Community Planning Page

Community (Parish) Plans  -  Why do we need them & How do you do one?

Why should you do a Community (parish) plan? 

To give your community a local voice and help influence local government agendas.  The Rural White Paper of November 2000 stated “Rural communities should play a much bigger part in running their own affairs, influencing and shaping their future development …..”  As a result, Government fully supports the parish plan process.

What is a Community (parish) plan?

A Community (parish) plan is a community consultation opportunity.  It gives everyone a chance to say what they think about the social, economic and environmental issues affecting their community.  It gives them a chance to say how they’d like to see things improved in the future and a chance to actually do something about it.

What can a Community (parish) plan achieve?

A community (parish) plan could help you to:

·               Reopen a closed village shop.

·               Provide community transport.

·               Create a new play area or place for young people to meet.

·               Identify local needs for affordable housing or community facilities.

·               Produce evidence of need to support community fundraising applications.

·               Produce a design statement for a new development.

·               Give a local dimension to broader planning policies.

·               Links to Local Development Framework and Local Strategic Partnership.

A community (parish) plan can build confidence and skills within your community and can also develop community spirit.

To sum up – a Community (Parish) Plan can:

1.    through a highly participative approach, empower local people to become and remain active in the Community.

2.    through an Action Plan, provide a well-defined strategy for the future.

3.    through a Results Report, provide clear, quantitiative data – speaking the same language as the funding and statutory bodies.

How do you start a Community (Parish) Plan?

Firstly, it is essential that the Parish Council supports the idea of a Community (Parish) Plan.

It is suggested that a STEERING GROUP for the project is established, perhaps containing representatives from the Parish Council, alongside other enthusiastic and committed members of the community. 

The steering group itself can begin to address the issue of INCLUSIVITY if it contains members from different sections of the community.  Maintain some flexibility around this steering group – keep open to new offers of support.

ACRE Community Planning Toolkit and the 9 step process - Click Here

Engaging the Whole Community

How about:

      A leaflet drop to the whole village explaining the project.

      A public meeting to discuss the process, to uncover the issues, to discover what useful skills members of your community have and enlist volunteers!

      Special meetings with target groups – whether established groups like the W.I, or informal groups like young people, older people, young parents etc etc.

      Co-opt more people onto the Steering Group, divide and allocate tasks and particular areas of interest.

      Spread the word through chat over a pint, after church, at the playground gate, at the bus-stop.

Whatever, wherever! Just get people talking – and make sure they know who to talk to in order to be heard.

Defining the Scope of the Plan – What are the most important issues to address?

Back to the People! – Now for the in-depth look at the issues and possible solutions.  Use as many different techniques for gathering the information as you think will work for your community – questionnaires, open days, workshops, anything!

Publicise the Results  of surveys and open days – give everyone a chance to discuss and feedback

Prepare a Draft – distribute it to everyone you can think of to get final comments.

Incorporate Final Comments – obtain the formal approval of the Parish Council, and publish.

Funding for Community Plans

Defra Rural Social and Community Programme funding for community plans ceased on 31st March 2008.  This means the Community Council for Somerset no longer administers grant funding for community plans but is working with its partners to identify alternative sources which communities can apply for.

Current sources to try are:

Goldsmith Fund:  Somerset Community Foundation have a Rural Fund which supports Parish Plans.  Contact Justin Sargent on 01458 833133  or visit www.somersetcf.org.uk for the latest information.

The following links will take you through to the funding pages on the District Council websites:

Taunton Deane Borough Council:  http://www.tauntondeane.gov.uk/tdbcsites/polperf/grants.asp

West Somerset Council: http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/template3.asp?parent=921&pid=935&area=5

Sedgemoor District Council: http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=624

South Somerset District Council:  http://southsomerset.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=905

Mendip District Council: www.mendip.gov.uk

We advise making contact with your local County Councillor to check if there is funding available, as this varies District by District.  A list of County Councillors is available at http://www.somerset.gov.uk/council/councillors.asp

For more information contact:

Katy Calvert on 01823 331222 or katy@somersetrcc.org.uk

Sarah Mckean on 01823 331222 or sarah@somersetrcc.org.uk

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