Conrad Jameson Associates Limited

Regional Studies. Vol. 7, pp. 237-238. Pergamon Press 1973. Printed in Great Britain. Regional Studies Association RSA News and Views Brief contributions--news, views and conference reports-- are invited from members and subscribers. Copy should be sent to the Organizing Secretary, Regional Studies Association. Northern Branch Conference-- Planning and Management in the New Local Autkoritie.¢ The Cup Final notwithstanding, 65 people attended the Conference and audience participation, particularly fronl the many local councillors present, was cncouragmgly high. Chairman for the day, Peter Kershaw (Programme Planning Unit--Sunderland), opened by declaring a partiality for the type of conference which ends with "blood on the walls". Accordingly, he laid into a number of recent developments in the field of local governmeut; notably the Baines Report, "a narrow document", and the Urban Guideline Papers which, though still unavailable to the public, were "not worth the paper they are written on". The first speaker, Mr. J. D. Hender (Chief Executive-- City of Coventry) took a broad look at both the immediate problems and the long term opportunities presented by re- organisation. He warned against the inherent danger of authorities becoming over--concerned about internal divi- sions of responsibility at the expense of the "clientele" whose needs and aspirations remained the raison d'&re of the new structures, despite the upheaval. He also stressed the need to break down inter-departmental barriers. No urban problems fell neatly within the responsibility of any one department, and it was in the formation of special inter-departmental groups to tackle specific problem or programme" areas rather than simple representative con> mittees that the basis of real corporate management lay. In general Mr. Hender expressed optimism that in the long term the new structure offered opportunities that would be seized. Sounding a note of caution, however, he cited the recent White Paper "Widening the Choice--The Next Steps in Housing". There was still no indication that the government had "passed beyond the old fashioned concept that all you need to cure the housing problem is some land and money with which to put up houses". There remained little recognition of the role of supportive services such as education, health and transportation. "Is it too much to hope," Mr. Hender concluded, "that while local govern- ment reorganizes, central government will reform?" Dr. B. Wagle (I.B.M., Peterlee) spoke on the development of a financial model for local government. Itself the product of a corporate exercise, the modal was devdoped jointly with Teesside C.B.C., and a corporate approach by the authority is a precondition to its efficient use. Mr. J. B. Woodham (Borough TreasurerITeesside C.B.C.) examined in some depth the role of finance within a corporate planning context. He drew attention to the increasingly utilized concept of the organization matrix which aids recognition of both the vertical and horizontal relationships holding within the overall administrative structure of local authorities. Mr. Tony Eddison (Inlogov) wound up the day in lively style. He enumerated a number of points he considered pre- 237 conditions for good and effective corporate planning. Of primary importance was total commitment to the idea itself by both officers and councillors. No authority could expect total commitment when the membership of Chief Officer Groups was limited by outdated concepts of departmental importance. A second point stressed by Mr. Eddison was that despite new tcchniqucs and break- throughs in the planning and manage,nent process the eventual solutions on the ground still manifested themselves in the same old way. It was at the point of contact with the °'client" that a local authority succeeded or failed: all ncw developments should be regardcd m the light of this all- important truth. He then rounded on central government with strong words about their "attitude and ignoral)cc" towards the operations of local government, if at the end of the day there was any "blood on the walls" the conference was left in no doubt as to its source. Conference papers are available, and cnquirics should bc sent to the Secretary, Northern branch. Jo~ SHaH ,s

The Importance for Planners of Behavionr A series of five seminars was held in March and April to discuss the value of behavioural studies to planners. The general premise was that understanding the behaviour of people and firms was essential for the planner when dealing with the development of urban and rural areas both in situations where he could influence that behaviour and m those where he could only take account of it.... David Walton, of Freeman Fox and Associates, criticized many of the current approaches to transport planning in that they were based too much on existing behaviour and its assumed continuation, while at the same time they ignored the nmre subtle influences on decisions concerned with mode and distance, decisions which could be made frequently. He called for more emphasis in research on the relevance of sociological and participatory techniques, but regarded as more important the testing of new policies. This recommendation led in directly to the call made by Conrad Jameson, of Conrad Jameson Associates, for"instru- mental research". He said that too much social research was purely descriptive of existing behaviour and that this needed to be amplified by research which helped the plan- ner to be an active policy formulator. This research would be akin to market research in that it would show the likely effects of untried policies as well as demonstrating how behaviour could be altered in certain directions. He criticized the planner for pretending to be a neutral in the urban situation and for failing to call for this sort of research. Finally Trevor MacMurray, of McKinseys Ltd., discussed participation and pointed out that this meant not only people participating in the planning process but also plan- ners participating in the urban process. To do this satis- factorily the planner needed an understanding of the behaviour that made up that process. Such understanding could fivt be obtained from most of the exercises that passed for participation at present. The seminars taken together showed the need for plan- ners not only to spend more time and effort on researching and studying existing patterns of behavio~r but also to accept that they are changing the pattern of the environ- ment and hence that they need instrumental research to show them how behaviour would change as a result. If the planner is to maintain his activist role in improving things he should have the humility to find out how first.^[1]

Publications

Title: A social research inquiry into the specification of old age homes

Subtitle: preliminary findings.

Corporate Author: (Prepared for) Cheshire County Council (by) Conrad Jameson Associates Ltd

Publisher: Conrad Jameson Associates Ltd, London, 1972

Pagination: 42pp

Year of Publication: 1972

Accession Number: CPA-930813135

More interesting is perhaps this paper in the Clive Jenkins papers, Warwick University archives

MSS.79/6/CJ/1/9 Miscellaneous. Includes report on Labour Party membership by Conrad Jameson Associates (1968), draft and unreferenced submissions of evidence, statistics for Finance Panel report, letter to Political Education Panel from David Owen, MP, regarding interim report. 1968 December - 1980 June

Curran, J. 1968　Marketing Study of Financial Times Readership: Final Report. London: Conrad Jameson Associates.[2]

Preliminary research report (mimeo), Conrad Jameson Associates; Economist Intelligence Unit (1966). The National Newspaper Industry: A Survey, EIU , London.[3]

Notes

1. ^ Tony Shoults, 'The Importance for Planners of Behaviour' South East Branch Seminar, Spring 1973, Regional Studies. Vol. 7, pp. 237-238. Pergamon Press 1973. Printed in Great Britain.