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A presentation at the Parish meeting 22^nd May 2006 by Clive Wigfall

A Parish Plan for Stoke Gabriel

1.     What is it?

2.     Why do it?

3.     Who does it?

4.     When do we do it?

What is a Parish Plan?

First of all, a Parish plan it is not just a map of the area showing the Parish boundary and its amenities. We already have a Parish Map, which has proved to be so popular that it was ‘borrowed’ from outside this very hall…. we are still awaiting its return!!!

No, a parish Plan is a much bigger ‘animal’; it is a document which brings together the views, needs and opinions of the whole Parish; it is a holistic document which covers all issues relevant to the Parish and the surrounding locality. It sets out what is important, whether they be key facilities and services or distinctive local character, and  it gives everyone a chance to guide future development in their locality. All Parish Plans are different as they are developed by each community in response to their own needs by using the skills and enthusiasm within the community,

Parish Plans grew out of the Rural White Paper published in 2000. And the concept was developed by the Countryside Agency within the ‘Vital Village’ Scheme. Since then delivery has been devolved locally as part of the Rural Social and Community programme and, in our case,, we would come under  the Rural Community Council for Devon.

 Why do it?

  The Government wants local communities to take more control of their own lives, to say what they want in doing in their own neighbourhood and to engage with other powers to get it done. A parish Plan is one of the first steps along that way and will help us to identify what our Parish, the Parish of Stoke Gabriel wants and to work out how to get it done.  

It is a tried and tested tool that has been used by over 3000 parishes in the UK.

…In the South Hams alone, there are in place or ‘in progress’ over 30 Parish plans. …

Parish Planning has proved to be a successful way for rural citizens and communities to make their voices heard and even get things done locally. A parish plan sets out what the Parish needs, and what parishioners value based on the opinions of the whole community.

 By way of  information the top issues emerging nationally from Parish plans are;

·        Housing

·        Facilities for young people

·        Road Traffic

·        Policing, law and order

·        Local environmental concerns

·        Public transport

·        Inadequacy of specific village services.

  I am sure that you will all agree that these topics all sound very familiar in this parish,

May I remind people of the recent and ongoing matter of ‘affordable housing’!!

 Who does it?

 Well everyone does it.  You are involved, I am involved. A Parish plan gives the whole community a chance to say what they think about the social, economic and environmental issues affecting the parish, and the process gives them the opportunity to say what improvements they would like to see in the future. It is also a great opportunity to utilize, encourage and bring together the hidden and latent skills and talents in our community. It is important that the whole community is involved in its production, and not just the Parish Council and those few who come to Parish Council meetings!!!

 The Parish Council ultimately takes responsibility for producing and endorsing a Parish Plan……but that does not mean that the Parish Council does all the work!!!!!.  Usually, and ideally, most of the work will be done by a steering committee drawn from all sections of the Parish to ensure that the plan represents the views of the whole community. The Parish Council’s role is to support and guide them in that work.

 Support is also on hand from the Rural Community Council (who I have already contacted) and from the local District Council. There is an abundance of information available on the internet, as well as from local councils, national government and other Parish Councils who have already completed their Plans, so we have no excuse not to take up the challenge. 

When do we do it?

 There is no time like the present to start the ball rolling. In fact if we are not careful we could miss funding opportunities if we do not take up the challenge. Yes, it will cost money, but Defra has made, and I quote, £9 million available for such projects as Parish Plans through the Rural Social and Community, so the cost to the Parish should be minimal. Naturally, a  plan takes time to produce, and time scales are difficult to predict at this stage without further research and discussion, but you could reckon from ..say   ….initiation, through consultation to publication…. up to..say…a couple of years

 The next steps in the process are basically simple:

1.     Get the backing of the Parish Council (I propose to raise the matter at the next Council meeting.)

2.     Get the Community on board

3.     Create a Steering Committee and agree a working protocol

4.     Estimate the costs of the project

5.     Identify sources of funding and/or help in Kind

 Although having said the process is ‘simple’, there is an awful lot of hard work (and enjoyment) involved and it is not a project to be taken on lightly. However, having said that, I personally feel, and even more so having researched the subject, albeit only having scratched the surface, that by producing a Parish Plan, we, The Parish Council, will have a clearer vision of what we are doing, where we are going and what our parishioners want. At present we can, perhaps, be accused of going from month to month dealing with issues as they come up without any sense of direction …….. i.e. being reactive. A Parish plan will give us a sense of direction and legitimacy within the community both within the Parish and the District – indeed South Hams District Council would be very much involved in the Plan- and we will become more pro-active within a more vibrant community.

 Indeed, perhaps instead of parishioners moaning ‘why don’t the Parish Council do…X’…. Or ‘why did the Parish Council do….Y’… They can say ‘we built ….X ..for the community’    or ‘we got  Y done’…… and all because they were involved and  made their voices heard through a simple Parish Plan.

 Finally, Mr Chairman, I hope that I have not gone one too long, but at the same time I hope that I have given everyone an idea of what a Parish Plan is, and what it involves. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to raise the subject, which I feel can only be of benefit to The Parish and its Community. Thank You.

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