Longparish Parish Plan

Planning for a thriving community

Minutes of a meeting held at Yew Tree House on Thursday, November 18 th 2004 at 8pm

 

Present:   Fiona Gould (Chair), Jeremy Barber, Christine Beresford, Alix Brembridge, Mary Jo Darrah (minutes), Cheryl Dowler, Mike Johnson, David Wright

 

Apologies:   Catherine Sweet, Paula Vize, Nona Harrison, Gloria Goodliffe, Andrea Hulme

 

Treasurer's report

Jeremy said that he had been assured that the rest of the Countryside Commission grant was reserved for us and he now had the forms necessary to claim it.

He pointed out that the Parish Council was preparing estimates for next year and any spending envisaged in the Plan should be included.

Action : Fiona & Jeremy to co-ordinate

 

Update on new community hall

Jeremy, Fiona, Gloria and Mary Jo had attended the recent Project Management meeting.   Fundraising is going well and the target is in sight. The contractors are making good progress although unexpected lack of gravel under the temporary classrooms had eaten into the contingency fund.

 

Attention is now being given to the management of the hall and to the legal arrangement between the Playgroup and the school.   The management committee will represent the school, playgroup, church and community.   John Ellicock is writing an article for Hill & Valley asking for those who are interested to volunteer and hopes to find a chairman for the committee soon who will be, or will become, a school governor.   Guidelines for the use of the hall and the relationship between the hall committee and the school will be worked out first with the governors who are responsible for the building.

 

The Parish Plan

Fiona said that the final document was likely to be a substantial one, with background information on the village, an account of the process, the findings from the consultations, including the questionnaire (probably as an appendix), and an action plan.   There is also a possibility that we could use the plan to explain facts, legislation etc (eg rules about dogs on leads.) It would be illustrated with maps and photographs. It will need to be clear and understandable, but not ‘dumbed down' – to be of value to villagers & third parties.

 

Feedback from work groups

These groups had all produced draft reports on their work so far.

 

Environment & Open Spaces

The report was circulated by email and by hard copy at the meeting and David presented it.   Under each issue, the group had suggested what individuals and the village could do themselves and where help would be needed from other agencies.   This was considered a constructive way to proceed.

Jeremy suggested a few other issues that might be included, like the future of some of the other open spaces, including the cemetery, which was running out of space.

 

Housing

Mike had circulated the Housing report, which was less detailed, largely because it was more dependent on the policies of other bodies.   He hoped to get a consensus for the Housing group's view that we needed not only to conduct another Housing Survey to qualify for Affordable Housing, but also to press for some market housing to be included in a small-scale development of perhaps 20 houses in total.   This would contribute to the sustainability of the village, which currently has more facilities than other villages its size.   In 1990 and 2001 landowners had not been willing to sell land for Affordable Housing and needed an incentive.   A change in TVBC Planning policy means that a small-scale mixed development might be allowed if we asked for it in the Plan.   The group agreed with Jeremy that it would be desirable to negotiate with landowners, Testway Housing and TVBC to try to ensure that the affordable housing element remained affordable and that the development was in accordance with the needs of the village.

 

All members are urged to attend a meeting with Steve Lees TVBC Planning Officer, and Anna Hall who is in charge of housing initiatives, on Monday 29 th November at the Croft at 7.30pm.

 

Transport & Road Safety

 

In Catherine's absence this was not examined in detail though approved in general.   It was agreed that we should try to find out from the statutory agencies what could be done to achieve the aims in the report, so that specific targets could be put in the action plan.

Action - Mary Jo to copy the report to David.

Action - Fiona to check that Catherine is happy to continue to lead the group.   (Done and she is.)

 

Social, Leisure, Sport

Several meetings had been held although the notes had not yet been circulated.   Action Christine & Fiona

The main conclusion had been that a community association should be set up to facilitate and co-ordinate activities in the village and to harness the volunteer help revealed in the questionnaire.

 

The group in the village which was thought to need substantially better provision than exists is the teenagers, and a meeting with Peter Palfrey, the Senior Youth Worker of Northern Test Valley had been useful.   He confirmed that it would be best to operate within a community association, which would make funding and CRB vetting easier.   The Youth Service could provide activities if taken into partnership or paid in full, or could give free advice.

 

It was suggested that initially we should start with a monthly drop-in club/activity session for the 12-18yrs, which would include music, refreshments to buy, table-tennis, perhaps pool and a changing programme of activities.   There should be a modest charge and 2-3 adults present.   There could also be half-yearly outings –eg. ice-skating in the youth minibus. HCC would provide start-up funding for the first year.

 

There had also been a meeting with Sarah Moss, the HCC Community Association adviser, who had come well-prepared and was very supportive.   Her job is to encourage this sort of development in villages.   She confirmed that an association would be able to act quickly if the shop were under threat.

(Mary Jo said that we should include in the plan encouragement to spend money in the shop.)

 

She said that reporting anti-social behaviour was essential before ASBOs could be issued, and discussion about this could be included in the youth programme.

 

Jeremy said that we should note that the Church was implementing its Way Forward plan, following consultation.

 

NB There was only incidental discussion under the various topics about what else needs to be covered in the Plan

 

Next steps

It was agreed rather hastily at the end of the meeting that:

 

 

Date of next meeting:   Thursday 16 th December 2004 at The Croft

The meeting finished rather after 10pm.