Activity 02 - Roundtables with Stakeholders

2.1 Description and objective of the activity

The purpose of the roundtables is to:

1. Communicate the project's overall goals and objectives to key actors and stakeholders, securing their agreement.
2. Engage key actors actively in refining the details of the project brief.
3. Establish the scope and limitations of the entire participatory process.
4. Identify the necessary pre-participatory expert studies/site analyses, as specified in Activity 3.

MAIN TASK: The output of the roundtables should be a draft of the detailed project brief, taking into account the needs and internal objectives of individual stakeholders. The emphasis should be on establishing "boundaries" that define the parameters for public and resident participation. 

Some colleagues may refer to this output as "Creating a framework for public debate" or setting the boundaries of the debate. Boundaries encompass elements that are fixed and unchangeable, such as technical regulations, financial constraints, legal requirements, factual realities, or the strategic objectives of the city and district. For example, tree planting may be restricted in certain locations due to underground utilities, and specific species may be limited due to poor soil quality or water scarcity. Another common constraint is the city's strategic goal, such as constructing public housing near metro stations, which would rule out certain possibilities, like creating a park near the metro, from the participatory process.

Roundtables also provide an excellent opportunity to discuss a new approach to planning. For instance, if the project focuses on street revitalization, roundtables serve as a valuable tool for coordinating strategic and action plans among various investor organizations (e.g., water and sewerage, transport, environmental protection, etc.). Thorough preparation is advisable, including finding out about the planned projects of different institutions and potential modifications to strategic documents. 

An important outcome of the roundtables is achieving consensus on the process draft built upon the identified boundaries. If the roundtable produces a list of topics suitable for public participation, and we already have an understanding of the target communities and groups, we can commence breaking down various activities of the process and present them to the roundtable for feedback. For this purpose, it is advisable to have at least an A4 version of the process plan prepared, which you can present to the roundtable participants.

2.2 Responsible person

Planning Coordinator of the City District

2.3 Who to contact

• City District Mayor's Office
• IPR Prague (relevant offices and persons according to the nature of the project for consultation)
• IPR Participation Office (support in project planning, consultation)
• City of Prague Departments (relevant offices and persons according to the nature of the project for consultation)
• City of Prague Organisations (relevant offices and persons according to the nature of the project for consultation)
  • IMPORTANT: Obtain credentials from the head of the City of Prague department or organization to participate in the roundtable
• Administrators (City District, City of Prague)
• Owners
• Key local institutions
• Others as appropriate (developers, government organizations, etc.)

2.4 Individual steps (recommended)

A. Secure adequate venue and consultation with the Mayor  

Inform the mayor about the upcoming event for the project and schedule dates so that they can participate. The presence and endorsement of the mayor will ensure the event's significance and support from the City District. The most suitable venues for holding the roundtable discussions are the premises of the City District Office or spaces associated with the proposed project. Consider the representativeness of the space, technical equipment (Wi-Fi, projector), availability, and capacity for at least 15 people.

B. Prepare invitations and necessary documentation

Send invitations to participants of the roundtable ideally 2-3 weeks before the event via email, data box, or through the mayor's office correspondence. Prepare all necessary materials for the roundtable, such as presentations, map materials, etc.

The more detailed and specific the documentation, the greater the likelihood that discussions at the roundtable will be substantive and focused on the essence of the matter. Less time will be needed for the general introduction of the project and explanation of basic points (such as what is participation, etc.).

​​C. Organize the roundtable

The symbolism of the roundtable is based on the principle that all participants are given an equal opportunity to express themselves. The most important technique of the roundtable is facilitation (moderation). Facilitating the discussion allows you to outline the purpose of the meeting, keep the discussion to the point, and ensure that each participant has enough space to express themselves. 

D. Prepare the outputs of this activity

In addition to the meeting minutes from the roundtable with clearly formulated follow-up tasks, the main outputs of the meeting are a map (if relevant, a site map with basic drawings or comments) and a draft of the entire participatory process, including the process plan.

2.5 Outputs of this activity (recommended)

Examples of outputs for inspiration; not all are mandatory:

• Output 2A: Meeting minutes + attendance sheet
• Output 2B: Site map, if relevant (preferably pdf. or jpg. format)
• Output 2C: Draft of the participatory process and process plan (template)

2.6 Budget

All expenses such as refreshments, equipment rental, office supplies, will be covered by city district resources.

2.7 Timeframe (indicative)

4 weeks: preparation of documents and sending invitations (1 week), production and execution of the event (2-3 weeks), processing of outputs (1 week).

2.8 Note of caution

If, for time or other reasons, it is not possible to meet with all stakeholders at once, consider the following options:

• Organize two or three smaller roundtables, dividing the actors into two or three groups and adapting to their time availability.
• Organize a roundtable at one of the key actors' offices and invite other stakeholders.

2.9 Communication guidelines (indicative)

At this stage, communicate only with the key actors and stakeholders. There will be time to communicate with the public in the next activities and phases.

2.10 Parallel activities

In parallel with Activity 2, you can proceed with the preparation of expert pre-participatory studies and site analyses, i.e. implement Activity 3. Some of the expert studies may be costly and you will need to commission them, possibly even organize a tender.