(This page was last updated on Sunday 14th February 2010 06:39am)

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It is with regret that the Community Parish Plan Steering Group has been disbanded, following the accusations made by the Parish Council at the December 9th 2009 Parish Council Meeting, at which it became apparent that the current group cannot rely on the full co-operation of the Parish Council. For more details and reasons behind this decision, please view the letter of resignation tendered to the Parish Council on 28th January 2010.

This web page will remain on the website for general information while the Parish Council decide whether or not to form a new Steering Group to progress the Parish Plan.

What is the Community Plan

In 2000 the government issued a Rural White Paper, which 'provided communities with a fantastic opportunity to transform their local environment, in the form of a parish (community) plan'. The key to the success of the community plan lies in its local implementation, giving a community the opportunity to interpret and present their output in a diversity of ways. This Rural White Paper is intended to be a blueprint for the rejuvenation of the countryside.

It should reflect the views of the local residents in such matters as...

  • Housing Needs
  • Flood prevention
  • Roads and Footpaths
  • Council Services (bin collections, road sweeping, grass cutting etc)
  • Local businesses and business development
  • Recreational facilities
  • Local policing and crime prevention
  • and more ...........

 

 

Why do we need a plan?

The purpose of the government white paper is to extend the authority of local councils in the fight to preserve the nature of British rural life. If a community possesses a plan, this will be the first port of call when any proposals are put forward for changes to the local environment. Both local authorities and central government will know that a well written plan will reflect the views of the local population.

Community Plans determine the future of local communities and how they can change for the better. They are documents that set out a vision for the future of a parish and outlines how that can be achieved in an Action Plan.

The possession of a plan enables local residents to influence the actions of the Parish Council in the more local issues and strengthen the local feelings when more major proposals are put forward by higher authorities such as the District Councils and Central Government.

Who will produce the plan?

Although initiated by the Parish Council a Steering Group has been set up as an independent body for the community to implement the plan. The Parish Council, although monitoring progress will have no control over the content for method of gathering the information. The job of the steering group will be to produce a plan that reflects the views of the residents of the parish as closely as possible.

How the information will be gathered?

The information gathered by the steering group will..

  • ensure that it is not simply a summary of the state of our community. It's vital that problems and strengths of our community are highlighted, and actions to remedy or consolidate respectively are clearly laid out.

  • ensure that all areas of the plan are underpinned by empirical data from the community, and not simply the views of individuals or groups. Therefore it is vital that members of the community are involved and consulted throughout the project

  • avoid NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) and wish-lists, particularly with regard to housing development.

  • present a balanced view, considering the pressures from Central Government.

Once an initial plan has been created, a detailed questionnaire will be circulated, which it is hoped will invite a higher return rate than the initial questionnaire that was sent out in May 2009. A version of the questionnaire will be made available to fill out and return on-line through this website.

An important factor in the formation of the plan should be to facilitate the successful adoption of the plan by service providers - bridging is the process of involving local authorities, Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), Local Development Framework (LDF) and the parish or town council in the planning process. Contact with these bodies will be made as early as possible in the preparations, and liaison maintained throughout the project.

What happens to the final plan

This has yet to be established.

Steering Committee

Chairman Bill Brooks 01386 881312 bill.brooks@lloydstsb.co.uk
Secretary Julia Thomson 01386 881250 julia.thomson@virgin.net
Treasurer Tony Barker 01386 882104 anthony.barker1@sky.com
Coordinator Josephine Barker 01386 882104 brkra@aol.com
Member Bev Brooks 01386 881312 bevbrooks@btinternet.com
Member Graham Lockwood 01386 881679 gclockwood@gmail.com
Member Jenny Burn 01386 881160 leonard.burn@btinternet.com
Member Karen Catton 01386 881341 gr1zzle2@hotmail.com
Member Lewis Catton 01386 881341 lewis.catton@ge.com
Member Marion Slade 01386 881482 marion@beckford-village.org

Questionnaire

An initial questionnaire was sent out in May 2009, with about 10% of the residents replying. Results will be given here shortly.

Action plans

Action Plan 19th October 2009

History

Residents who have been in the village for more than 30 years will remember the Village Plan prepared by Wychavon District Council (see below).

Also, remember the bypass? In October 1994 the Highways Agency produced plans for a Beckford Bypass, which was only cancelled by the new government after it had been approved. Something to think about in the plan?

Village Plan of 1981

In 1981 Wychavon District Council produced a village plan for Beckford. You can turn the pages of the book, just like browsing through the real book! Try dragging the bottom corners of the pages to turn the page.