Local Government Town Planning Workforce Strategy and Action Plan

Councils are struggling with persistent vacancies, skills shortages and increasing retention challenges. Without strategic intervention these workforce challenges will significantly impact on the delivery of planning services and pose a risk to the successful reform of the sector.

The sector must invest in workforce planning, skills development and talent pipelines by strengthening action on data quality and insight, accessible and future-focused training provision, and targeted recruitment and retention strategies that reflect the evolving demands of the planning profession.

Purpose, Scope, Ownership, Methodology

Purpose

This strategic workforce plan has been developed to open constructive conversations with key stakeholders about the workforce challenges facing Town Planning services. By fostering collaboration between the Local Government Association, councils, professional bodies and education providers the plan aims to build a shared understanding of both current pressures and future workforce needs.

It also provides a practical framework to support local government employers in attracting, retaining and developing talent. It will be a team effort to deliver it. 

For current employees and those considering a career in local government, it gives an insight into our priorities and demonstrates our commitment to addressing strategic workforce issues.

Scope

This workforce strategy focuses on the planning profession within the local government sector, addressing strategic workforce challenges and opportunities to ensure a sustainable, skilled and adaptable workforce. It covers current workforce demographics, supply and demand factors, the impact of policy and other changes on future skills needs, as well as identifying gaps in the information and data available. 

Ownership

This strategy and action plan is a collaborative effort led by the Local Government Association (LGA) in partnership with councils and key stakeholders. The strategy and action plan provide a national perspective (England) and is also offered as an adaptable resource for councils to tailor to their strategic workforce planning needs. 

The National Local Government Workforce Planning Network serves as the primary platform for consultation, knowledge-sharing and ongoing engagement on workforce planning matters, ensuring continued collaboration and responsiveness to emerging challenges and opportunities.

In addition, the establishment of the new Planning Alliance marks a significant step forward in promoting sector-wide collaboration. By bringing together representatives from local government, professional bodies, educational institutions and the private sector, the Alliance seeks to coordinate efforts, share best practice and develop innovative solutions to workforce challenges across Town Planning services. Its role is to foster a unified approach, ensuring that the sector benefits from collective expertise and advocacy, ultimately strengthening the workforce and supporting the delivery of high-quality planning services nationwide.

Effective delivery of this strategy depends on joined up working between the Local Government Association (LGA), the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), education providers, and local councils. Strong partnerships among these organisations are crucial to aligning workforce initiatives, sharing intelligence on emerging trends, and ensuring that education and professional development pathways are fit for purpose. By breaking down silos and promoting regular dialogue, all parties can collectively address skills shortages and adapt to rapidly changing sector requirements. Such collaboration will be vital to develop a robust pipeline of talent, drive innovation, and maintain high standards across Town Planning services.

Methodology

This plan was developed through a collaborative process, shaped with and for the sector, to ensure it reflects the real-world challenges faced by local government.

Sources of primary data included the Local Government Association (LGA) workforce survey, as well as specific workforce capacity reports where available for the identified critical shortage areas. This data provided insights into the strengths, gaps and emerging trends within the workforce, laying the foundation for a targeted approach.

Secondary information and data arising out of a series of Town Planning Skills Partnership Hub sessions was analysed, and sector expertise was further engaged in a series of consultation and feedback workshops on the draft strategies.

Strategic context and vision for the local government planning workforce

Vision for the local government planning profession

Workforce vision:

To establish a Planning profession within local government that is characterised by impartiality, knowledge, and professionalism, committed to sustainability, and being trustworthy, ethical, diplomatic, and honest in all endeavours. 

Core principles:

• Impartiality: Ensuring unbiased and equitable decision-making that serves the community's best interests.
• Knowledge: Leveraging deep expertise and continuous learning to provide informed and effective planning solutions.
• Professionalism: Demonstrating exceptional competence, reliability, and respect in all planning activities.
• Sustainability: Prioritising sustainable development practices that protect the environment and promote long-term community well-being.
• Trustworthiness: Building and maintaining trust through transparent and reliable planning practices.
• Ethical standards: Adhering to a strict code of ethics that guides all planning activities.
• Diplomacy: Navigating complex situations with tact and sensitivity, ensuring all voices are heard and respected.
• Honesty: Committing to truthfulness and transparency in all communications and actions.

