Gloucestershire Parish & Community-Led Plan Case Study

South Cerney: 2005

What is a Parish Introduction and Community-Led plan? South Cerney is a village and in the of A Parish & Community- , a few miles south of

Led Plan is a document which sets out a vision for . It celebrated its 1000 year e r a community’s future anniversary in 1999, and has a i population of 3,074 (2001 census). h based on sound local s research, looking at r e social, environmental and The village of South Cerney lies within the Cotswold Water Park, an t s

economic life. area made up of over 130 lakes, mostly formed by gravel extraction. e

Thousands of years ago an ice sheet that covered the Midlands began c It celebrates positive to melt, turning into rivers. These rivers and streams took with them u o features and activities, sand and gravel, depositing them up to 20 feet thick in places. These l G highlights community sand and gravel deposits lay relatively undisturbed until people began , needs and contains a to excavate these resources in the early 1920s. As a result the area y detailed action plan to was left scarred with huge hollows and pits. Water began to naturally e n

help the community meet r fill the pits, turning them into freshwater lakes, and the area now known those needs. A Parish & e

as the Cotswold Water Park was born. Over recent years these lakes C

Community-Led Plan is have become increasingly popular places for fishing, water skiing, jet produced by and for the h skiing, sailing and walking. Holiday homes and housing developments t

community, based on a u

detailed survey and such as those found at the Watermark Club and the Lower Mill Estate o

have sprung up around some of the lakes, offering a range of S consultation process which involves the whole accommodation in the area. –

community. It prompts y action and influences As a result of this explosion of activity over recent years, the local d u others. villages have become more popular and South Cerney especially has t S

thrived.

A robust Parish & e Community-Led Plans is The South Cerney church contains a beautiful carved wooden head s a inclusive and can and foot of Christ, taken from a crucifix in Compostela, dating from the C demonstrate a robust

12th Century. At the end of Silver Street in South Cerney is St Edwards n

process that ensures its a

College, founded by Anne Edwards in 1834 (the primary school in l quality. It is steered by a South Cerney is called Anne Edwards School) to house the widows of P group of people from

clergymen. In nearby Station Road, an attractive row of gabled d

within the community, e cottages dates from the 16th and 17th Centuries. The remains of the including representation L some of the old railway line can also be found in this area of the - from the parish or town y village. t council and follows good i practice and advice from n a neutral independent South Cerney residents and visitors have seen its popularity and u body. In Gloucestershire, nearby facilities increase greatly over recent years but South Cerney m GRCC is the lead itselfo nes till has the charm of a Cotswold village. Industrial areas have m provider of advice and sprung up on its outskirts, bringing even more requirements for o C support for parish and housing, and a large estate was built on the land sold by Aggregate community led planning. Industries some years ago. With the ever increasing interest and d n

demand for ‘leisure pursuits’, it is likely that the area will continue to a

grow in popularity for many years to come. h s i r a P

The Environment Agency installed a flood monitoring station on the as a result the parish plan

Case study produced by Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) for the South West Acre Network (SWAN) May 2008.

The Process

How is the Parish Plan Between 1997 and 1999, a process kept comprehensive 100 page Village alive? Appraisal was compiled by South Cerney Parish Council and the In the committee South Cerney Trust. It was room at the village completed and published in 1999 hall there is an which coincided with the ‘action tracker’ displayed on the celebration of the millennium of the wall which details granting of the Royal Charter in all the actions 999AD.

from the plan. e r

This is updated In 2005 the Parish Council, working in partnership with GRCC, i regularly as decided the village should produce a new Parish Plan because most h s actions are of the projects listed in the Village Appraisal of 1999 had been r e completed or have achieved. The decision was taken at an early stage that the new t s

progressed. document would not focus on changing physical aspects of the e village but would be focused on progression. The lead group was the c At Parish Council u Parish Council, but great care was taken to involve as many people o meetings, and organisations as possible to ensure that a truly representative l G because the result was achieved. , Parish Plan forms y

e

the main plan of n

An open day was held at the village hall and all residents were r activity for the invited. There was an emphasis on getting the younger members of e

council, there is C often a ‘Parish the community to attend because 20% of the village population was h Plan update’ under the age of 20. The format of the open day was that all who t attended were given the opportunity to write down on large pieces of u agenda item. o

Additionally, on paper their observations about the village and its services. Around S

South Cerney 15 pieces of A1 sized paper were filled with concerns, issues and –

website observations. These were all broken down under different general y (www.southcerney. headings, e.g. transport, youth services and village cleanliness. d u com ) there are t S electronic copies The draft action plan was completed and distributed with the Cerney e of both the 1999 News, and residents were given the opportunity to make comments s Village Appraisal and suggest amendments. There was a good response from a C and the 2005 residents and using all the feedback, the final document including an Parish Plan, with n action plan was completed and printed in 2006. The completed plan a an updated action l

was delivered free to every household and copies were made P plan. The Cerney News also available at the local post office. The local press also advertised the d Parish Plan. It was the intention that the Plan should be flexible with e contains an L the ability to add extra items after the launch if this was considered - update on actions, y t delivered monthly necessary. i to the n u householders in m the parish. m

o

A large, picturesque C

pond has been created d

(above), which is much n a

appreciated by wildlife

and people of all ages. h s i r

The soil from this pond a

was used to build a P mountain bike track in another part of the park (right).

Case study produced by Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) for the South West Acre Network (SWAN) May 2008.

