NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP

NOTES OF A MEETING HELD AT BEWDLEY GUILDHALL ON

MONDAY 11th APRIL 2016 AT 7.00 PM

Present: Councillor John Beeson, Councillor Linda Candlin, Councillor Calne Edginton-White, Councillor Philip Edmundson (Chair), Councillor Derek Killingworth.

In attendance: Nick Farress (Town Clerk), Barbara Byng (Assistant Town Clerk)

Apologies:. N/A

Declaration of Interest and Dispensations None.

Notes & Actions from last meeting

· Re Action 2:- WFDC award to BDT (£5k)

Ongoing. CE-W attended a BDT meeting last week where a Powerpoint Presentation was made by their consultant. No conclusion provided and CE-W was excluded from the private meeting held afterwards. Only 5 responses received to the survey.

DK has asked RP for a copy. It appears traders have not been fully consulted.

· Re Action 19:- Public Consultation (Schools/youth)

Ongoing. Considering how the proposal for a drawing competition based on a vision of the future for Bewdley is rolled out to younger (primary school aged) school children in the area (e.g. Bewdley Primary/St Anne’s/Button Oak Primary). CE-W and DK liaising and DK will bring it up at the next Rotary Club meeting. Ideas to be put forward to next NPSG meeting.

· Re Action 21: Website

Ongoing. The TC has been in touch with the web designer who aims to get the website up and running by the end of this week (15/04/16). In the meantime, the questionnaire (pdf format) is on the Town Council’s website, together with the storyboard contents and a video on neighbourhood planning (as shown at the consultation event on 26th March).

· Re Action 25: Public Consultation

See below:

Neighbourhood Plan Consultation

The Chairman expressed his thanks to all those who attended and helped make the consultation event on 26th March a success. Despite it being held on Easter Saturday, the event generated lots of interest and reached out to the community. Particular thanks were extended to the Town Clerk for his outstanding work throughout the process, including updating and organising the new websites. So far, 68% of all questionnaires handed out at the event have been completed and returned – an excellent indication of people’s willingness to participate and make their views known.

Where are we now?

1) The TC has arranged for a Consultation Questionnaire to be circulated within the Bridge Magazine which is delivered to every home in Bewdley. This will enable wide

circulation and magazines will go out on 1st May. The cost of the insert will be £500. Guidance is contained in the questionnaire as to the locations where they can be returned, i.e. either The Guildhall, Bewdley TIC, Bewdley Library, Wribbenhall Parish Room, Bewdley Blooms or Bewdley Farm Shop. The deadline for return is 13th May.

AGREED*:

a) Due to potential problems at WPR, the TC will email the caretaker and confirm arrangements for drop off and collection.

b) The TC will investigate whether it is possible to have the online questionnaire in a ‘live’ format, rather than pdf.

2) The TC has liaised with Sally Tagg and agreed that further comments made on the questionnaire will be recorded and categorised by us, identifying the main issues raised (spreadsheet completed to date provided at the meeting). Foxley Tagg will analyse the remaining data gathered and incorporate the results from our analysis and produce a Consultation Summary Document, as per the agreed Project Plan. On completion, a Gap Analysis and Risk Assessment will be made by Foxley Tagg, followed by identification of Issues and Options.

3) Questionnaires to be distributed to schools in Bewdley with deadline for return of 20th May.

AGREED*:

Cllr E-W to lead on this action.

4) Further consultation with traders is very important (as most working and unable to attend on 26th March).

AGREED*

The TC and Cllr JB will liaise re separate Business & Trade Questionnaire – to be sent out via email where possible.

5) Next Public event: June (Whitsun weekend) – public meeting to provide an update of progress to date and results of first consultation.

AGREED*

a) The TC to make enquiries as to the availability of either the Wribbenhall Parish Room or the Shaw Hedge Road Community Centre.

b) Storyboards be updated – objectives to be included once data results known. Tourism and Comm & Transport to be created for June 2016 (CE-W/PE).

c) The TC to arrange for the storyboards to be placed on display during the Annual Town Meeting on 12th April. (It has already been agreed that they can also be displayed in the courtyard to Bewdley Museum/Guildhall)

d) The TC will liaise with Sally Tagg to confirm the timeline, with the aim of being ready for referendum in May 2017.

6) Wyre Forest DC Liaison

AGREED*

The Town Clerk will liaise with the Planning Authority and, after the 5th May election, with newly appointed WFDC Councillors to update them on progress with the Neighbourhood Plan.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting of the Steering Group was agreed as Monday, 9th May 2016 at 7.00pm in the Guildhall, Load Street, Bewdley.

Apologies for this meeting were presented by Cllr Edginton-White.

Please also see Action Sheet (* items added)

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