Rhetoric - polictical planning advisors

Enter the go-between

Developers must know the lay of the local political land before they go ahead. And third-party specialists have what they need.
By Helen Osbourne.

Want to know how not to schmooze politicians? Observe Australian shopping mall owner Westfield's involvement with Lord Levy.

Critics questioned the methods that Westfield used to press for the expansion of its seven shopping centres in the UK after it emerged that the firm had reportedly paid Lord Levy Ł250,000.

The payment to Tony Blair's personal envoy left the developer's image besmirched.

In the past, developers have focused their attentions on planning departments, but local and national politics are becoming a key part of the planning process.

Large corporates are keen that the public sees them as untarnished, with no political leanings. The need for distance from politicians has led to the increasing involvement of third parties as go-betweens.

Nick Booth, who recently launched Leeds and Newcastle-based political advisory service Rhetoric, says there is more to planning than submitting an application.

"With increasing devolution of power to local authorities, there is more and more interface with politicians, with decisions being made at a local level," he says.

Booth adds that he does not believe that political influence is the most important factor in obtaining consent, but that it is of growing significance. He thinks there is a greater awareness of political interfacing with business, whether we like it or not.

Cover the political angle
"Businesses like to be seen to be politically correct and clean, so they are using third parties. It is more a question of getting the political angle covered."

Rhetoric will carry out a discreet political audit of all relevant political bodies, from local authorities to government offices or even the government department, for its clients.

This audit would describe key politicians and their agendas. For example, it would be valuable to know that councillor is also a green advocate, or that the council is split on certain issues. This ensures that the clients are aware of the politics and issues, that the application is presented more sensitively, and that delays and costs of appeal are avoided.

Jenny Marshall of corporate and B2B communications organisation Camargue, which also undertakes political research on behalf of its clients, says: "We look at such aspects as the structure of councils, residents' groups, and the history of the council. So, if it was a supermarket application, we'd look at what had happened with similar applications in the past, we'd look at pressure points, such as whether the application is in a marginal ward, or if there are elections coming up."

Marshall says that research involves desk and phone work, speaking to contacts and understanding the planning environment.

A team of people experienced in research will do anything from looking at past history to speaking to interest groups and councillors, before piecing all this information together.

An audit will investigate council members' backgrounds and views on issues from architecture to retail development. Does a certain councillor belong to a residents' group or a green organisation, for example?

The audit may look at residents' groups and determine where there is potential for one. There is no standard format to Camargue's research because local authorities vary widely. Those in central London tend to be relaxed about meeting developers: other authorities are not always so accommodating.

Follow the Nolan report's protocol
Advisory services have to be very careful to work to the protocol of the *Nolan Report, although, again it depends on the authority. Marshall says: "Sometimes you can't even have a cup of tea with a councillor. You have to be careful. Political appraisals are worth their weight in gold."

With the Planning Green Paper's emphasis on community relations, political advisers are integrating this into their work.

Booth says: "Community involvement comes up again and again. Devolution is giving people a voice. A large scheme will need to address the community's concerns. This may mean sitting in a village hall listening to viewpoints, which Rhetoric will undertake on behalf of clients."

Booth believes that providing intelligence on what local people want is important. Issues that could benefit from his services, he suggests, are waste management, retail food stores, oil exploration and mobile telecoms.

"Developers sometimes make judgments on what's required, but have been known to make mistakes. But we're not here to solve social or political problems," he adds.

Booth says the response from planning consultants has been positive. They see his service as a way to strengthen the project team. For Booth, it is important to avoid treading on their toes.

Marshall says: "We work with planning consultants, devising a strategy that won't upset officers but that satisfies the client."

A for-hire political operative
How exactly does chartered surveyor Nick Booth obtain crucial information about the local political landscape for his clients? He likes to keep that information under his hat.

"We have people who work for us, some of whom have journalistic backgrounds," he says. "A report will give a breakdown on electoral history as well as focus on the movers and shakers, and seek to identify people and the agendas to which they operate."

Booth is quick to dispel any idea that there could be something suspect about his methods, saying it is a question of straightforward research. "Part of our value and benefit is in our mystique," he says. "There is nothing underhand about our methods. Lobbying is often seen as a dirty word but we are providing a clean, politically correct product."

From the York area originally, Booth returned from a 15-year stint in London in the commercial property market to spend the past five years running his own property development management company, Westerdale Properties. It was through his experience with the planning system and an overriding interest in politics and current affairs that he set up political advisory service Rhetoric.

He says: "I don't pretend to be a Mr Fix-it, but my work can open doors."

Concentrating on the North East, Booth hopes that his service will help businesses to break into this sometimes parochial region.

* Restoring clarity
The Nolan Report on Standards in Public Life recommends a complete ban on lobbying companies employing MPs. The committee described the aim of the report as the rebuilding of public confidence in the holders of public office and restoring "some clarity and direction wherever moral uncertainty has crept in. In so far as a culture of moral vagueness, a 'culture of sleaze' has developed, we seek to put an end to it. A degree of austerity of respect for the traditions of upright behaviour in British public life, is not only desirable but essential."

RHETORIC Political Planning Advisors Limited provides political consultancy advice to business and specialises in planning applications. Nick Booth can be contacted on
+44 (0) 113 209 5770.

02/05/02 - Estate Gazette (April 2002)