Desired workforce outcomes: 

• Sustainable entry points and development opportunities: Establishing robust entry points and development opportunities to attract and nurture new talent within the profession.
• Clear and well thought out work projects: Developing projects that accurately represent and serve the community, ensuring they are well-planned and executed.
• Clear career pathways: Providing clear and innovative career pathways to support professional growth and development.
• Embracing new technology: Utilising new technologies to deliver high-quality planning outcomes, improving efficiency and effectiveness in serving the community.
• Well-resourced and highly skilled profession: Ensuring the planning profession is well-resourced and staffed with highly skilled professionals.
• Digital records: Maintaining all records digitally to enhance accessibility and transparency.
• Meeting community needs: Delivering enough homes and jobs to meet the community’s needs while protecting the environment.
• Skilled officers: Empowering officers to focus on genuine planning matters, enhancing the quality of planning services.
• Better public access to data: Improved public access to planning data will enable more self-service options for the community.
• Improved environmental protections: Enhancing environmental protections to ensure sustainable growth and development.
• Sustainable growth: Promoting sustainable and beneficial growth for the community and the environment.

By embedding these principles and striving for these outcomes, we aim to create a Planning profession within local government that meets and exceeds the expectations of the communities we serve. 

Composition of the local government planning workforce 

• It was estimated that there were approximately 22,000 planning professionals in the UK (18,100 in England, 1500 in Wales, 1600 in Scotland, 800 in Northern Ireland) of which approximately 10,000 were employed in the public sector (RTPI data, 2023).

Age

• 32per cent of planners were over 50 indicating a wave of retirements and potential loss of expertise over the next 10-15 years.
• 16 per cent were under 30 highlighting a potential shortage of early-career professionals.
• The largest concentration of professionals was in the 40-49 age group suggesting valuable experience and knowledge may be at risk as this group seeks progression opportunities. Without structured career pathways they may seek employment elsewhere and cannot be easily replaced. Continuous upskilling will be required for professionals to stay relevant. 

Diversity

• Specific statistics on diversity within local government town planning services are not readily available. Broader data on diversity of Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) members, of which 48 per cent are employed in the local government sector, indicate that 40 per cent of planners are women with stronger representation in younger cohorts indicating an improving gender balance in the ‘talent pool’.
• 5 per cent of planners were from underrepresented ethnic groups, which is low compared to the general population (18 per cent) and local government as a whole (10 per cent).

Workforce mobility – vacancies, recruitment and retention

Vacancies

• Whilst the sector currently lacks a dedicated capacity report, however, insights from the Town Planning Skills Partnership Hub participants, LGA and PAS research suggest that the Senior/Principal Planning Officer role is both the most common vacancy and the hardest position to fill.

Agency use

• Data on agency expenditure was not available. However, workforce capacity work conducted by the LGA on behalf of Essex councils, identified spending by some district councils more than £1 million.
• The MHCLG Local Authority Planning Capacity and Skills Survey 2023, reported that in the short term, problems with skills gaps were addressed by outsourcing and the use of agency staff (60 per cent). Improved data on agency use would provide further actionable insights into capacity and capability gaps.

Recruitment

• Approximately 10 per cent of planning posts remain unfilled in the long term. Additionally, 91 per cent of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) reported difficulties in recruiting planners. 

Retention

• According to the MHCLG survey, 72 per cent of respondents from county, district, and single-tier councils reported difficulties retaining planning officers. These finding highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining a stable planning workforce.
• Salary disparities were identified as the leading cause of departures from local government, with limited career progression opportunities and high caseloads leading to burnout as additional contributing factors.
• A post-pandemic shift in attitudes towards risk has made agency, contract and private sector roles more attractive compared to permanent positions in the public sector.
• While remote working has enhanced flexibility, it has weakened the "family feel" workplace culture that was once considered a strength of local government workplaces.

Skills

• One-third of councils highlighted a shortage of appropriately skilled staff, pointing to gaps in specialist technical expertise as well as management and leadership capabilities. Furthermore, 89 per cent of councils expressed concern about the senior role pipeline over the next 3–5 years, emphasising the need for effective succession planning.
• The MHCLG survey identified the top six skills gaps as:
  • ecology and biodiversity (72 per cent)
  • master-planning and design codes (62 per cent)
  • Urban design and architecture (54 per cent)
  • CIL, S106 and viability assessment (49 per cent)
  • digital planning – data, innovation and tools (47 per cent)
  • energy and climate change (45 per cent).
• Budget constraints have hindered continuous professional development (CPD) and learning opportunities, limiting skill development and career progression. The payment of professional fees was a barrier to maintaining RTPI qualifications.

