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9.2 Policy Actions and Recommendations
The exploration of the future through the identification of driving forces of change and the
development of alternative future scenarios serves one aim – to understand what the future
may bring and better prepare for it today. In order to do this, a range of policy themes and
actions agendas were identified. These enable decision-makers to exploit positive opportunities
and prepare for the threats that the future may bring.
Five policy themes emerged during the early stages of the project. These include:
1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2. GOVERNANCE
3. PEOPLE AND QUALITY OF LIFE
4. BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
5. CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
The feedback from the gateways workshops, and the analysis of the material gathered from
workshops, the futures surveys and strategic conversations, overwhelmingly point to
GOVERNANCE as the key area of concern for the way forward. Governance embraces a
number of various issues. The main problems detected in the current governance system by the
project participants relate to the following.
A deficiency in the balance of powers between central, regional and local tiers.
The lack of regional government structures with executive powers and adequate levels of
funding to implement strategic policy and tactical decisions.
Inefficient competition between City and County authorities due to ineffective and
inappropriate boundaries.
No democratic representation at the regional level.
Little cohesion or coherence between planning and politics, especially in the long-term
context.
Poor processes and practices regarding effective and meaningful citizen participation in
planning for the future.
Widespread lack of vision and leadership in setting the future direction.
Throughout the project, an extensive list of ‘action agendas’ that should be implemented within
each policy themes was identified. Five of the most significant have been selected and are
listed in the Table 7 below.
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