The inaugural CAP awards were announced on 16th of October in Capetown during the SAPI Planning Africa Conference and CAP biennial Business Meeting.

The judging panel consisted of Professor Barbara Norman (Australia), Emeritus Professor Cliff Hague OBE (CAP Past President) and Trudi Elliott CBE (CAP Patron)

With nominations received from across the Commonwealth, the independent panels of judges reviewed the entries in detail and awarded 4 commendations and 1 overall award for excellence.

Congratulations to all nominees and winners!

CAP is also pleased to announce that the awards program has been confirmed as an annual event from 2019.

The Winner:

Innovative risk-based planning & engagement for Natural Hazards

Key organisations: Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Enfocus, GNS Science & Integrity Professionals Limited.

Location: Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand.

In 2012 the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (New Zealand) embarked on a process to change its Regional Policy Statement (RPS) to better manage risk through land use planning.

The resulting 2016 operative RPS has risk-based natural hazards provisions that provide a regionally-consistent framework for managing the region’s natural hazards, including low likelihood and high consequence hazards, according to their risk (determined by both likelihood and consequence). This outcome, at the forefront of the nation’s risk approach to avoiding and mitigating natural hazards, was achieved through:

• formal governance direction and decision making,

• a collaborative project management process reflecting the complexity of the subject matter and the breadth to interests involved, and

• responsive policy formulation that took account of evolving national guidance, led innovative community engagement, and addressed the needs of stakeholders.

Judges Citation:

With a thorough and innovative approach led by planners and recognising diversity, engagement and the need for simplicity the judges thought this was a worthy winner. The approach taken has particular relevance across the Commonwealth when thinking about climate change, hazards and other resilience challenges. The judges noted the use of a natural hazard integrated approach, planning science and wider considerations of risk. Great planning skills were displayed and their story was well told.

Commendations:

Embedding Young People in Planning and Engagement Processes

Key organisations: Cred Consulting, City of Parramatta Council.

Location: Parramatta CBD, Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The City of Parramatta, located in Western Sydney, Australia, is experiencing significant growth and transformation through urban renewal. By 2036, young people (aged 12 to 24) will represent 16% of the population (64,000 people), while thousands of young people from diverse backgrounds visit the Parramatta CBD each day to work, study, and shop. The Needs of Young People in the Parramatta CBD study aimed to recognise the contribution of young people to the City, identify opportunities to make the CBD more welcoming for young people, and make recommendations to embed engagement with young people in Council’s planning activities. This resulted in the first youth led annual Parramatta Youth Forum which provides an ongoing mechanism to build community capacity in planning, engage with young people, and inform major planning and policy projects.

Judges Commendations:

With the age profile of the commonwealth the judges felt that this entry demonstrated the benefits of embedding young people in planning and engagement processes. Planners across the commonwealth will be interested in the committee and effective approach to engaging young people by the planners involved. 
Overall the judges felt a wide range of skills were involved and demonstrated to have been effective

Risk Mapping and Planning for Urban Preparedness

Key organisations: Beca International Consultants Limited.

Location: Port Vila and Luganville, Vanuatu.

The project assembled and interpreted a substantial body of existing data into risk maps fir the five natural hazards (flood, earthquake, wind, coastal inundation and tsunami) for the two main urban settlements of Vanuatu - Port Vila and Luganville.  The maps categorised risks from natural hazards using a simplified "traffic light"approach.  Future growth trends were examined as well as recent settlement patterns.  A risk responsive management strategy was developed to address mapped hazard distributions including risk sensitive land use planning development controls (building code) and early warning system for evacuation planning. Community lead tsunami evacuation plans were developed and signage provided for evacuation routes.  Evacuation drills have been undertaken.  The project has provided the Government of Vanuatu planners and managers with evidence based, realistic but simplified hazard models and maps to allow risk responsive future planning.

Judges Commendation:

The judges commended the planning skills displayed in addressing challenges of a small island state and the hazards they must plan for-an important issue for the Commonwealth. It demonstrates the Resilience benefits of good planning. The judges were impressed by the outreach to women and youth and commitment to meaningful inclusion. There are lessons to be drawn for commonwealth planners in the approach to risk mapping and planning for urban preparedness. A very good resilience plan for Vanuatu.

Te Tai Tokerau Papakāinga Toolkit

Key organisations: Barker & Associates, in collaboration with Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council, Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council.

Location: Northland, New Zealand.

In mid-2017, four councils and a planning consultancy based in Northland, New Zealand began to work collaboratively on a guidance tool to assist Māori land owners to navigate the planning process to undertake papakāinga developments on their ancestral lands. The outcome of this collaboration was the Te Tai Tokerau Papakāinga Toolkit (‘the Toolkit’) and an associated summary brochure, which provide an accessible and informative medium to assist Māori land owners. The Toolkit simplifies the planning process into five identified steps with key contact details and associated questionnaires, checklists and diagrams. The document marries together traditional Māori concepts (tikanga) with the technical knowledge required to navigate the planning process. Communication is universal. The planning profession is often criticised for being overly wordy and long winded. The Toolkit shows that effective graphic design and simple communication techniques can be applied across the Commonwealth to effectively engage with stakeholders and communities.

Judges Commendation:

Commendation The judges felt this demonstrated the valuable role that a non-statutory initiative can play in filling a significant gap. The recognition of Maori disadvantage was a valuable lesson in inclusion. The techniques used are of relevance to many commonwealth partners but not exclusively to indigenous groups' land rights in other colonised commonwealth countries.

The Judges particularly liked the explicit links to the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The project demonstrated the power of well delivered non-statutory initiatives in planning in shaping good outcomes.

Ghana  40-year Long Term National Development Plan

Key organisations: Government of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Planners

Location: Ghana.

In 2010, the government of Ghana set up a Constitutional Review Committee to review the national Constitution which has been in practice since 1992. The Committee teased out 44 items to engage the public in the discussion. In the end, 50% of the respondents requested for the preparation of a long-term national development plan which should be made binding on all successive governments. The government rejected it as it will 'have the effects of a command model of development planning and tie the hands of successive governments to the ideological interest and policies of a particular political party' .  The Ghana Institute of Planners adopted an advocacy role by engaging the public through data collection, sensitization of its members, press briefings, stakeholder engagements, dialogue with key stakeholders to make our position known to the government. In the process other national bodies joined the 'crusade' and the government eventually adopted the concept and the plan is being prepared for implementation.

Judges Commendation 

The Judges felt this project as an excellent example of the planner as advocate, a key role for planners within the Commonwealth. They described the supporting report as a great read which would be of practical use to commonwealth planners in many advocacy situations. The judges commended the Advocacy role of a National Institute here for National Development Plan. The project used smart and effective political and public engagement