Autumn Report 2018

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

 

Minutes 28th June 2018

DNP Working Group minutes 28th June 2018

7.00pm Desford Library

In Attendance: Bernard Grimshaw, Colin Crane, David Crocker, Ewan Lindsay, Gary Kirk (YL), Jim Houghton, Judy Sharpe, June Morris, Martyn Randle, Pat Crane, Paul Angelinetta

Apologies: Andrew Norton, Darren Tilley, Scott Wakefield

  1. Welcome:

Martyn welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked for apologies to be listed

  1. 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 he had met with LCC and they will send a letter of support to the Post Office.

Martyn asked about the traffic survey report. Colin said that this had been received and that it would be circulated to the group. He also added that he had met with LCC Highways and raised several issues with them including HGV traffic along Main Street and Lindridge Lane.

Martyn stated that the Vision Statement was not currently on the PC or DNPWG website.

  1. Declaration of Interest:

NONE

  1. Chairman’s Report:

Martyn commented that funding was in place and that things were now back on track for the September deadline.

  1. Treasurers Report / grant applications:

Bernard had circulated his report by email to the group.  Pat noted that the amount of grant received from Locality was £6,000- not £6,500, as stated in the report. Colin commented that there had been an email confirming the approval of the funding from Awards for All but that the money had not been received yet. Action– Bernard to publicise receipt of grant as suggested in email.

Gary reminded the group that VAT is recoverable and Colin confirmed that the full amount of the YL invoice would be paid and the VAT recovered in due course.

Gary commented that SEA was not part of the grant bid as RCC will do this. A sum of money has been put in the bid for the consultation; however the RCC may do this and therefore save us money. YL can work in conjunction with RCC.

Action-Bernard to talk to John at RCC about this.

  1. Communication Officer’s Report:

Bernard had circulated his report by email to the group.  The change of address of RCC was noted.

  1. Discussion of Initial Draft of Neighbourhood Plan

Discussion of the Initial Draft Plan took place. It was agreed that this was sensitive information and was embargoed until the Draft is released for Pre- Submission Consultation.

  1. Web page / Twitter /Spotted Desford

Jim confirmed that the Vision Statement was not on the DNPWG website and that there were about 2 people a day viewing the website.

  1. AOB

Gary stated that he will be sending another invoice from YL shortly.

  1. Date of next meeting:

       Tuesday 7th August 2018 7pm at the library.

Meeting closed.  8.50 pm.

I confirm this is a true record of the meeting:

Signed……………………………………………………………..   Name……………………………………………………………

Date…………………………………………………………………

 

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