Community Consultation [Village Plans] Seminar 2004
County Hall
11 March 2003
Organised by the Rural Community Council & Leics CC for the Leics Rural Partnership

Attendance: 144 people
Present were councillors, police, funding agencies, PCT, council officers and members of many Leicestershire village plan groups.

Programme
Two main strands:
1.	Funding agencies spoke of their work and funds, with some information on how to obtain their support.  At all times speakers emphasised their willingness to discuss possible applications before they were drafted and in some cases they could provide a support worker to help design any projects.  These agencies appeared to be generous in the level and kind of support they offered, and some were under spent.  One of the speakers, from the Leicester Shire [sic] Economic Partnership, spoke of their support to roll out broadband across the whole of Leicestershire by the end of this year.  

2.	Parish Plan groups presented some of the results of their work.  There was a high level of energy and action arising from the parish plan processes.  So far, 35 parishes have completed plans, 50 have done appraisals, and 40 have done design statements - over 75 communities are involved.  

In addition there were displays from the various agencies and plenty of leaflets about their work.

Funding for parish projects
Important pointers:
•	Be innovative
•	Choose projects that can be shared to other places as best practice 
•	Select those that improve access - e.g. more people gaining opportunities
•	Do what is important to your community e.g. local heritage that matters here
•	Make projects involve people in our community
•	Electronic business is an important issue within Leics

Presentations and projects
These were the main projects reported from the community groups.  They give a flavour of what can be financially supported:
Lubenham	Young people's Chill Out bus, oral history equipment, village crafts exhibition, garden wildlife survey	
Hoby/Ragdale/Rotherby	Village website, toddler playground, broadband access	
Desford	Community bus, playgrounds, footpath monitoring walking group	
Sharnford	Village newsletter, village watch, minders for vulnerable older people, evening buses	
Blaby	Village environment clean up	
Wymondham	Highway signage improvements, housing on derelict sites	
Castle Donington	Farmers' market & co-operative	

Rural Strategy for Leicestershire
The draft Strategy for 2004 - 2009 was enclosed with the programme.  This is open for consultation. You can download a copy from http://www.oakleaves.org.uk/text/leicestershireruralstrategy.doc.  Paper copies from jclarkson@leics.gov.uk or 0116 265 8117