by Wickhambrook Parish Clerk
The Community Engagement Day on 3rd July at the Memorial Social Centre was well supported, with over sixty people attending and looking at the displays. Thanks are extended to Richard Byers and Roger Merry who engaged with visitors about Neighbourhood Planning on the day). Ten residents expressed an interest in forming a steering group to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan and a steering group of 13 members has now been established with a wide range of skills and experience. Detailed advice on preparing Neighbourhood Plans can be found in the publication Neighbourhood Plans Roadmap.
At its meeting on 22nd July, the parish council appointed two councillors, Sandy Thwaite and Tracey Turner, to that group, and also resolved to:
- Authorise unspent £200 plus VAT allocated under Minute ref 21.03.6.1 for professional support to Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group from Plans4People until a Neighbourhood Planning Consultant is appointed by the parish council;
- Delegate authority to submit a grant application to Locality for Neighbourhood Planning financial and technical support.
A copy of the full report considered by the parish council is attached here.
The next stages in the preparation of a Neighbourhood Plan are to:
To consider what its objectives are in preparing a plan
- To identify a Neighbourhood area (For town or parish councils, there is a presumption that the neighbourhood area will be the same as the parish boundary:
- To be approved by the parish council before
- Approaching West Suffolk Council for the area to be designated
- Apply for grant funding and additional technical support through Locality;
- Appoint a Neighbourhood Planning Consultant (this would need to be approved by full council).
If you would like to be involved in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for the parish, or would like to receive regular updates on parish council activities and consultations, please contact Hilary Workman .