Sep 22, 2018 | Uncategorised
DESFORD PARISH NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – A PROGRESS REPORT – Autumn 2018
“Where we are now”
Locality, a government body, which provides support to neighbourhood planning groups on behalf of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has awarded us £6000 to carry out a Housing Sites Assessment and Awards for All, who award lottery money, have granted us £10,000 to finish our plan work up to 31 March 2019. So, thankfully, our finances are in great shape and sorted for 2018/19!
The draft plan is progressing well. Our consultant partner, YourLocale, has taken the hard work of our research groups and prepared a first working draft of the plan. This combines the results of all your inputs received via our consultation and awareness processes, along with all the national, regional and Hinckley borough policies and requirements. It’s looking good!
“What happens next?
The Desford Neighbourhood Plan Working Group (DPNPWG) and Desford Parish Council (DPC) have more work to do to finalise a consultation draft. YourLocale needs to consult informally on our behalf with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) and other interested parties to ensure we comply with any directives or policies imposed from “on high”. Once this is done we will arrange further consultation events to get your valued input. The Rural Communities Council (Leicestershire) &Rutland) will help us with this work.
Next, after some formal statutory consultations, DPC will approve and submit a final version to HBBC who will arrange an ‘Examination in Public’ by an independent inspector. After that, DPC will make any necessary changes and HBBC will submit the plan to a full referendum of Parish voters. If it passes, DPC can adopt it!
“How long will this take?”
YourLocale has prepared an outline timetable with, understandably and sensibly, many a ‘health warning’ because some elements of the process are outside our control. Ever-optimistic, though, we have targeted November this year to invite residents and stakeholders to participate in a full and frank exchange on our consultation draft of the plan. Then, after any further changes resulting from this final round of consultation have been implemented, DPC will pass it to HBBC in the spring of 2019 for examination in May/June, followed by a referendum in August/September. That assumes no statutory consultees throw a spanner in the works by requiring a re-think about their areas of responsibility, of course. Fingers crossed!
“With a little help from our friends!”
So, whilst it seems a long and winding road, and there is still a way to go, with help from our financial friends, Locality and Awards from All, our consultant and advisor YourLocale and RCC (Leicestershire & Rutland), along with all the people and organisations who have contributed to our researches, slowly but surely, we are getting there!
Contact: Bernard Grimshaw, desplan16@gmail.com
Sep 11, 2018 | Minutes Archive
DNP Working Group minutes 11th September 2018
7.00pm Desford Library
In Attendance: Bernard Grimshaw, Colin Crane, David Crocker, Derek Doran (YL), Ewan Lindsay, Judy Sharpe, Martyn Randle, Pat Crane, Scott Wakefield
Apologies: Andrew Norton, Gary Kirk (YL), Jim Houghton, Nic Lockley
- Welcome:
Martyn welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked for apologies to be listed
- Minutes of last meeting / matters arising:
The minutes were discussed and approved as a true record and signed by Martyn accordingly.
Martyn asked if there was any progress in the change of postcode for Neovia. Colin reported that Peter Bedford is chasing this.
Martyn asked about the traffic survey report. Action-Colin to circulate report to the group.
Martyn asked whether the Vision Statement was currently on the PC or DNPWG website yet. Colin said that it did not appear to be on the PC website.
- Declaration of Interest:
None
- Chairman’s Report:
Martyn stated that HBBC have now provided Gary with the housing requirement figures.
He mentioned that there might be no requirement to have a SEA report.
Martyn said that there were currently 3 development companies wanting to discuss future housing projects and that the group should not be seen to be communicating with third parties until work on the plan was completed. Pat commented that there had only been a response to Richard West (CERDA) as the PC had been directly approached. Richard had been invited to speak to the PC Planning Committee and members of the DNPWG and other PC members had been invited to this meeting. Notes from this meeting had been circulated by Judy.
It was agreed that housing matters would be discussed later in the meeting.
- Treasurer’s Report / grant applications:
Bernard stated that one invoice had been received from Your Locale. This was for putting together of the DNP document and assessment work for the Housing Site Survey. He mentioned that Gary had confirmed there would be no further invoices from Your Locale.
Bernard said that there was a balance of £7,000 left in the account and reminded the group that this money was only available until 31.3.2019. Colin said that there was still some PC funding available if needed.
- Communication Officer’s Report:
Bernard stated that he had supplied the Vision Statement to Jim but it was not yet on the website.
He thanked Scott and Pat for their work on a report for The Graphic and Parish News magazines.
Bernard had received a communication from John Preston at the RCC confirming that they will help with the SEA screening and publicity.
A letter from HBBC had been received inviting the DNPWG to send details of the current progress of the NP document. Action It was agreed that Bernard and Pat would liaise with the Parish Clerk to respond to this.
- Presentation by Housing Group:
An update was given by the housing group. It was agreed that this was sensitive information and was embargoed until the Draft is released for Pre- Submission Consultation.
- Report on PC Planning Committee meeting with Richard West:
A report of this meeting was given. It was agreed that this was sensitive information and was embargoed until the Draft is released for Pre- Submission Consultation.
- Discussion of Updated Draft of Neighbourhood Plan:
Discussion of the Updated Draft Plan took place. It was agreed that this was sensitive information and was embargoed until the Draft is released for Pre- Submission Consultation.
- Consultation event / Publicity / Distribution discussion:
Bernard stated that once the DNP pre-submission draft had been approved by the PC there were various further stages to go through. He queried the date that this was likely to happen. Pat commented that the next two PC meetings were on the 17th October and the 21st November and that technically the draft should go first to the PC Planning Committee, which meets on the first Monday of the month. Scott suggested that there could be a special meeting of the Planning Committee nearer the PC meeting date to discuss the draft NP plan. This would allow further time for the finalising of the draft plan.
It was agreed to target the PC meeting on the 17th October, subject to agreement from Gary. Action -Derek to speak to Gary about this.
Colin asked where the Consultation Event would take place. It was agreed that events would be held in Botcheston and also in Desford library, possibly over a weekend. The event would need to be manned. Dates and times are to be agreed once the draft plan is passed by the PC. The event would be publicised on the Parish noticeboards, websites and in The Graphic and Parish News if time allowed. Also it would be publicised on Twitter and Facebook with links to the website. It was suggested that Martyn co-ordinates this. Bernard stated that once Gary had confirmed a date he would let John Preston at RCC know.
Colin queried how many paper copies of the draft plan would be needed. It was agreed that a few could be printed, but most could be read on line from the website.
- Web page / Twitter /Spotted Desford:
Judy said that she had had an email from Jim saying that the DNPWG minutes were now on the website.
She had also noticed a spelling mistake on the website (first h missing in neighbourhood at bottom of page).
She had asked Jim to mention this to Craig.
Action – Ask Jim to upload the Vision statement to website.
Action– Colin to speak to the Parish Council Clerk and ask him to put Vision statement on the PC website.
- AOB:
David commented that it now looked as though the DNP was back on schedule to meet the timings Gary had suggested.
- Date of next meeting:
Tuesday 9th October 2018 7pm at the library.
Meeting closed. 8.01 pm.
I confirm this is a true record of the meeting:
Signed…………………………………………………………….. Name……………………………………………………………
Date…………………………………………………………………
