The key task of the Working Groups is to formulate issue-specific strategies and action plans. To do this, the working groups first clarify the issues raised at the City Consultation. Different aspects of the issues are systematically explored, and consensus built on understanding the issues. Following this, the Working Groups formulate issue-specific strategies through a four-step process: - Defining goals and objectives
- Assessing and negotiating strategy options
- Considering resource availability and implementation possibilities
- Agreeing on strategies and mobilising support.
Since the stakeholders themselves conduct the whole process, there is often a reasonable degree of consensus on the strategy options. Once the strategy options are clear, they need to be translated into concrete programmes for implementation. This is the action planning process. In an SCP project, this includes the following steps: - Elaborate alternative courses of action
- Prepare brief on agreed course of action
- Determine the tasks and actors involved
- Determine required resources
- Identify gaps and weaknesses
- Reconfirm commitments
- Agree on a coordination mechanism
- Agree on indicators and monitoring mechanisms
This whole process of formulating issue-specific strategies and action plans is the ‘heart’ of the SCP process. The success of the SCP project will depend on the ability of the Working Groups to properly formulate strategies and convert them to action plans that lead to real implementation. Strategy for improved urban mobility in Bayamo, Cuba Although 80% of public transport was carried out by horse-cart, the service was not extended to the northern part of Bayamo where 60% of the poor lived. This issue was strongly debated through the Working Group, and a strategy was prepared to extend the service to all parts of the city. Long negotiations involving all the various stakeholders finally resulted in a consensus on how the service would be improved, including identification of new routes and stations. |
Download: SCP Source Book Series, Volume 4: Formulating Issue Specific Strategies and Action Plans
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