South Cerney’s achievements Community benefits Flooding & sewerage Roads & pavements

• The Environment Agency has • Speed limits on Cirencester Road Through ‘joined installed a flood monitoring station on reduced, and the area covered by up’ thinking and the River Churn. the limits extended partnership • Gloucestershire County Council has • Vehicle Activated Signs installed working, the completed a survey of main storm at three stations in the village South Cerney water drainage pipes and cleared • Continual monitoring of problems Parish Plan has major obstructions found in them. (including condition of roads and created a great • Following pressure, Thames Water pavements) deal of community has almost completed installing a new spirit in the parish. pumping sewer pipe to the treatment Cycle paths There is a sense works at a cost of in excess of £5m. • Ongoing negotiations with owners of completeness,

e

• During the rain deluge in January of land and Gloucestershire r i and the number of 2008, members of the Parish Council e County Council regarding a cycle r h projects that i

installed drainage pipes to alleviate path to Cirencester. s h promote social r the risk of flooding. s

• Plan/design of bridge at end of e r inclusion means t • There is ongoing partnership work Upper Up to BSC7 submitted to e s that all residents t e

with GRCC in respect of a Flood Gloucestershire County Council s

are given the c Emergency Action Plan. Dept of Public Rights of Way, and e u opportunity to c o

Environment Agency. u engage with and l Dog mess o • On completion of sewer works, l G participate in , • The Parish Counc il has paid for the Thames Water is to provide G completing the y

,

installation of an additional three dog extension of existing cycle path to e actions. y n mess bins the western boundary. e r n e

r When the plan e Promote healthier routes to school C was being put Roadside footpaths C h • Following requests to install a • Booklet of village walks in together in 2005, t h

u it was agreed to pedestrian crossing, surveys were research stage. CWP/South t

o u carried out which resulted in a Cerney Trust booklet first edition S review and refresh o Lollipop person being employed to printed. S

it every five years. –

help the children cross the road

–

The next review y safely. Street lighting d will take place in y u • Investigating the possibility of creating • Additional lighting installed in d 2010. It will be t u S a walking bus Broadway Lane. t interesting to see S

New Play Ranger schemes e if new people • • Parish Council has worked with s Gloucestershire County Council e come forward to a s

Support and provide sporting a be a part of the Street Lighting department on a C

activities for young and older people scheme to save energy. C n new Parish Plan. a

• The Parish Council is supporting the n There is interest l

a P local football club in their attempts to Play/sport opportunities for l from many P d organisations rebuild the pavilion and to develop children e within the Parish, their youth teams. • A grassed area in Jubilee d L

e • The Parish Council is supporting the Gardens has been purchased and - including the L y - local cricket club in the development is now in the ownership of the t i churches. With all y t n this, and village of their youth teams. community. i u sports clubs • There are plans to install a multi-use n

u expanding their games area (MUGA) with adjacent Monitoring and improving m m youth work, the Youth Shelter at the playing fields. environment – Upper Up Park m

o m • A new hedge was planted as part o future would C

appear very bright of a biodiversity scheme via C d

n for South Cerney. Cotswold District Council. d

a n

a h

s h i r s Funding secured i a

r - £5,000 has been secured from the Big Lottery via Cotswold District Council P a

Play Partnership P - £500 was secured from Cotswold District Council’s Section 106 money, used for planting a new hedgerow at the playing fields.

- £12,000 has been secured from the Landfill Trust and this will be used to build to Multi Use Games Area (MUGA). - Funding was secured from Gloucestershire County Council to pay for the appointment of a Lollipop person.

Case study produced by Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) for the South West Acre Network (SWAN) May 2008.

Working with partners Key advice for others Through partnership working, with agencies such as Cotswold District “Undertake and Council (CDC), Gloucestershire County Council, Highways Agency, complete a Parish Environment Agency and the Police, South Cerney Parish Council now & Community-Led know who to contact to address specific issues in the parish. These Plan, and stick to ‘hotlines’ to specific organisations or councils allow for more efficient the actions of the working. plan. However, it is important to Through the Parish Plan, South Cerney has been introduced to Claire leave room for Dowan, a CDC Youth Development Officer, who has helped to drive additional forward many of the actions aimed at providing services for younger projects and allow people in the community, including the setting up of the Youth Parish

time for review.” Council e

r i

South Cerney Parish Plan has formed the evidence of need when they h

have applied for any support from agencies to complete any actions. s r

e t s

“It is important to e c

remember that u o villages are not l G

buildings, they , y

are people.” e n r e

- Mike Stuart, C

h

The future site allocated for the installation of a multi-use games South Cerney t

area. The plans incorporate an adjacent Youth Shelter at the u

playing fields using £12,000 secured from the landfill trust and Parish Council o

£5,000 from BLF. S

–

y

Lessons learnt and future projects d u t S Do not be discouraged if only a small number of people get involved e

directly in creating the plan. Those who do get involved will be s

enthusiastic, and as the plan progresses, more people will have the a C

opportunity to get involved at a later stage. n a Be realistic when creating your action plan. If other residents are able to l P see actions being delivered and completed it will be a motivating factor d

in getting people involved. e

L - y t i

GRCC is the lead provider of support for parish and n u

With thanks to community-led plans in Gloucestershire and can offer m

Mike Stuart and support to communities dependent on the location of the m South Cerney o parish. For further information please contact C Parish Council GRCC d members for their n a

contributions to Community House h

this case study s 15 College Green i r

Gloucester a

GL1 2LZ P Tel: 01452 528491 Fax: 01452 528493 [email protected]

Case study produced by Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) for the South West Acre Network (SWAN) May 2008.