Lewknor, Postcombe and South Weston Neighbourhood Planning Group
Minutes of the meeting held on Wed. 25th July 2018, 7.30pm
Attending Apologies
Chris Smith (chaired the meeting) James Winspear Kayti Foster Helen Knight Thomas Meath Jon Knight Peter Gardner Peter Freeman Lesley Peel Ailsa Blackman Charles Hopkinson-Woolley Elan Preston-Whyte Paul Smith Alexander Lewis (first part of meeting)
Item 1. Minutes of last Meeting The minutes of the meeting held on 11th July 2018 were approved.
Item 2. Matters arising Completed consultation 2 questionnaires are now being returned/collected for data entry (see item 4). Action: Survey collectors will each input their own data with a deadline of 31st July for completion of this action.
Duncan, Christine and Chris are due to meet to look at housing needs
The Community Engagement group met on 25th June and agreed content for the website. A quote has been submitted by VisionICT for work to create site map, populate content and provide first line support. Louis has been asked to transfer the domain name.
Policies - Charles has had no success trying to telephone Ricardo Rios at SODC for guidance on policy writing/what stage the NP would need to attain in order to have relevance at the planning inquiry and what level of engagement we should have with businesses in the parish. It was recommended he try email.
Action: Charles will contact Ricardo on these points via email.
The group discussed the planning inquiry into the possible development in Watlington Rd. Alexander has been in discussion with All Souls, Savills and Rainier Development in an endeavour to facilitate a favourable outcome. In summary, the developers have identified key areas for the basis of appeal. The Parish Council (PC) has asked the Strategic Group for our views on applying for Rule 6 status. This was discussed and the general consensus of the meeting was that they should not apply for Rule 6 status, especially in view of the formidable cost. It was felt an organised, collaborative approach with the PC would be the way forward. Comment was made that we are in need of more assistance from the PC. It was felt that a member of the PC should attend each Steering group meeting, deputising where necessary. It was suggested that having Barbara Drysdale, Secretary to the PC, attend would be an asset, especially if we could avail of her skills as a minute taker, - although it was acknowledged this would need to be remunerated.
Action: The Strategic Group will review case work, research key topics, identify useful supporting material, and propose best the approach to the presentation. Alexander will speak to John Howell MP and Caroline Newton. Chris will contact Caroline Hjorth, Chair – PC to arrange a joint meeting to discuss the appeal with the Strategic Group and any members of the Steering Group that wishes to attend are invited.
It was suggested that it would be useful for members to attend the Tetsworth planning appeal which is taking place at 10.00am on 14th August in Tetsworth village hall.
Elan to contact Karen Harris, the Chair of the Tetsworth Parish Council, who has kindly offered to help us with the appeal.
Item 3. Finance Chris reported that to the best of her knowledge there has been no expenditure since the last meeting
Item 4. Reports from Cons. 2 and planned follow up event Following completion of data entry and in preparation for the Cons 2 report, the data will now be analysed. The plan is for feedback to the community to be given at Lewknor Village show on 9 September and the England’s Rose, Postcombe is a potential venue for a second event near to that date - to be confirmed.
Action: Jon, Helen and Tom to analyse the data when available
Item 5. Vision Statement We decided to defer a decision on the wording of the vision statement until we are further along the NP process.
Item 6. Next Steps Call for Sites - The assigned group for site allocations have had their first meeting and produced a Call for Sites. Peter G discussed with Ricardo from SODC the intention to place the notice in the Grapevine, on notice boards, PC and LPC websites and social media. Ricardo was satisfied with this distribution. There have been issues in the publication of Grapevine for this copy, now resolved.
Policy Writing - The first meeting of this group will be held on 2 August.
The group discussed draft 2 of the Housing Needs Assessment submitted this week by AECOM. It was felt that the report had not fully met the brief that was set, and a number of the points should be refuted. AECOM have requested feedback on the report in one week. This is not feasible given the degree of scrutiny required and members’ availability.
Comment was made that the active members of the Steering Group are very small in number and we still have a considerable volume of work to undertake in producing the Neighbourhood Plan. This puts a lot of work on the shoulders of a few, who equally have competing pressures from work, other activities and personal interests.
Action: Peter G, Ailsa and Chris will endeavour to ensure the Newsletter is distributed around the LP by this weekend to allow maximum time for response. Chris will email AECOM to request an extension to the deadline for feedback.
Peter G, Tom, Kayti, and Chris will meet at 7:30 pm on 1st August at 8 Weston Road to go through the AECOM report. Jon and Helen are to be invited to attend.
Ailsa to put a call out on FB to welcome active members to the NP Steering Group
Item 7. Website
The Steering Group authorised the commissioning of VisionICT to work on the website. The site will have the facility to grow as needed. Invoices will be sent to the PC for payment. From Year 2 onwards the annual fee for hosting the website will be £175.00 per annum. Action: Ailsa will give VisionICT the link to select docs on the Google drive and ensure unpublished site content is circulated for comments and edits before it goes live.
Item 8. Policies
Policy Writing - The first meeting of this group will be held on 2 August.
Little Milton NP has been selected by the Group as a useful template for the LPNP, being concise and well structured. This document will guide us in ensuring the LPNP has incorporated the necessary key areas. The Group reviewed the index of the Little Milton NP.
Action: Sections assigned to members to be referenced as guide in development of LPNP content as follows:
Sections: 1, 2, 3, - Ailsa Sections: 7, 8, 12 - Environmental Group Sections: 10 - Housing Assessment Needs Group Sections: 6,9,11 - Infrastructure Group
Sections: 4, 5, 12,13,14,15 - to be assigned
Item 9. Working Group reports It appears the infrastructure group now consists of Nick and Peter. The Infrastructure group will give feedback at the next meeting on when an infrastructure draft report will be available. The Environment Group have begun to draft their report. It was felt that the economic feature of the report needs to be addressed. This was discussed and it was suggested that James may be willing to help with some computer based support on this aspect. Peter F will extract a list of commercial sites and properties from the Parish address list as a starting point. Action: Chris to contact James
Item10. AOB No points raised
Post meeting: It was suggested that Ian Hargreaves may be a potential volunteer to assist with research for the economic content of the report. Action: Charles to approach Ian about this help. If unsuccessful to advise Chris so can follow up with James as per action point above
Date of next meeting. Next meeting – 8 th August, 7.30pm – 8 Weston Road