Composition of the external market and talent pool

• The RTPI divides the planning profession into three key groups: public sector planners working in local authority planning departments, private sector planners employed by consultancies and self-employed planners, often working as independent consultants.
• The RTPI State of the Profession report found that over the last 15 years the proportion of planners working in the public sector has fallen from over 70 per cent to under 50 per cent. Between 2013 and 2020, 25 per cent of planners left public sector employment.
• PAS research found that salary difference was cited most often as the primary motivation for leaving local government employment. Workforce capacity work conducted by the LGA on behalf of Essex councils, found that pay was not in the top five reasons for attraction to work for a council.
• The difference in motivation for joining versus leaving, implies a need for a wider range of tailored retention strategies.

Supply of planning professionals 

• Currently, twenty institutions in England offer RTPI-accredited programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including one distance learning consortium.
• Two apprenticeship routes are available: the Level 4 apprenticeship, currently delivered by a single provider, and a Level 7 apprenticeship leading to Chartered status, which is offered at ten universities.

Apprenticeships

• LGA research found that apprenticeship starts in local government have stayed at the same level for three years running. Nearly half of councils that did not currently have apprentices, had never employed them.
• Further LGA research reported on common barriers to appointing apprentices. They included the lack of time to mentor apprentices or to release/provide time away from work. Higher level apprenticeship programmes were cited as particularly difficult to undertake due to workloads.
• Existing, experienced staff did not wish to undertake an apprenticeship to either re-skill or up-skill.
• There is a lack of apprenticeship providers in the North of England, particularly for levels 4 and 6 pathways. A lack of local availability means unrealistic travel distances, whilst a lack of foundation apprenticeships hinders ‘grow our own’ solutions.
• Feedback from sector partners highlights the significant impact of the withdrawal of Level 7 RTPI apprenticeship funding, particularly for councils in the North of England. There is a pressing need to develop alternative accredited pathways in collaboration with local universities, colleges, and the RTPI. The financial viability of non-L7 apprenticeships remains a concern, and sector-wide advocacy is required to ensure sustainable talent pipelines.
• The sector is concerned about the financial viability of non-L7 apprenticeships and the need for advocacy.
• Councils participating in the Town Planning Skills Partnership Hub reported accessing a diverse range of apprenticeships, including Level 4 Town Planning, Business Administrator, Research Scientist, Countryside Worker and Senior Leader programmes.

• Providing a broad overview, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report explores how major global trends are reshaping jobs and skills and outlines the workforce transformation strategies employers intend to pursue between 2025 and 2030.

General future workforce trends

• Broadening digital access is expected to be the most transformative trend driving both the fastest-growing and fastest-declining roles, and fuelling demand for technology related skills, including AI and big data, networks and cyber resilience, and technological literacy, which are anticipated to be the top three fastest growing skills.
• Economic conditions, including slow growth and the increase in the cost of living, is ranked as the second trend, which is expected to increase the demand for creative thinking and resilience, flexibility, and agility skills.
• The third trend is climate change mitigation driving roles such as renewable energy and environmental engineers, as well as an increased focus on environmental stewardship.

Jobs and skills implications

• Regarding skills, workers can expect that two-fifths (30 per cent) of their existing skill sets will be transformed or become outdated over the 2025-2030 period.
• Analytical thinking remains the most sought-after core skill among employers, followed by resilience, flexibility and agility, leadership and social influence skills.
• Skills gaps are widely regarded as the greatest barrier to business transformation, and the scale of workforce upskilling and reskilling required in response is expected to be substantial.

Workforce challenges and mitigation

• With just over half of employers (52 per cent) anticipating allocating a greater share of their revenue to wages, pay competitiveness will remain a significant challenge for local government employers. The identification and implementation of effective recruitment and retention initiatives and incentives continue to represent critical strategic priorities for the sector.
• The majority (85 per cent) of employers surveyed plan to prioritise upskilling their workforce, with 70 per cent of employers expecting to hire staff with new skills and 50 per cent planning to transition staff from declining to growing roles. Strategies to expand talent availability by tapping into diverse talent pools and the adoption of diversity, inclusion and equality initiatives are set to continue to rise.
• Supporting employee health and well-being is expected to be a key focus for talent attraction alongside effective reskilling and upskilling initiatives, improving talent progression, and creating promotion opportunities.

