Are You Fit? Neighbourhood Plan Preparation

17th November 2012

Blackthorn Community Centre, Longmead Court, Blackthorn, Northampton

Attendees:Alan Youel, Sue Jerrams Coughtrey, Tom Rice

For Planning AidFor Northants CouncilOn table

Saffron GarnerEllie GingellGreens Norton

Becky ElsonCotonPark (Forum)

Amy Tyler-Charwelton (Forum)

Bob Keith

Sections covered:

  • The Plan Making Process & Project Planning
  • Effective Community Engagement
  • Evidence Gathering
  • Site Allocation
  • Policy Writing

The Plan Making Process & Project Planning

Project planning process:

  • Setting aims and objectives – what you want to achieve
  • Producing a project timetable
  • Allocation of resources
  • Budget planning and allocation
  • Carrying out a risk assessment – where might things go wrong and how to overcome problems
  • Developing a communications plan – who, when and how

Project timetable should include:

  • A breakdown of milestones, tasks and activities
  • A timetable of milestones, tasks and activities
  • Allocation of roles, responsibilities and tasks to people

Notes

Consider a skills audit of community, see what skills available and try to engage them in the process

Community Engagement

Formulate an Engagement strategy

Ladder

  • Empower
  • Collaborate
  • Involve
  • Consult
  • Inform

Partnership building

  • Identify key partners (organisations, stakeholders)
  • Public/voluntary/community/private sectors
  • Characteristics: umbrella, representative, high profile, powerful, influential
  • Establish early contact, get buy-in/ownership

Generate publicity/awareness

  • Local press
  • Local radio/tv
  • Posters/flyers (NP branding/logo)
  • Newsletters
  • Website
  • Social networker

Neighbourhood make-up

  • Demographics/groups/clubs/organisations/sports, businesses/employers, employees, landowners, property owners (landlords etc)
  • Special groups/communities gypsies/travellers

Engagement

  • by audience
  • by themes/topics
  • by geography
  • by all/some of above

Work out how to engage with:

  • Children – Schools, school councils, student forums, enrichment programmes
  • Youth – youth clubs, street corners
  • Environmental groups - workshops
  • 21-40’s – mums & toddlers talk/chat
  • Elderly – Age Concern, residential home talks/chats
  • All – simple questionnaire (paper/online)

Notes

Communication critical. Plan diary of events, piggy back other events

Contact Becky for sample surveys

Consider stall outside shop etc, places with large footfall

Talk to school about possibilities, project with photographs of good/bad in village

Engagement strategy - set out in the same way as Project Plan

Evidence base

Evidence how have you come to specific decisions

  • Check for current surveys, assessments and policies available at SNC
  • Carry out survey of current clubs, facilities, services available within village
  • Carry out survey of employers and businesses currently within village

Notes

Gather social/economic profile on residents, census stats, create a profile of community

Check with SNC for profile information currently held (Andy D'Arcy or Ellie)

Very important to gather profile info from respondents

Must provide evidence of meaningful engagement as part of process/information gathering

Find out if a profile of the community has already been created by another organisation

Site Assessments

  • Consistent and robust method of identifying sites
  • Site review
  • SHLAA.
  • Suitable, available, deliverable

Policy Writing

  • Robust policies
  • In conformity with strategic policies and plans
  • Avoid technical speak
  • Consult with local policy department over wording

Notes

Use sample applications to check how NP policy performs

Plain English Society for language

NP policy review process not yet decided

Basic Conditions

Regard for:

  • National policies
  • Strategic policies
  • Sustainable development
  • EURegulations
  • Sustainability appraisals

Notes

SA not legal requirement but good practice, SEA required on sensitive areas (costly)

Additional Notes

Policy R1 in core strategy covers rural areas

Check out Upper Eden NP as examination stage is imminent

Look at the Much Wenlock 'vision and key objectives'

Planning aid free, consultants expensive

We need more volunteers on steering group

Up until end Mar 2013 local authority can apply for additional funds for up to 4 NP’s, £5k when NP area agreed then £25k when plan goes to referendum

Create a high level plan, then medium before creating final plan

Consult on broad issues then breakdown and share into groups

Keep detailed records of all consultations

Check out RTPI monthly newsletter DCLG newsletter pointing to samples

Involving MP helps with publicity and drawing people to meeting

Investigate, CIL, S106, new homes bonus

Ask local authority to provide large scale area maps (reasonable request)