A particular focus of the work of Peter Thorpe Consulting is on providing guidance on IT and GIS for Planners, Local Authority Planning Departments and Planning Practices. Why consider 'Planner-to-Planner' support from the Consultancy?
Planners more than ever before, are under pressure to perform and to provide services of demonstrable quality in an increasingly competitive environment. Working within information intensive organisations, they rely heavily on knowledge of their 'patch' - on past decisions, on current issues, on trends over time, on community views and aspirations. As a profession which could not exist without maps, much of the information used by Planning relates to 'spatial locations'. Information Technology, including Geographic Information Systems, will have a vital part to play in ensuring that information can be efficiently accessed and utilised to support the evolution of the business so that it is fit for the 21st Century.
Within most Planning organisations, IT has already become an integral part of its working practices. But often this has been achieved at a cost - of trial and error; of diverting professional staff from Planning activities; and of building up a legacy of computer systems which 'lock up' data through lack of standard definitions, and their inability in many cases to communicate. With the concluding of the Service Level Agreement with Ordnance Survey, GIS has now come of age, and many Planning Departments are currently involved in departmental or corporate implementations. But again, the way forward has to be properly planned and decisions taken which not only meet requirements but keep future options open, if the organisation is to avoid going down expensive blind alleys.
Support from Peter Thorpe Consulting can be used to complement the skills within the organisation, and to ensure that the potential benefits from IT are gained in an efficient and streamlined manner, but without the headaches. Because the Consultancy is led by a Chartered Town Planner, this means that the client is guided by someone who not only 'speaks their language' but is well placed to advise on how IT can be introduced. Peter Thorpe is an active member of the RTPI's IT and GIS Panel, and the lead author of its 'GIS - A Planner's Introductory Guide'. He has spoken on behalf of the Panel at Summer School, Conference and Branch Meetings.
A flexible mix of services will be put together to meet the needs of the individual client. Typically these services may include:
Contact us for further information, and a printed copy of our Information
Pack.
E-mail to Peter Thorpe
at peter@ptcon.co.uk or telephone 01926 852799.
