As each local authority approaches community planning in a slightly different way plans will be different in each local authority area. Every local authority will have a community plan and a community learning plan and many will have cultural strategies and tourism strategies. A good starting point is to find out what plans already exist. This information is usually available on the local authority website.
When you know what plans exist consider how your own plans for the future might gain added advantage from being linked to a wider agenda. Museums, through the range of services they provide contribute to a wide range of local services, for example tourism initiatives, education provision, promotion of health and well-being and community involvement.
Working with other heritage and cultural partners at a local level can help to make the case for heritage as it may be difficult for one organisation working in isolation to play a full role in local plans.
The new Act gives local authorities discretionary power to do anything they consider is likely to promote or improve the well-being of communities and museums clearly have an integral role in this.
