NOTES
Notes from meeting with Volunteers from June 2nd Open Day,
Held on Monday 25th June, 2018, at the Baptist Chapel, Hackleton.
Present: Cllrs Roy Hawkesford, Tina Charteress and Tom Peterkin; steering group members Maz Woolley and Carol Lloyd; Revd Jennie Lee; Stuart McDonald (Horton resident), Dave Smith (Hackleton), Chris Harris (Preston Deanery), Paul Streeter, Diane Ward and John Ward (all Piddington).
Apologies were received from Gary Youens (Wootton Fields), Cllr Fran Billingham, and from Anna Palmberg (Piddington, steering group member)
Roy Hawkesford used his notes as the basis for a presentation of where we are in the development of the Plan, there were many useful comments and questions asked by the members of public who attended. In particular, Dave Smith asked how we intended to contact people who don’t have access to the internet and are harder to reach. He expressed an interest in joining the steering group, as did Paul Streeter.
Maz Woolley talked about the website and communication with the public in general, and Carol Lloyd talked about the results from the questionnaire – which can be seen on the Neighbourhood Plan website, hpnp,org.uk, along with the statistical data presented by Roy Hawkesford.
Thanks to Revd Jennie Lee for hosting the meeting.
The meeting finished at 8.15.
Notes for meeting with Volunteers from June 2nd Open Day,
Held on Monday 25th June, 2018, at the Baptist Chapel.
- April 2017, first meeting, in the Annexe, to explain what a NP can and can’t do. In response to Framptons map. Unanimous support to proceed.
- PC approval given to bid to be designated a Neighbourhood Area – to include the whole parish.
- A PC SG team (volunteers) was established and we met with other PC’s that had done/were doing Plans to get an idea of what was required.
- On a recommendation from Roade PC, we appointed a consultant, Michael Wellock, who has extensive experience in the field of NPs.
- A meeting was arranged at Horton Cricket Club on October 9th to explain progress and recruit members of the public to the Steering Group. Notable recruits: Maz and Carol.
- SNC approved our bid on October 18th.
- First meeting with Michael Wellock on October 26th. It was decided that we should apply for a grant to offset his fees. We were ultimately successful in that application and the follow-up one this month. The structure of the Plan was explained to us and what our role as a SG was: to flesh out the skeleton which Michael will provide. The importance of gathering evidence and the need for parish-wide communication were emphasised.
- Contact was made with SNC’s new NP Development Officer, Ellie Gingell, and a meeting was arranged to establish how she could support us and what her priorities are. (She will scrutinise our Draft Plan.) She pointed out what was distinctive about our parish: five areas of habitation, which should be dealt with separately, while having overarching themes.
- She also stressed evidence and communication. It is clear, however, that she does not really favour Michael’s ‘generic’ approach; she would like something more bespoke.
- One key area of dispute has been the need (or otherwise) for a Housing Needs Assessment and, if desirable after that exercise, a Site Assessment. Given the tightening up of NPs, as shown in the National Planning Policy Framework, they strongly recommend undertaking a HNA.
- The Open Day, June 2nd, was part of the parish-wide consultation. It made our SG think deeply about what we thought the Plan should contain. Much work and many meetings went into the exhibition that you saw. NN Pulse, Forum, every house leafleted… I’ve spent many days reading all the background reports and statements relating to NPs, and the ‘political’ context for the Plan, which was on display
- The website has been the work of Maz Woolley, with all of us contributing to the content. It has been a democracy, but Maz has been the editor for this project – and a great job he’s done. All of the findings from the questionnaire have been analysed and can now be seen ‘live’!
- The time commitment has been high, leading up to the Open Day and its aftermath. The work will proceed in spurts, as we identify jobs to be done.
- We would like you to think about what you might be able to offer the SG. (We’ve had some good people who just could not give sufficient time.). There could be different levels of involvement and commitment, depending on how much time you could commit to meetings and doing work in groups or from home.
- Maz Woolley to talk about the website which contains records of everything we have done so far. Essential reading for new recruits!
Roy Hawkesford,
June 25th, 2018.