Consultation Document May 2014
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Consultation Document May 2014 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Purpose of statement 5 3.0 The process – how consultation was made 6 4.0 Initial steps – the questionnaire 8 5.0 Wider consultation with the community and organisations 12 6.0 Evolution and first Public Consultation 14 7.0 Second Public Consultation - Tickhill Gala – 6th July 2013 19 8.0 Stages in the preparation of the Pre-Submission Consultation Document 21 9.0 Changes made following the local Pre-Submission Draft Neighbourhood Plan Consultation 27th August – 11th October 2013 24 10.0 Final Stages 30 Appendices 31 2 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Following the 1974 reorganisation, Tickhill Town Council (TTC) was formed within the larger area of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC) in the newly created county of South Yorkshire. Although the council is a town council, its boundaries coincide with that of the parish of St Mary’s church, Tickhill. Therefore, as the map below shows, the jurisdiction of the Tickhill Neighbourhood Plan as drawn up by TTC simultaneously covers the local government administrative area for the town of Tickhill and the ecclesiastical parish of Tickhill. Area covered by the Tickhill Neighbourhood Plan 1.2 The Localism Act of 2011 provided the opportunity for the development of Neighbourhood Plans with the intent to place greater emphasis on planning at the local level. Local communities were given new powers to have a direct say in the future of their local area by helping to shape the area in which they live. 1.3 Having held a Planning and Localism Training Day on 9th March 2012, at the next scheduled council meeting of 27th March Tickhill Town Council unanimously decided to accept the challenge to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan. Letters of invitation were sent to all Tickhill Town Councillors, the three Borough Councillors and the Planning Officer at DMBC plus the chair and deputy chair of Tickhill Residents’ Association. Letters were also sent to local residents who had expressed interest in the idea of a Neighbourhood Plan when it had first been muted locally. Fourteen people consequently attended an inaugural meeting held on April 19th where it was formally decided to instigate a Neighbourhood Plan. This information was disseminated to the local community and, one month later on the 14th May, a further meeting of sixteen interested parties was held at which a Steering Group was formed. At this meeting, Mr Ray Hill, Mayor of Tickhill and leader of TTC, nominated Mr John Hoare, a local resident, to act as chairperson for the Steering Group. This 3 was seconded and accepted. Following nominations and voting, Mrs Rosemary Chappell, another local resident, became secretary to the group and Cllr Ray Hill, Mayor, deputy chairperson. (Appendix 1.3 – Notes from the Steering Group meeting, May 2012.) The make-up of the Steering Group has remained fluid throughout the process of the drawing up of the plan, allowing residents, businesses and organisations and other stakeholders to join the group or send representatives, should they wish, after its inception. 1.4 A Core Group of six volunteers, working on behalf of the larger Steering Group, was drawn up but this was soon increased to ten to take account of the wider issues and concerns being highlighted as the plan proceeded and developed. (Appendix 1.4 - Core Group members.) 1.5 Both groups started work straightaway while TTC went through the legal process necessary to apply for permission to formulate a plan. 1.6 On 3rd June 2012, TTC made a formal application to DMBC for the designation of a Neighbourhood Area under Part 2 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. This was received and accepted by DMBC on 14th June and went live on DMBC’s website for comments during a six week consultation period. The expiry date for such comments was Friday 27th July 2012. (Appendices 1.6a – Letter from TTC to DMBC; 1.6b – Response from DMBC.) 1.7 Final approval to progress a Neighbourhood Plan in the designated area of the parish of Tickhill was granted by the Planning Committee of DMBC on 2nd November 2012 and posted on its web-site. This formal acknowledgement allowed the work already underway to continue towards a final plan. 1.8 All the work undertaken to progress the Tickhill Neighbourhood Plan has been carried out by volunteers. TTC designated a small budget for the cost of materials and one anonymous public donation was received. It is obvious that the volunteers have given a great deal of their time and, in some cases, funded materials from their own resources. In this way, the cost to the Council of producing the Plan has been kept extremely low. However, in October 2013 TTC applied for, and obtained, a grant of £980.00 from the Community Development Foundation to help with costs in the later stages of production. 