

Question 2

2CV were appointed to help run the deliberative events and will also help with the stakeholder events.  

Question 3

This information can be found online.

Question 4

All events have now been held. Copies of background information and agendas provided for participants can be found on the link above under 'See the deliberative documents here!'.

Question 5    

Please see Annex 1 to this letter

Question 6

Please see attached.

The following parts of your request are exempt from disclosure under Section 22 (information intended for future publication) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Questions 1 and 7

Section 22 of the Act provides an exemption for information that is intended to be published in the future. Information is exempt if, at the time when the public authority receives a request for it:

• the public authority holds the requested information;
• the public authority intends the information to be published at some future date, whether that date is determined or not; and
• in all the circumstances it is reasonable to withhold the information until its planned publication.

Section 22 acknowledges that public authorities must have freedom to be able to determine
their own publication timetables. This allows them to deal with the necessary preparation,
administration and context of publication. It is however necessary to consider whether the
public interest in maintaining the exemption (and withholding the information until the
publication date), is greater than the public interest in releasing the information before this
date.
 
In this instance, it is felt that there is a greater public interest for the GLA to keep to its original timetable of disclosure. The GLA's Planning team are currently preparing this material and as part of their launch for the events and subsequent engagement and plan-making activities and are required to effectively manage their workload and the work required to prepare such a large amount of information for publication.

The decision to proactively publish this information demonstrates the GLA’s commitment to openness and transparency and we believe the current schedule for this information is appropriate.

This information will be made available primarily on the following webpages when released:

• Planning for London stakeholders
• Planning for London call for evidence
• Planning for London online

It will be made available shortly after the first two events which are being held on the 26 June and 13 July 2023. It will be made available to facilitate participation by those who are unable to attend.

It is noted that work on the Integrated Impact Assessment is being paused following the government consultation on Environmental Outcomes Reports which impact on this process. 

The public interest, that is the best interests of the public, is met by the GLA being open and
transparent, but also by managing its resources effectively, and this includes setting reasonable publication schedules to meet this public interest.

While there is an obvious public interest in the release of information relating to the London Plan, we believe this is met by our intention to publish this information in the coming month.

We do not believe the public interest favours the disruption that would be caused to GLA staff by expediting this publication when its early publication would not meet any immediate or exceptional public concerns at the present time.

We therefore find the balance of public interest falls in maintaining the exemption and the GLA publishing this information in accordance with our existing publication timetable.

If you have any further questions relating to this matter, please contact us, quoting
reference MGLA150523-7346.