Minutes of the Fourth Meeting of Woodhouse Parish Plan Group
Monday 16th February 2004

Present [27]
[Names have been removed from this copy (both here and below) for Data Protection reasons]

Previous Minutes
Agreed with an amended header: Woodhouse PP Group instead of Woodhouse Eaves...

Funds
Our Budget proposal will be considered by the Countryside Agency in late February - we should know the result in early March.  We were advised that the maximum we could apply for was 75% of total costs, finding the rest in kind and from the Parish Council [PC]. We do not have a separate bank account at this stage, but the Parish Council is treating the Parish Plan as a separate project, and any finances can be identified as such.  Should we consider applying for grants to undertake work arising from the Plan's Action Plan, a separate account may then be necessary.

County Council letter
In discussing the helpful letter received from the Village Appraisal Co-ordinator,xxxxx,, group members heard about other initiatives, such as the fact that in the parish we have tree, heritage and archaeology wardens who liaise with the relevant PC, Borough and County Council officers.  It was noted that the volunteer group dealing with the Old Woodhouse community room development [at St Mary's Church] are liaising with Welbeck College.  The college is keen to get involved in the villages and are to pay for a special edition of the parish magazine.  Our Chair noted that, at the appropriate stage, we will be consulting these and other bodies.  She also noted that these links were very encouraging for the overall Parish Plan project.

Sub-Groups' draft Questionnaires
Feedback from each group's lead member showed excellent progress in consulting people for their views on the relevant issues and devising questions.  Most sub-groups have already held two meetings  [drafts to hand were sent out with the Agenda - any tabled drafts will be circulated with these Minutes].

Design, Land Use & Environment 
Seven questions so far.  Have consulted 'rights of way' people about bridleways.  Can the two villages can be separated during questionnaire analysis [=Yes].  The grading of the seriousness of responses may relate to their location [e.g. outlying farms].

Traffic & Transport 
Twelve questions so far.  We have a high accident rate within the County.  Could ask people what forms of transport they use.  Ask if people are satisfied, rather than simply have things changed.  Can we have access to the traffic census made last summer?

Facilities, Recreation and Community Involvement Attached
Have covered facilities such as the village hall, allotments, sports facilities, children's play areas, and general villages' appearance.  Separate questions for Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves would be helpful to reflect the differing level of facilities.  For example, to test whether there is support for a community room at Woodhouse and what people would want to use it for.

Public Services 
Concerns highlighted include the issue of facilities for children returning from school mid afternoon, access to police and involvement in local government.  Access to Health services seems to be fairly good, except for hospitals.

Employment  to be circulated later
Have tested the views of some local businesses, mainly retailers, to ask about access to and gaps in local services.  A member of Charnwood and Leicestershire Young Farmers is joining the group.

People - A  Attached (not on website copy)
Young people: Will soon pilot young people on what they like or not about living here, what changes and activities they wish for.  Could the questions be added on to the main questionnaire?  Primary school children:  it was suggested that it may be helpful if children help to devise the questions.  This could probably be arranged via members of the group that had contacts with St Pauls.  It was noted that 50% of the children at St Paul's come from outside the villages, and 50% of the children in the villages go to schools outside the parish.

People - B 
This group has not yet met as the lead for the group had only been confirmed recently.  Its main aim is to add questions to gather basic demographic data such as age, location, etc.  The Rural Community Council has provided guidance on this essential part of the questionnaire.

Action [ALL]:  Send any comments on the drafts to group leads by 8th March

Issues arising from the discussion 
Many queries were raised about the format of questions.  Most of the consistency will be achieved later by an editorial group, who will handle overlaps and turn the questions into appropriate formats for the RCC software.  Where possible, simple responses such as YES/NO or with tick boxes are better than free text comments, but both can be handled.  

Analysis of the questionnaires will be done with help from the RCC, and will use the software they provide.  This means that sub analyses by factors such as age or village will be possible.

The likely differences in opinion between individual family members lead to consideration of our earlier decision to issue the questionnaire to households together with a separate youth appraisal rather than to individuals.  The decision had been made on grounds of cost and complexity. This will be reconsidered at a future meeting. One option is to offer additional questionnaires on request.

It was noted that personal delivery and collection of questionnaires greatly increases response rates.  It also gives the opportunity to support anyone who needs help filling them in.

Next Steps
Sub-groups to receive comments and revise draft questions for the next meeting [or before by email to the Chair or Secretary].

Date and Time of Next Meeting
Monday 22nd  March, 7.30 p.m.  
Village Hall, Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves

xxxxxxxx
Secretary to the Parish Plan Group

Parish Councils Website: http://www.leicestershireparishcouncils.org/index.php?subareaid=17
Woodhouse Eaves website: http://www.woodhouse-eaves.co.uk