4 2.0 Purpose of statement 2.1 The legal obligations of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulation (2012) require a body carrying out a Neighbourhood Plan to deliver a Consultation Statement. 2.2 Section 15(2) of Part 5 of the Regulations states that a Consultation Statement: (a) contains details of the persons and bodies who were consulted about the proposed neighbourhood development plan; (b) explains how they were consulted; (c) summarises the main issues and concerns raised by the persons consulted; (d) describes how these issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed neighbourhood development plan. 2.3 The Consultation Statement that follows addresses the above in chronological order of events. Contact with the wider community was made continuously both by the use of conventional methods (meetings, posters, mailings, telephone conversations, articles) and the use of electronic communication (e-mail, web pages, Facebook). The latter made it easier to send information quickly and to invite comments for consideration as well as being able to allow most members of the Steering Group (three members did not have e-mail access, in which case hard copies were supplied) to keep abreast of the nuances of progress. 2.4 This Consultation Statement provides an overview of consultation at various stages of formulating the Tickhill Neighbourhood Plan. It is intended to support, and be read in conjunction with, other statements and reports that go up to make the final Tickhill Neighbourhood Plan. As the Plan evolved, references to statements and policies were sometimes altered, added to or otherwise revised so, as this document is read through, references made will apply to the document current at the date of consultation and may not necessarily be the same as in the final Neighbourhood Plan. 5 3.0 The process – how consultation was made 3.1. The Steering Group, working on behalf of TTC, from the start set out to engage with as many in the community as possible. Each member was asked to list the organisations to which he/she belonged and this, together with a list of local groups and organisations published in Tickhill Today (a free local publication which is delivered monthly to virtually all 2,398 households in Tickhill) formed the working contact base. 3.2 Two further groups in the town were also invited to become involved: Tickhill Together is a group of members of the community who, along with local businesses, work to promote Tickhill and all it has to offer. It was formed in 2007. It is instrumental in organising local events such as the annual Scarecrow Festival and the Late Night Opening in November which coincides with the switching on of the Christmas lights. Tickhill Business Association was formed in February 2012 by local independent businesses to ensure that Tickhill businesses and the economic core of the town remain healthy for the benefit of the whole community. It aims to raise the profile and reputation of Tickhill as a premier destination and to develop and share good practice. There is some overlap in the membership of these two organisations. 3.3 The Steering Group was very anxious to ensure that all ages of the community were consulted. It was agreed that young people are often reluctant to fill in questionnaires or attend meetings. So, in order to reach out to them, during the process of consultation, both junior schools in the town were visited along with a visit to the Explorer Scouts of the 13th Doncaster (Tickhill) Scout Group. The latter consisted of 14 – 18 year old boys and girls. Their contribution will be detailed further on in this consultation statement. 3.4 In addition to the above, there was regular communication with Jane Stimpson Planning Policy Manager (Built Environment) DMBC along with other council departments with an input to have such as, among others, Highways, Arboriculture, Community West Area Management Team, Communities Development, DMBC Allotments Department, Public Rights of Way. 3.5 Non-council bodies that were consulted include, among others, Severn Trent Water; Shire Group of Internal Drainage Boards; Doncaster East Internal Drainage Board; St Leger Homes; Active Independence (a charity for the disabled); Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. 3.6 Throughout the whole process, the residents of Tickhill have been kept informed by a monthly update in Tickhill Today written by John Hoare (see Appendix 3.6 – Entries 6 in Tickhill Today). The council website has also had a page dedicated to the Neighbourhood Plan and, from July 2013, a discrete e-mail address [email protected] has been live. The library, which is centrally situated in the town, has also carried copies of any communication that the Steering Group has wished to make. Public notice boards and local shops and businesses have prominently displayed posters at appropriate times during the consultation.