MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE SOMERBY PARISH NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP
6th June 2017
At the Methodist Hall, Somerby
Our vision is to conserve our beautiful, rural Parish with a vibrant community at its heart; meeting the changing needs of the local community, maintaining a sustainable, thriving economy, with a sound infrastructure whilst enhancing the unique character, landscapes and heritage of the Parish.
Present Mary Anne Donovan (Chair)
Carl Powell
Ros Freeman
Melanie Davies
Colin Marlow
Helen Chadwick
Minutes taken by Kerstin Hartmann
WELCOME/APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Tom Allen, Pat Fynn, James Brown, Angela Fisher
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
None were declared.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF MEETING HELD: 4TH APRIL 2017
The minutes were unanimously agreed and adopted.
Proposed by Mary Anne Donovan
UPDATE ON MELTON LOCAL PLAN
MA informs that Joe Orson has been appointed new leader of MBC and Leigh Higgins deputy leader. MD reports that MLP public meeting to adopt the pre-submission draft plan is now scheduled for July. MD to email the date of the meeting to all.
HC informs that it was to anticipate that MBC will make a case for the reasons why they aim to deliver a higher number of houses than required according to HEDNA.
REPORTS
Questionnaires
MA updates on progress of the final household questionnaire report. AF has completed her work now and final report needs to be completed with some more charts and graphics. Discussion about what else needs to be included and who could do this. MA to communicate with AF to email all data/spreadsheets to CP. CP to check what else may need to be added and to email to HC.
Under elevens’ questionnaires
MA raises that a while back Somerby School agreed for members of the NP to meet pupils and had offered to include this into their curriculum. As this has been some time this has to be picked up again and an event is still to be organised with the school.
Teens’ questionnaires
PF had emailed proposed questionnaire to all. After some amendments all agreed to the questions. Discussion about how to organise the teens’ questionnaires. MA proposes that theme group members should be asked to visit families with teenagers they know. Parental consent is needed for teenagers to be able to complete a questionnaire. Organising distribution and volunteers should be done within a week. Teenagers should be given two weeks’ time to complete questionnaires. KH to email questionnaires to theme group chairs/members.
Environment group
MA gives feedback on environment theme group activities. Maps have now been uploaded onto dropbox. MD reports that she could not open the files as they were too big. MA to check with Matt Larsen-Daw if there was a possibility to upload the files compressed or village by village reducing the file size.
Economy/infrastructure group
CP gives update on letter regarding settlement roles of villages within the Somerby ward and numbers of houses to be built. The letter pulls together data and evidence from all three theme groups. Once the letter has been agreed by all steering group members - some have already responded with feedback - it will then be emailed to the Somerby PC. If the Somerby PC agrees the letter the NP group and Somerby PC will send it to MBC to inform the MLP.
Housing group
RF reports on housing group activities. HC has checked the chapter which had been emailed to all steering group members a few weeks ago and given feedback and advice. Some could not remember receiving this email. RF to email again. RF reports on questions regarding SHLAA site assessments emailed to James Beverley at MBC but still awaiting answers.
Writing of the Plan
MA reminds that the sharing of already written chapters of the plan was not far off now and by the time of the next meeting at the beginning of July this should be a discussion point.
A.O.B
CM raises that Somerby Parish Council wished for more information on progress of the work of the NP. It has been requested for theme group minutes to be submitted to the PC. RF raises that theme groups do not have minutes as such but working notes. CP said the ‘economy’ theme group does have minutes. MA confirms that the theme groups should be the space where ideas could be discussed without being circulated publicly. Agreement that impression of lack of information from NP was more to do with the fact that work being done was in progress and not much to see or pass on at this stage. As soon as written work has been agreed upon by all steering group members this will change as it will then be passed on to Somerby PC.
Next meeting 4th July 2017, 19.30, venue to be confirmed.