A collaborative partnership approach to integrated waterside revitalisation : the experience of the Mersey Basin Campaign, north west of England

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The central aim of this thesis is to investigate how a collaborative partnership approach as presented in contemporary planning theories can be applied to, and improve, a process of integrated waterside revitalisation. The emergence of a new model of governance, bringing together governmental and non-governmental forces to achieve the policy goal, calls for a novel form of partnership driven by interdependence and networking between a range of actors. Although this approach is often described as ‘collaborative planning’, there is widespread acknowledgement that the ‘new’ practice has operational difficulties. Collaborative planning has raised issues about how common values can be forged and applied in a real-life context, especially in the face of political inequality.
This thesis draws on the results of a research project investigating a concrete example of collaborative partnerships, the Mersey Basin Campaign in the North West of England. The Campaign is a government-sponsored 25-year initiative that aims to improve water quality and the waterside environments of the Mersey Basin, a heavily urbanised area containing the two conurbations of Merseyside and Greater Manchester. In carrying out the study, six detailed case studies within the Campaign’s activities have been investigated; about 40 semi-structured interviews have been undertaken, and over 25 meetings and field works have been observed. The study investigated the establishment and operation of a particular collaborative partnership according to a four-stage life cycle of partnerships. By exploring the six cases of collaborative practice through the views of practitioners, the research has shown how collaborative efforts can be made in a real-life context.
The results showed that waterside sustainability issues were essential to tackling a river basin ecosystem management by creating a win-win strategy for wider stakeholders. The sustainability issue however, was not a top priority for all key stakeholders in deciding whether or not to put their money, time and efforts into the partnership. The research showed that funding availability is the best way to attract reluctant stakeholders, although partner organisations seemed not to be interested in implementing the tasks of the partnership once the initial excitement of funding availability had died away. There is, therefore, the partnerships need to develop an understanding of the collaborative approach among stakeholders and to change their attitudes towards a collaborative form of planning practice. Collaborative partnerships need different implementation processes to tackle different problems in the face of the complexity of waterside agendas; some planning processes require continuity of leadership, whilst others need bottom-up approaches. In this context, the study identified three key aspects of integrated waterside revitalisation; consensus building, facilitation, and open participation. It also developed a mechanism of collaborative partnership service delivery in coordinating a top-down approach and a bottom-up approach. The study has shown that the role of representatives linking their parent organisations to the partnership is fundamental for effective service delivery. It has been seen that once the representatives have shared ownership of the partnership, they act as a catalyst to stimulate and motivate action from their parent organisations.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS = iii
• ABSTRACT = iv
• TABLE OF CONTENTS = v
• Chapter One: Introduction = 1
• 1.1 Research Context = 2
• 1.2 Research Aim and Objectives = 4
• 1.3 Research Methodology = 5
• 1.3.1 Case Study as a Research Strategy = 5
