NDPWG Meeting 23 August 2016
7pm Botcheston Village Hall
In Attendance:
Martyn Randle(chair), Pat Crane, Bernard Grimshaw, Darren Tilley, Paul Angelinetta, David Crocker, Jim Houghton, Scott Wakefield, Kaye Johnson, Linda Mitchell, Julie Peel, Malcolm Peel, Judy Sharpe, Kay Smith, Janet Ireland, Derek Ireland, Colin Crane, GUEST: Richard Mugglestone from Midland Rural Housing.
- Martyn welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked for apologies:
John Preston, Andy Killip, Joe Scarratt, Terry Satchwell, Lyn Dearling, Adrian Dickinson, Ena & Tom Kirkman, Ewan Lindsay.
Martyn said there was no chairman’s report for this meeting and went on to introduce our guest Richard Mugglestone who was here to talk to us about his proposed housing Needs Survey.
1 Richard Mugglestone introduced himself from the Midland Rural Housing group (MRH), based in Leicestershire and said their work involves the rural communities where there is a need for housing for local people in villages:
I.E. grown up children looking to leave their parents’ house and set up their own home, AND / OR people working in an area and want to move there AND/OR relatives of local people who need to move nearer.
The MRH work with local councils and housing associations to research where properties are needed and can be built at an affordable price. The first step to achieve this is a housing needs survey to engage with the village.
Hinckley and Bosworth have already asked MRH to do housing surveys in certain areas, including Desford, and this can be linked in with the NDP to give one joint questionnaire with no extra cost to the NDP group.
Before being sent out the Housing Need Survey needs to be publicised through means such as the publications and posters etc. The survey then goes out with a covering letter explaining what it is and why it is needed. The 1st & 3rd sections are the most important covering:
What type of houses are needed?
Are people moving in the next 5 years, if so to what type of property?
The market housing needs?
The answers from the questionnaire are then analysed by the MRH and sent both to the council and the NDP.
(A prepaid envelope is provided to all and they usually get a 30% plus response rate). The results from this can be used as evidence for the NDP and may help to justify affordable homes for local people on land that would not normally get PP, eg – for a mixture of rented and shared ownership should it be deemed necessary.
Pat explained that Desford Parish also covers Botcheston, Newtown Unthank and Kirby Grange. Kirby Grange is mostly bungalows but Desford itself needs more bungalows. If just one survey is done will the number of bungalows at Kirby Grange reflect on the need for Desford itself?
Richard answered that this could perhaps be overcome by doing 3 separate surveys, Newtown Unthank, Botcheston/Kirby Grange and Desford.
Richard did say at this stage that their current contract with the HBBC finishes on 31 March 2017, so if we wanted a joint questionnaire we must get our side sorted for the joint questionnaire to go out before this date. He said it normally takes 3-4 weeks to get the forms back and then approx. another 3 weeks to analyse the answers. He will send a copy of a joint questionnaire that they have already used.
Pat asked if the questionnaire results can have any influence to/on the housing targets set by HBBC. Richard said that whilst HBBC have targets for the borough, a village can show local needs by these results.
Richard was asked if any other local parish have done a joint survey, he said only 1; others had used the MRH survey results to feed into their NDP.
It was asked if this questionnaire is paper driven only, or is there web access? At this stage only paper forms are sent out, the MRH have found that people don’t necessarily open unknown emails.
At this stage Richard was thanked for his attendance and time given.
- Everyone were asked if they had received and read a copy of the minutes from the last meeting, it was a positive acknowledgement and with no issues the chair signed as a true copy.
- Just one matter arising, Kaye was asked to explain what PP meant in a paragraph in section 8 of the minutes… Kaye explained it was planning permission.
- Darren explained the spreadsheet that was sent out prior to the meeting (copy attached).
- Bernard explained that the main topic of his report is the website which is under another heading, but did say that each focus group now had members and meetings had commenced. Linda said she is doing an article for the Graphic letting all residents know about these groups.
- A group discussion took place regarding Richard’s presentation earlier, it was suggested that focus groups organise their own sections and we need to be ready for the questionnaire to go out January 2017 at the latest.
After lengthy discussions, Darren proposed that we go with the joint questionnaire and Scott seconded this motion, the rest of the group were in favour.
- Martyn has emailed out guidance notes for all focus groups to use. Two groups have met, one has arranged a date to meet and the other has to organise a first meeting. (Meeting notes in file)
History Heritage and Housing, – the housing side can be met from the questionnaire, the history and heritage need to be discussed further.
Traffic and transport – We need to consider what impact Neovia development will have on traffic in Desford, also any future housing developments will have impact on traffic movement. It was suggested that HBBC be contacted to ask how any breach of traffic covenants in granted planning permissions can be policed.
Dangerous road junctions need to be included, along with questions such as do we need better cycle routes etc in the village.
It was agreed that the focus groups need to raise open questions with no misleading phrases contained within them.
- The cost received from PD solutions is far too expensive, a request for another quote has been sent to CFS. Colin said a company called 2commune are doing the Desford PC site and he & Bernard will (ask the clerk to) get a quote from them as well. Darren will need the 3 quotes to be able to apply for a locality grant to assist. After discussion it was agreed that those 3 will be asked, but on the understanding that they must be comparable. Bernard has drawn a specification of what they will be asked to quote against. Once we have agreed on the company, this can be passed to the PC as our preferred choice.
- No more business – meeting closed at 9pm.
Next meeting 27 September, 7.30pm Desford Library.
Signed as a true copy of the meeting……………………………………………………….. Date………………………………………