Bomere Heath & District Community Led Plan (BH&D – CLP)

HAVE YOUR SAY

Bomere Heath & District Parish Council (BH&DPC) are keen for a Community Led Plan to be undertaken, this is not a parish council initiative, the CLP is born from the Localism Act 2011 based on the coalition heads, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg  saying “The time has come to disperse power more widely in Britain today.” (HM Government, 2010)

The Localism Act focusses on many areas but the core element that relates to Bomere Heath is that “Instead of local people being told what to do, the Government thinks that local communities should have genuine opportunities to influence the future of the places where they live.” (Department for Communities and Local Government, November 2011)

 

Residents of the Parish, this means you, BH&DPC aim to enable the parish to ‘Have Your Say’ by participating in the forthcoming Community Led Plan. It is not all about the Summer Party on the 1st July at the Bomere Heath Cricket Ground, this is just the start.  We aim to form a steering committee made up of keen local individuals from a diverse mixture of the community to lead the CLP.  Every person from the 900+ houses in the parish is invited.

It is suggested that a CLP follow a LEAD format (Eardley & Vincent, 2011).  This is the process that the BH&D-CLP is intended to take. Shropshire RCC has simplified the process, shown below;

The ‘Have your Say’ Summer party sits within the initial Launch stage, whereby we explain the process, involve and inform the community  and the main aim is to form a steering committee.  To be successful and balanced, the steering committee needs to fairly represent the community as a whole. 

For the steering committee (when formed) to understand your needs and create the community vision from the Evidence & Agree steps, it will need your input.  So will need you and your family’s thoughts on what you want for the parish in the future.

You could influence topics by ‘having you say’ on the following;

Housing and Building Development – including new houses and their locations

Transport, Infrastructure, Traffic and Road Safety – this is a hot topic for the community

Local Services and facilities – do you want a supermarket, doctors, dentist or none of these

Young People needs – are the young catered for

The natural and local environment - allotments, forestry, watercourses,

Business and Agriculture – more, less, where, limitations?

The list is not exhaustive and the steering committee will shape your thoughts through a questionnaire or public meeting.

Did you know that through grants and funding in 2015 BH&DPC spent £54,000 on the new playground and earlier this year gave £5,000 towards the cost of the  Cricket Club's all weather nets? It is decisions like this that the CLP can shape for the future. Even with the government cut backs, grants and funding are available for the community, so it is important that the community speak out and help decide what it would prefer and establish the community’s priority.

Being a democratic society we are aware that not everyone will get what they want when they want it, there just isn’t the funding.  However, if you make your voice heard during the process, the Steering Committee can listen and include your thoughts into the final Plan.

At the summer party Renee Wallace the Community Projects Co-ordinator from Shropshire Rural Communities Charity will be on hand to explain the process and how the CLP should take shape over the forthcoming 12 – 18 months.  Renee is the BH&DPC appointed advisor who has a wealth of experience in forming CLP’s for other Shropshire communities.  Renee and the Shropshire RCC will undertake an independent data analysis from the questionnaire/community engagement findings and assist in the construction of the finished plan.  The initial input will be in formulating a timetable and an action plan for the committee, we’ll not be alone.

If you can make it we’d love to see you on the 1st July. Please get involved and register your interest on our new website at WWW.BOMERE HEATH.CO.UK or contact Sue Horton on 01939 290200.   

Many Thanks

Dan Harmer

BH&DPC - CLP PC Committee Chair

 

 

 

References

 

Department for Communities and Local Government. (November 2011). A plain English guide to the Localism Act. London: DCLG Publications.

Eardley, & Vincent. (2011). Making the most of Community Led Planning;a best practice guide for local authorities. London: ACRE & AMT.

HM Government. (2010). The Coalition: our programme. London: Cabinet Office.