Future skills needs for the planning workforce

• Detailed information has been developed through work undertaken with the sector by both PAS and the LGA. The PAS Skills Gap Analysis research identified a range of critical skills and the LGA has facilitated work into future skills needs. These resources are available at Appendix A.
• In summary, the future planning workforce must develop a blend of specialist technical expertise and strong managerial and leadership capabilities.
• PAS research highlighted Development Management as the largest identified skill need. This was further refined to reveal it included multifaceted competencies such as urban design, sustainability, climate change considerations and the art of placemaking.
• In response to evolving sector requirements, there is a growing proposal to establish Level 6 degrees or apprenticeships as the standard entry route for RTPI membership. This approach aims to ensure a consistent baseline of professional knowledge and competence across the planning workforce, supporting the development of high-calibre professionals from the outset. For senior staff, Chartered RTPI status is increasingly being viewed as the benchmark for advanced roles, reflecting both technical expertise and leadership capability.
• Furthermore, the introduction of a fast-track route for progression is being strongly advocated, particularly to address the urgent need for accelerated development pathways for Principal and Senior Planning Officers. Such routes would enable talented individuals to advance more rapidly, ensuring that local authorities are better equipped with experienced leaders who can drive innovation and deliver on complex planning challenges. This focus on streamlined progression is essential for retaining talent and maintaining service resilience in a highly competitive market.
• The impact of the RK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (MIS) is reshaping the landscape for town planners in local authorities by redefining the skills, knowledge and qualifications required to support its ambitious economic and spatial development goals. (A detailed summary can be found in Appendix B).

This section outlines the key gaps between the current local government planning workforce and the vision for its future. In collaboration with the Town Planning Skills Partnership Hub participants, the LGA conducted a detailed analysis of workforce challenges. 

Data

• Data-driven workforce planning is challenging due to limitations in data availability and quality, which hinder a comprehensive understanding of the current capacity and capability of the planning workforce and impacts on the effectiveness of strategic decision-making, particularly in relation to diversity and agency spending.

Service delivery

• Local government reorganisation – New structures and service delivery models may require employees to develop different skills. Reskilling and upskilling will be essential to align new strategic priorities with workforce capabilities and the vision for the planning workforce.
• Planning sector reforms – Growing skills gaps make it increasingly difficult to meet the demands for an improved planning service, especially as planning workloads continue to rise.
• Service transformation – the reshaping of service delivery through the adoption of AI and digital will necessitate the redesign of roles, and the evolution of skill sets to align with new ways of working.
• Shallow talent pool – The limited supply of planning graduates has intensified recruitment challenges, making it increasingly difficult to find qualified planners. This results in higher competition for talent, increased reliance on agency staff and skills gaps which impacts service delivery.
• Qualifications and training shortfall – The quality and availability of planning qualifications are not keeping pace with sector needs. Short courses and conversion programmes remain limited, geographical coverage restricts access and distance learning options are insufficient. Training must better align with both current and future skills demand.
• Policy and legislation changes – The MIS is explicitly place-based, emphasising the importance of regional strengths and local leadership in driving national economic growth.
• Skills shortages – Many local authorities are struggling with a shortage of qualified planners, particularly at senior and strategic levels, making it difficult to meet service demands. There are significant gaps in the identified future skills needed for the planning workforce that require addressing.
• Ageing workforce – A significant proportion of the local government planning workforce is approaching retirement creating succession planning challenges.
• Sharing resources – It is important to note that sharing resources between councils poses a significant challenge, as stretched capacity and competition for staff often limit the effectiveness of such arrangements. While exploring collaborative models, such as joint service delivery or shared professional networks, could provide potential benefits, current barriers including workforce shortages and regional disparities make these approaches difficult to implement in practice.

Recruitment

• Limited talent pool – Despite offering competitive salaries and benefits, attracting applicants remains difficult. Rural location and regional pay disparities create further challenges for smaller, rural councils.
• Competition with the private sector – Many local authorities struggle to retain staff after they become qualified as salaries in the private sector make some public sector roles less competitive.
• Development challenges – Workforce planning gaps make it difficult to implement effective succession planning and talent development strategies, hindering long-term workforce stability.
• Recruitment strategies – Traditional recruitment approaches are not yielding sufficient results. There is a need to improve headhunting efforts e.g. convert agency workers into permanent staff, enhance job advertising and develop more appealing, audience-specific benefits, particularly for younger talent, such as Gen Z.

