By investing in your team’s professional fees, you’ll provide them not only with a vote of confidence in the importance of their professional development, but demonstrate that you, too, stand alongside planners. That's why almost 60% of Local Authorities currently pay their team's professional fees. In addition to accessing a wealth of free content to support continuing professional development, the RTPI also provides a confidential health and wellbeing helpline for members, as well as a well-being hub specifically designed with planners in mind.
Why pay Chartered Town Planner professional fees?
Local Planning Authorities, along with the broader public sector, are currently grappling with the challenges of meeting expectations and realising the full potential of planning. The agenda is vast. Demand for new homes, infrastructure, employment space, access to nature, and quality public open spaces, coupled with delivering new requirements such as biodiversity enhancement and reaching net zero, to name a few, are adding greater pressure on our already overstretched public sector planners.
Local authorities sit at the heart of these competing demands for valuable space, and their planning teams play an invaluable role in setting out the plan for the future and managing the use of the space via the development management process. Aside from fiscal raising powers, the statutory planning powers that sit with local planning authorities are the sharpest tools available to local authorities to deliver their corporate objectives and service the communities that elect them to safeguard both the past and their futures.
This all sees a rapidly evolving built environment landscape, with the complexities of planning, and the competing demands for land and space, investment, and delivery, getting greater by the day. With the rise of digital innovation, help may be on the way but navigating the arenas of artificial intelligence and augmented reality whilst maintaining data integrity adds a further layer of complexity to the business of town planning.
Increased harassment from both online and offline only worsens this pressure. Research from RTPI and its member magazine The Planner found that many working in the public sector are experiencing harassment and abuse, with 87% of planners stating that social media is responsible for spreading misinformation about local planning matters.
In an era where misinformation can spread unchecked through the channels of social media, it is imperative to support and empower our planners. Only by addressing the challenges they face can we ensure that our planning processes remain fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of our ever-evolving societies. With the support of the RTPI’s Professional Code of Conduct and Conduct and Discipline Panel, you have peace of mind knowing that your planners are being held to the highest standard in the profession.
Navigating this agenda not only requires professionally competent planners, but planners who undertake regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to stay abreast of the rapidly changing policy arena and regulatory requirements. The competition for attracting and retaining talent, across the whole built environment sector, has never been greater than it is today. Proving that you’re prepared to invest in the skills and knowledge of your team is more likely to attract and retain talent, saving you time and money in the long term.
Reputations of organisations are boosted by the integrity of the services they provide. Integrity and professionalism are essential to build and maintain trust with communities, developers, investors and beyond. A trusted and respected team can authentically demonstrate that difficult planning decisions are taken with professional advice from qualified professionals with not only the highest levels of conduct and integrity, but with the latest expert knowledge.
An investment in professional standards is an investment for communities, business, and visitors alike, as the top talent ensures delivery in a professionally competent way that can pay dividends by securing the best outcomes.
Whilst budgets are continually under pressure, an ‘upstream’ financial saving of not investing in professional fees, could prove to be a ‘downstream’ cost in terms of delivering for the community. Providing a professional service to residents, investors, and businesses, ensuring they get the best deal, the best environmental and social value from developments, is something that needs investment upfront to provide the community dividend downstream. Chartered town planners work in the public interest and the high standard of this professional qualification not only demonstrates competency and professionalism but helps to build and maintain trust in the process of planning.
Why employ Chartered Town Planners?
A Chartered Town Planner is a professional who has met the highest standards in education and practice set by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Today’s Chartered Town Planner can demonstrate they have the skills and competencies to deliver your needs in the increasingly complex planning environment.
Chartered Members are held in high esteem and confidence by the public, employers, clients, stakeholders, and other users of planning services. The designation MRTPI identifies them as highly skilled professionals who belong to a community of professionals who dedicate their careers to providing the best possible service for their employers and clients.
Chartered Town Planners are members of the oldest and one of the most preeminent planning bodies in the world. They are governed by an independent Code of Professional Conduct. This Code requires them to maintain the highest standards in professional knowledge, practice and conduct throughout their career.
Take the risk out of your recruitment strategies
Taking on a new employee is expensive and risky. As well as the obvious costs such as advertising and recruitment consultant fees, there are hidden costs such as management time and down time as the new employee gets up to speed.
By specifying a preference for a Chartered Town Planner, an employer can be confident that much of the vetting has already been completed. The RTPI will have ascertained the member’s educational and professional qualifications prior to conferring membership. Employers can rely on the accreditation.
Rely on your employees being update-to-date with emerging planning issues
The RTPI ensures its members engage in life-long learning by providing access to up-to- date information online, in The Planner and through training and networking events. Access to these services can reduce your training costs.
All RTPI members are required to complete 50 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) in every two-year period and to prepare a professional development plan which is refreshed annually. The RTPI randomly selects members to audit.
Commitment to ethical standards
Planning is a profession that operates in a highly political environment with many pressures on the participants. Employers can be confident that all Chartered Town Planners are subject to a code of conduct. The RTPI will investigate complaints about the conduct of its members; its role as an independent watchdog means that employers can assure their constituents and clients that they can expect the highest standard.
The benefits
We have a comprehensive list of our extensive benefits you can view here.
