Resources and Links

We aim to make the  Community-led Planning process as accessible and as engaging as possible for every community.

To enable you to gain an overview of the process and to familiarise yourself  with the focus of the different stages and how they interrelate, the following CLP resources, including the CLP Toolkit are available to download:

  • CLP Toolkit This was produced by the Association of Communities in Rural England (ACRE) in 2012 of which CFO is the oldest member.  CFO facilitates the CLP process using this resource.

The 9 module CLP process  

New challenges and changing contexts demand innovative methods of working with communities to help them achieve their goals and- in the process – build skills, capacity and resilience.  This process followed step by step can take 18 months to 2 years but is not for everyone.

Community Led Planning ‘Lite’.

This accelerated planning process puts more emphasis on carrying out a survey or questionnaire and streamlines community involvement. Plan timescales are 4-6 months. Bespoke solutions can be tailored directly to the specific needs of a community, depending on what you want to achieve.

Guidelines for using the CLP Toolkit

We recommend taking elements and resources from the nine modules as you need them. The modular structure ensures that a community can choose their starting point and modules to suit. Community Led Planning Lite might be worth considering for a condensed process.

Module 1. Getting started

This module is about getting the process up and running, engaging people and information gathering.

Module 2. Establishing your steering group

Module 3. Taking stock and planning the way ahead

  • Taking Stock and planning ahead
  • Project Plan example

Module 4. Understanding your community

5. Prioritising and planning action

6. Drafting your plan

7. Finalising your plan

8. Implementing your plan

9. Monitoring and reviewing your plan

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