Minutes of the Seventh Meeting of Woodhouse Parish Plan Group
Monday 17th May 2004

Present [15]
[Names have been removed from this copy (both here and below) for Data Protection reasons]

Resignation
XXXXXXX has resigned as she is now very involved in fund-raising for the Woodhouse Eaves children's play area. Thank you XXXX for being the lead member of the Facilities sub group. [ XXXXX sent details of funding sources that may help].

Previous Minutes
Agreed.

Matters arising
Funds
The bank account is now open. Our account has £1767 credit [half of the grant from the Countryside Agency and the full donation from the parish council].  Our printing budget seems to be too little at £325, a quotation based on another village's print run.  Our actual quotations are almost double this amount.  XXXXXX will help to explore what might be done.
Questionnaire quantity
We discussed the issue of individual versus household questionnaires, based on the experience of the Pilot.  If we print individual questionnaires, they will cost more to print: we have 100 questions now. It will increase the time and cost of entering the responses. As the RCC recommended 4 per hour it will take 200 hours to enter 800 responses - based on a working day of 6 hours, a suitable limit for this kind of activity, this means 33 days to do the work.  The Pilot indicated that it was not a problem for household members to agree their views.  However, we agreed to add a note to say that, if there are disagreements on particular questions, please give comments.
Consultation with service providers
The pilot version, since amended, will be sent out this week.  Entering the questions into the RCC software has now started.  Minor changes can be made when the consultation period ends. 

Open meeting – 22 May – 10 a.m. – 1p.m.  Village Hall
In addition to those agreed at the previous meeting, repeated below, XXXXXXX  will place more posters around the village, and XXXXXX will help to set up.  Set up time is from 09.30.

XXXXX suggested that two posters labelled 'Hot Spots' and 'Grot Spots' would invite people to note where action needs to be taken around the villages.  Another would ask people if they were prepared to help.  Yet another could ask 'What would you do within the parish if you had £1000?'

Publicity [pre+post]	XXXXX, XXXXXXXX, XXXXXX [sent out Tuesday 18th May]
Posters		XXXXXX [now placed in shops & on notice boards]
Flip chart + pens	XXXXXX
Refreshments	XXXXX and XXXXX
Sample parish plans	XXXXXX/XXXXXX
On street PR		XXXXXX
Local children	XXXXX via XXXXXXX
Explainers		XXXXX, XXXXXX, XXXXX, XXXXXX + the above

Everyone who sees these minutes is also invited to attend at some time during the morning.

Village Design Statement
XXXXXX explained the ideas behind a village design statement [VDS] and produced a handout [circulated with these minutes].  In outline, a VDS is produced by local people to provide details of the essential characteristics of their village, what makes it unique, and what is worth preserving in terms of landscape and architecture.  If 'adopted' by the Borough Council, it can eventually form Supplementary Planning Guidance, and be taken into account by planners and developers.  A VDS can cover home extensions, street furniture, gardens and garages as well as larger features such as scale and building design - the idea is to express what makes a village unique and attractive.  It cannot say whether or not development can take place, but it can influence its scale and nature.

It is based on research and survey.  There is existing work to consult e.g. the Women's Institute have surveyed the Charnwood area and their report is available from the Holly Hayes Resource Centre [listed on the previously circulated Funding Info document]

In Burton for example, people walked round their village, noting and photographing characteristics.  The photos were developed over a picnic lunch and the outline of their VDS was discussed.  In Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves, XXXXX suggested that people 'swapped' villages: it is sometimes helpful to see your village through less familiar eyes.

There is no provision in our budget for a VDS.  Charnwood Borough Council has some funding available to cover the cost of colour images.  Wymeswold published theirs on CD-ROM to reduce costs.

To start the process, a sub group needs to be established.  There is an appropriate question on the questionnaire.  There will be an opportunity at the Open Meeting on Saturday 22nd May to recruit volunteers.  Other parishes are willing to provide advice e.g. Burton in the Wolds - XXXXXXX.

Questionnaire 
The questionnaire has gone through numerous revisions.  Since the pilot, the order of the sections has been adjusted and many questions have had their words or format changed.  There are also new questions [e.g. known to be of concern to the Primary Care Trust].  However, some questions may not appear where information can be obtained from elsewhere [e.g. on traffic density and speed], and some from separate sub groups have been combined.  Thank you to everyone who helped with the pilot.

For the under 13 age group, it was suggested that the school and/or parents should have a copy of the relevant questions.  Children under 9 years could be asked to draw a picture or write a story.

A copy of the revised draft, as sent out to service providers, will be circulated to all members of the group.

Any other business
There will be a road show on Tuesday 18th May at 7 p.m. to consider the Issues paper published by Charnwood Borough Council [Towards a Charnwood Local Development Framework: Issues and Questions].  This is the first step in the process of developing a framework to last until 2016, and the consultation period will end on 18th June 2004.  After this, the Council will produce a draft framework for formal consultation.  The Framework is on the Charnwood BC website www.charnwood.gov.uk and members of the Parish Plan Group who attended collected a few extra copies - please ask if you would like one.

There is a Local Development Framework Review day meeting the Quality Hotel on Friday June 11th, for members of the Community Strategy Forum, which includes Parish Plan Groups and Parish Councils. XXXXX recommends that 2 people go.

Date and Time of Next Meetings **** Please note extra dates ***
Monday 14th  June, 7.30 p.m.  

**Tuesday 20th July 	[to feed back on the questionnaire survey]
** Monday 20th September [to consider the results & plan the Village Design Statement]
 
All in the Village Hall, Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves

XXXXXXX, Secretary to the Parish Plan Group
Parish Councils' Website: http://www.leicestershireparishcouncils.org
Woodhouse Eaves website: http://www.woodhouse-eaves.co.uk