Retention

Skills

• Gap in training provision – Limited availability of training providers and the lack of planning qualification options restricts opportunities to develop talent locally.
• Lack of entry-level and fast-track routes – There are insufficient entry-level and short courses for non-graduates or graduates from other disciplines to transition into the profession. Conversion pathways and fast-track programmes are underdeveloped.
• Gap in pre-employment pipeline – Engagement with schools is inconsistent, limiting efforts to inspire future planners. There is a lack of clarity about planning roles and career opportunities, reducing the profession’s appeal to young talent.
• Graduate pipeline challenges – Many graduates enter the workforce without the necessary competencies for planning roles. Skills mismatches between education and job requirements need to be addressed to ensure graduates are better prepared for changing planning roles.

Improve data

Strengthening workforce data collection will improve decision-making, diversity, and talent retention. 

• Improve diversity insights – Collect better data on race, disability, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity representation and socio-economic background to inform inclusive policies.
• Strengthen workforce planning – Address data gaps to enhance forecasting and evidence-based strategies.
• Track and build career pathways and retention – Gather data on long-term career trends with a focus on graduate retention.
• Monitor skills shortages – Use real-time data to identify gaps and engage training providers to align workforce development with sector needs.

Strategic workforce planning 

An effective coordinated approach will enhance workforce resilience, skills development and long-term workforce sustainability.

• Workforce analytics and benchmarking tools – Improve access to timely sector specific workforce data.
• Enable collaboration with key stakeholders – Facilitate work with regional employers, professional bodies and training providers to address workforce challenges and skills needs.
• Enhance horizon scanning – Anticipate emerging trends and assess their potential impact.
• Facilitate consortia and training partnerships – Promote practice examples and joint workforce development initiatives to strengthen talent pipelines.
• Identify and support innovation – Collaborate with and support trailblazers eager to pilot innovative solutions and drive change.
• Strategic Workforce Plan – Design and develop a strategic workforce plan to future-proof the local authority planning service.

Strengthen recruitment and early-career pathways

Expanding entry routes and improving outreach efforts will help to attract more talent. 

• Expand apprenticeships and widen entry routes – Work with RTPI, PAS and education providers to mitigate the loss of funded level 7 apprentice route, strengthen partnerships with universities to widen access, support development of foundation apprenticeship, improve accessibility of crossover/pathways from other disciplines/fast-track routes into planning.
• Enhance accessibility – Identify and partner with providers to pilot alternative distance learning qualification delivery models.
• Target underrepresented groups – Launch inclusive recruitment initiatives to widen the talent pool.
• Enhance career marketing – Promote local government planning careers, highlighting job impact and progression opportunities for career changers market.
• Increase outreach efforts – Support the development of targeted school, college and university engagement to inspire future planners.
• Collaboration with local universities/colleges and RTPI – Work with the local universities/colleges and RTPI to develop new accredited pathways.
• Increase outreach by partnering with schools and post-16 providers to deliver planning-themed workshops and integrate planning into relevant subjects. Collaborate with teachers to develop resources on planning’s community impact and work with career advisers to showcase varied entry routes into the profession.
• The LGA should coordinate national campaigns to promote planning careers, collaborating with RTPI, local authorities, and education partners. This involves advocating for planning in school curricula, supplying up-to-date resources, and supporting teacher development. Acting as a facilitator, the LGA can ensure consistent messaging, share best practice, and promote opportunities for young people to gain experience through placements or community projects.

Enhance retention

Clear career pathways and supportive workplace policies will improve staff retention and support council ‘grow your own’ schemes. 

• Career grade policy – Provide a model for structured progression for junior staff to the ceiling grade.
• Promote clear career pathways – Promote career pathways and advancement routes to support long-term growth.
• Encourage retention incentives – Advocate for CPD funding, professional fee reimbursement and age-friendly policies.
• Role redesign – Support role redesign work alongside digital and AI development, identify and share model job descriptions.
• Foster inclusive workplace cultures – Promote benefits of workplace environments where all employees feel valued and supported, and where well-being is a priority.
• Highlight public sector career benefits – Promote stability, community impact and career fulfilment in planning roles.

