Dr. Peter Geraghty, who served as President of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) from 2013 to 2014, has been inaugurated as the President of the Planning Officers’ Society (POS), making him the first person to hold the presidency of both organisations.
In his inauguration speech in Lambeth, London, Dr. Geraghty, who is the Executive Director of Hertsmere Borough Council, emphasised the importance of public sector planning under the theme ‘Public Sector Matters’. He stated, “Urban planning is the art of city making. It is a profession for the optimist, for the ambitious, and for the public-spirited. I am proud to be a professional planner and to be part of a profession that has the public interest at the very core of what it does.”
With over thirty-five years of experience in planning and development across the public, private, and voluntary sectors, Dr. Geraghty has been actively involved in various aspects of the planning profession. He has served as a Trustee for the Town and Country Planning Association, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the RTPI in 2012, and Vice President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners from 2018 to 2020.
Dr. Geraghty expressed his proactive approach to promoting the planning profession and his belief in its ability to bring about positive change. He also highlighted his goal to make the planning profession more appealing to young people.
During his tenure as President of POS, Dr. Geraghty aims to collaborate with organisations such as the Royal Town Planning Institute, the Town and Country Planning Association, the UK Planning Schools, and the Young POS Network to advocate for planning, elevate the status of the profession, and inspire future generations to pursue careers as chartered town planners. "I want planning to be the go-to profession for young people," explained Peter. "During my year as POS president, I want to work with the Royal Town Planning Institute and like mined organisations to continue to make the case for the profession and demonstrate the power of planning and to inspire a future generation to become chartered town planners. It is an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling profession."