• 1.3.2 Selecting the Case Study = 7
• 1.4 The Structure of the Thesis = 8
• Chapter Two: Governance Issues in Waterside Revitalisation = 11
• 2.1 Introduction = 12
• 2.2 Conceptualising Governance = 12
• 2.2.1 Characteristics of Governance = 13
• 2.2.2 Typology of Governance = 14
• INTERDEPENDENCE AND DIVERSITY = 14
• TYPES OF PLANNING STYLE = 15
• 2.2.3 Modes of Governance = 16
• HIERARCHIES = 17
• MARKETS = 18
• NETWORKS = 18
• 2.3 Governance in Waterside Revitalisation = 19
• 2.3.1 Changing Governance in Waterside Management = 19
• THE 1960s AND 1970s: HIERARCHIES = 20
• THE 1980s: MARKETS = 22
• THE 1990s: NETWORKS = 23
• 2.3.2 From Government towards Governance = 25
• 2.4 Implementing Waterside Revitalisation = 26
• 2.4.1 Principles for Waterside Revitalisation = 26
• THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH = 27
• PRINCIPLES FOR WATERSIDE REVITALISATION = 28
• 2.4.2 Institutional Arrangements for Waterside Revitalisation = 30
• STAKEHOLDERS IN WATERSIDE REVITALISATION = 30
• KEY ASPECTS FOR INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS = 32
• THE NEED FOR COLLABORATIVE PLANNING = 33
• 2.5 Conclusion = 34
• Chapter Three: Collaborative Planning and Partnership Instruments = 36
• 3.1 Introduction = 37
• 3.2 Collaborative Planning Theory = 37
• 3.2.1 Background to Collaborative Planning Theory = 37
• 3.2.2 The Concept of Collaborative Planning = 38
• DEFINITION OF COLLABORATIVE PLANNING = 38
• ADVANTAGES OF COLLABORATIVE PLANNING = 40
• LIMITATIONS OF COLLABORATIVE PLANNING = 41
• 3.2.3 Collaborative Planning in Practice = 43
• PRAGMATIC MOTIVATIONS TOWARDS COLLABORATIONS = 43
• IMPLEMENTING COLLABORATIVE PLANNING = 44
• OUTCOMES OF COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES = 46
• 3.3 Instrument for Collaborative Planning: Partnerships = 46
• 3.3.1 Partnerships towards Collaborative Planning = 47
• A DEFINITION OF PARTNERSHIP = 47
• THE RISE OF THE PARTNERSHIP APPROACH = 49
• PARTNERSHIP INSTRUMENTS FOR COLLABORATIVE PLANNING = 51
• 3.3.2 Conceptualising Partnerships = 53
• MODES OF GOVERNANCE = 53
• A TYPOLOGY OF PARTNERSHIPS = 54
• 3.3.3 A Life Cycle of Partnerships = 57
• PRE-PARTNERSHIP COLLABORATION = 58
• PARTNERSHIP CREATION AND CONSOLIDATION = 59
• PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME DELIVERY = 60
• PARTNERSHIP TERMINATION OR SUCCESSION = 60
• 3.4 Conclusion = 61
• Chapter Four: The Design of Institutional Arrangements for Integrated Waterside Revitalisation = 63
• 4.1 Introduction = 64
• 4.2 Engaging Collaborative Planning to Waterside Revitalisation = 65
• 4.2.1 Advantages in the Context of Waterside Revitalisation = 65
• 4.2.2 Limitations in the Context of Waterside Revitalisation = 66
• 4.3 Designing a Collaborative Partnership for Revitalising Watersides = 67
• 4.3.1 Pre-partnership Collaboration = 67
• BUILDING COMMON PURPOSE = 67
• IDENTIFYING KEY STAKEHOLDERS = 68
• 4.3.2 Collaborative Partnership Creation and Consolidation = 68
• DESIGNING A FACILITATING BODY = 68
• INVOLVING FORMAL MEMBERSHIPS = 70
• INVOLVING INFORMAL MEMBERS = 72
• ESTABLISHING VISIONS AND OBJECTIVES = 76
• 4.3.3 Collaborative Partnership Programme Delivery = 76
• MANAGING COLLABORATIVE ARENAS = 76
• KEY ASPECTS OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS = 77
• CONSENSUS BUILDING = 82
• FACILITATION = 84
• OPEN PARTICIPATION = 86
• 4.3.4 Collaborative Partnership Termination or Succession = 87
• 4.4 Conclusion = 87
• Chapter Five: Case Study: The Mersey Basin Campaign = 89
• 5.1 INTRODUCTION = 90
• 5.2 CASE STUDY METHODOLOGY = 90
• 5.2.1 Research Methodology = 90
• 5.2.2 Selection of the Case Study = 93
• THE MERSEY BASIN CAMPAIGN AS THE CASE STUDY = 93
• SIX CASE STUDIES FOR SERVICE DELIVERY PRACTICE = 95
• 5.3 Background to the Mersey Basin Campaign = 98
• 5.3.1 The Mersey Basin = 98
• BIOLOGICAL ISSUES OF THE MERSEY BASIN = 98
• ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ISSUES OF THE MERSEY BASIN = 99
• 5.3.2 The Idea of the Mersey Basin Campaign = 100
• 5.4 The Mersey Basin Campaign = 101
• 5.4.1 The Objectives of the Mersey Basin Campaign = 102
• 5.4.2 Organisational Structure of the Mersey Basin Campaign = 103
• THE MERSEY BASIN CAMPAIGN CENTRE: FACILITATING BODY = 103
• RIVER VALLEY INITATIVES = 107
• GEOGRAPHICALLY-TIERED APPROACH = 109
• 5.4.3 Scope of Action in the Mersey Basin Campaign = 110
• WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT = 110
• LANDWARD REGENERATION = 113
• LOCAL STEWARDSHIP = 114
• 5.5 Conclusion = 114
• Chapter Six: Institutional Arrangements of The Mersey Basin Campaign = 116
• 6.1 Introduction = 117
• 6.2 Pre-partnership Collaboration Stage = 117
• 6.2.1 Building common purpose = 118
• 6.2.2 Identifying Key Stakeholders = 119
• 6.3 Partnership Creation and Consolidation = 120
• 6.3.1 Designing Facilitating Bodies: Flexibility = 121
• 6.3.2 Attracting Formal Members of the Campaign = 123
• DIRECT HOOKS TO ATTRACT STAKEHOLDERS: RESOURCES = 123
• INDIRECT HOOKS TO ATTRACT STAKEHOLDERS: ADDED VALUE = 125
• 6.3.3 Attracting Informal Members of the Campaign = 127
• INFORMAL MEMBERSHIPS: MEMBERS OF THE MERSEY BASIN TRUST = 127
• ATTRACTING INFORMAL MEMBERS = 128
• 6.4 Partnership Programme Delivery Stage = 132
• 6.4.1 Network-oriented Service Delivery = 132
• 6.4.2 Outcomes of the Collaborative Approach = 136
• EFFECTIVENESS TO WHOM? = 137
• LINKING WATER QUALITY TO ECONOMIC REGENERATION = 138
• ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION = 140
• 6.5 Partnership Termination or Succession Stage = 143
• 6.6 Conclusion = 144
• Chapter Seven: The Mersey Basin Campaign in Practice = 146
• 7.1 Introduction = 147
• 7.2 Consensus Building in Practice = 147
• 7.2.1 The Mersey Estuary Management Project = 148
• BACKGROUND TO THE MERSEY ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PROJECT = 148
• DELIVERING SERVICES: CONSENSUS BUILDING = 157
• 7.2.2 The Campaign Council and Manifesto Pledge Groups = 165
• BACKGROUND TO THE CAMPAIGN COUNCIL AND THE MANIFESTO PLEDGE GROUPS = 165
• DELIVERING SERVICES: CONSENSUS BUILDING = 167
• 7.2.3 Summary of Consensus Building Process = 172
• 7.3 Facilitation in Practice = 172
• 7.3.1 The Water Mark Scheme = 173
• BACKGROUND TO THE WATER MARK SCHEME = 173
• DELIVERING SERVICES: FACILITATION = 176
• 7.3.2 The Showrick's Bridge Project = 185
• BACKGROUND TO THE SHOWRICK'S BRIDGE PROJECT = 185
• DELIVERING SERVICES: FACILITATION = 188
• 7.3.3 Summary of Facilitation = 191
• 7.4 Open Participation in Practice = 192
• 7.4.1 The Mersey Basin Weekends = 192
• BACKGROUND TO THE MERSEY BASIN WEEKENDS = 192
• DELIVERING SERVICES: OPEN PARTICIPATION = 193
• 7.4.2 Kingfisher and Dragonfly/Damselfly Surveys = 199
• BACKGROUND TO THE KINGFISHER AND DRAGONFLY/DAMSELFLY SURVEYS = 199
• DELIVERING SERVICES: OPEN PARTICIPATION = 200
• 7.4.3 Summary of Open Participation = 204
• 7.5 Conclusion = 204
• Chapter Eight: Conclusions = 206
• 8.1 Introduction = 207
• 8.2 Research Summary = 207
• 8.3. Research Findings and Evaluation of the Research = 209
• 8.3.1 Objective One: Conceptualisation = 210
• 8.3.2 Objective Two: Real-life Context = 214
• 8.3.3 Objective Three: Guidelines = 216
• PRE-PARTNERSHIP COLLABORATION = 216
• PARTNERSHIP CREATION AND CONSOLIDATION = 216
• PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME DELIVERY = 217
• PARTNERSHIP TERMINATION OR SUCCESSION = 221
• 8.3.4 Objective Four: Applicability = 221
• 8.4 A Collaborative Partnership Research Agenda = 223
• 8.4.1 Towards Accountable Outcomes of Collaborative Efforts = 223
• 8.4.2 Towards Comparative Research = 225
• 8.4.3 Towards Future Collaborative Practice = 226
• 8.5 Final Conclusions = 227
• Bibliography = 229
• Appendix One: Case Study Activity = 252
• Appendix Two: Analysis of The Mersey Basin Weekends = 261
• Appendix Three: Publications = 271