Strategic role of town planners in the industrial strategy

The MIS is explicitly place-based, emphasising the importance of regional strengths and local leadership in driving national economic growth. Local authorities are expected to:

• support the eight key growth sectors (IS-8), including Clean Energy, Digital Technologies, and Advanced Manufacturing
• develop and manage Industrial Strategy Zones, which require streamlined planning and investment facilitation
• deliver infrastructure and housing to support innovation clusters and investment zones.

This elevates the role of town planners from regulatory enforcers to strategic enablers of economic transformation.

Evolving skills and knowledge requirements

To meet these new demands, planners need to develop or enhance skills in:

• economic development and investment planning – understanding how spatial planning supports sectoral growth
• data literacy and digital planning tools – especially with the introduction of the National Data Library
• sustainability and net-zero planning – aligning with clean energy and green infrastructure goals
• cross-sector collaboration – working with stakeholders in transport, energy, housing, and business.

The RTPI has emphasised that planning must be integrated into the broader workforce and skills strategy, warning that current capacity shortfalls could undermine delivery 

Qualifications and workforce development

The government is investing in planning capacity through:

• reforms to post-16 education and skills, which may affect planning qualifications and apprenticeships
• advocacy from the RTPI to include planning in the five-year construction skills package, ensuring it is recognised as a critical profession.

However, concerns remain about the loss of planners due to changes in Level 7 apprenticeships, which could reduce the pipeline of qualified professionals. 

Implications for local authorities

Local authorities must:

• upskill existing staff to align with the MIS
• attract and retain talent in a competitive market
• engage in strategic planning that supports innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth.

A forward-looking summary of the future skill sets required for town planners in UK local authorities beyond 2028, aligned with the trajectory of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (MIS).

Future-Focused Job Description Summary (Post-2028)

Role Title: Strategic Town Planner – Innovation & Growth

Purpose

To lead spatial and economic planning initiatives that support innovation-led growth, sustainability, and inclusive development in alignment with the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

Future Skill Sets (2028 and Beyond)

Strategic economic insight

• Industrial strategy literacy: Deep understanding of sectoral priorities (e.g. clean energy, AI, biotech).
• Place-based economic planning: Ability to align spatial plans with local economic strengths and investment zones.

Digital and data proficiency

• Geospatial intelligence: Advanced use of GIS, digital twins, and 3D modelling.
• Data analytics: Competence in interpreting economic, environmental, and demographic data to inform planning.
• AI augmented planning tools: Familiarity with predictive modelling and scenario planning using AI.

Climate and sustainability leadership

• Net-zero urban design: Skills in carbon budgeting, green infrastructure, and climate-resilient planning.
• Circular Economy Integration: Planning for reuse, regeneration, and sustainable resource flows.

Collaborative governance

• Cross-sector partnership building: Working with tech, transport, housing, and education sectors.
• Community co-design: Engaging citizens in participatory planning using digital platforms.

Policy and regulatory agility

• Dynamic policy interpretation: Navigating evolving planning frameworks and industrial strategy updates.
• Regulatory innovation: Designing flexible zoning and planning mechanisms for fast-moving sectors.

Leadership and change canagement

• Strategic foresight: Anticipating long-term trends and aligning planning responses.
• Workforce development: Mentoring junior planners and contributing to skills pipelines.

Qualifications and training

• Chartered membership of the RTPI (or equivalent).
• Postgraduate specialisation in Smart Cities, Climate Planning, or Economic Development.
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in:
  • AI and digital tools for planning
  • climate adaptation and resilience
  • industrial strategy and economic geography.

A special thanks to the following councils which participated in the Town Planning Skills Partnership Hub Programme, the wider Talent Transformation Sessions, Planning Advisory Service and the consultation groups for their valuable contributions:

• Barnsley Council
• Calderdale Council
• Canterbury City Council
• City of Doncaster Council
• Hertsmere Borough Council
• Hyndburn Borough Council
• Knowsley Council
• London Borough of Barnet
• Mid Devon District Council
• North Yorkshire Council
• Oldham Council
• Plymouth Council
• Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
• South Kesteven District Council
• Southampton City Council
• Surrey County Council
• Swansea Council
• Wealden District Council
• Wirral Council