ParishActionPlan

ASH PARISH ACTION PLAN NOTICEBOARD

What Is A Parish Plan?

Parish Plans are local, action-based plans which address a range of problems and opportunities affecting rural communities.
They can include social, economic and environmental issues.
The whole community should be involved in producing the Parish Plan, with the Parish Council taking lead responsibility.
The Parish Plan must be consistent with related policies set out in the local, county and regional planning documents and the local strategic partnership.
The plan should be based on information provided through surveys, research, consultation and community participation.
Parish Plans should identify actions which can be taken forward by the Parish Council, by other individuals and groups within the community and by other servce providers and statutory bodies.

Why Produce A Parish Plan?

Parish Plans provide:

a way to influence decisions by other authorities;
a basis for action by people in the parish;
a route to winning funds for local initiatives.

How Are We Going About Producing A Parish Plan?

The Parish Council arranged a public meeting in September 2007 to explain the concept of Parish Plans and to determine if there was public support for the production of a Plan for the Parish of Ash. Volunteers were sought to form a Steering Group that would manage the production of a plan and an initial Steering Group meeting was held on October 30th.

It is important that the Steering Group is not just a committee of the Parish Council, but draws in other local people. The Steering Group currently comprises;

Cllr Nigel Whitburn - Chairman

Mrs Ann Foat - Secretary

Cllr Margot Bilham

Mr David Downes

Cllr Graham Foat

Maggie McCulloch

Val McCulloch

Liz Rath

Jennifer Shaw

Jayne Spicer

Mike Walkey

The Steering Group has drawn up a timetable for the process of producing a plan and has successfully applied for a Parish Plan Grant of £2,450 from DEFRA. We have also agreed how we will go about gaining information and consulting as many people as possible.

A questionnaire will be delivered to every household in the Parish during the early summer of 2008, but before that there will be two open events where people can drop in and give their views. The first will be on Saturday March 15th at Ash Village Hall and the second two week later (March 29th) in Westmarsh Village Hall. Come back to this site nearer the time for more details of these events or watch out for flyers and announcements aound the parish.

We will be making special efforts to reach those members of the community who don't normally come along to public meetings or return survey forms. We consider it particularly important to get the views of young people.

(Posted 9th May 2008)