This time I delivered a 12-hour training course on municipal development strategies for the Silesian Association of Municipalities and Counties. The participants were directors, department heads, and managers from more than a dozen municipal offices in Silesian cities, responsible for preparing these strategies and for spatial planning – professionals in their fields! Since there are many regulations concerning municipal strategies, and their preparation is closely linked to the ongoing spatial planning reform, the topic is very timely, so I covered a wide range of issues. For example:

– how the strategy affects the general plan and local spatial development plans;

– how to properly prepare, in compliance with the law, a diagnosis of the municipality’s social, economic, spatial, and climate-environmental situation;

– how to formulate objectives, directions of action, expected results of planned actions, and indicators of their achievement;

– how to describe the strategy implementation system;

– what a good model of a municipality’s functional and spatial structure is, as well as the findings and recommendations for the municipality’s spatial policy;

– when and how to define special needs in the area of new housing development and what this means for the general plan;

– how to conduct public consultations properly;

– what the regional board’s opinion-giving process on the strategy involves;

– how to agree on waiving the strategic environmental impact assessment;

– how to properly carry out and document the evaluation of the draft strategy;

… and many others.

My sincere thanks to Mr. Witold Magrys, Director of the Association’s Office, and Mr. Przemek Antkowiak, Specialist, for entrusting me with this task, providing excellent conditions for its delivery, and for the outstanding organization. I also thank all participants for two great days of strategic work together!