MUCH WENLOCK TOWN COUNCIL Sharon Clayton BA (Hons) FILCM Town Clerk NALC Communities in Action Conference 19 July 2011 Sheffield 1
Much Wenlock Much Wenlock is a small rural town located in Shropshire, midway between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth on the A458. It lies in a narrow valley close to Wenlock Edge, which is a place of much geological interest. The town is the birthplace of Dr William Penny Brookes -the inspiration for the modern Olympic Movement. Much of the parish is in a conservation area with many listed buildings. 2
The Town Council 11 councillors 9 employees 2 volunteer archivists 3
A NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN FOR MUCH WENLOCK Population 3,041(2001 census) Households 1,257 (2001 census) Electors 2,336 Precept 145,635 Budget - 183,570 Cost per household = 119.78 per annum 4
Parish/Town Plan Published March 2006 Community led Bottom up approach Wide consultation The Much Wenlock Town and Parish Plan was published in March 2006. It was community led along with one or two town councillors nominated by the Town Council to support its development The questionnaire was driven by comments from the local community and a detailed survey was undertaken with all households being consulted, including schools and businesses. The questionnaire was hand delivered and collected by volunteers. The Town Plan Group is about to commence a review of the Town and Parish Plan so this represents an ideal opportunity to work together to replaceit with a Neighbourhood Plan. The town also has a Village Design Statement which was published in 2000. 5
Calendar of events February 2011 expression of interest to become a front runner April 2011- front runners announced May 2011- discussions with Shropshire Council June 2011- Terms of Reference agreed July 2011- Neighbourhood Plan Committee In Februarythe Town Council agreed to work with Shropshire Council and submit a bid to become a front runner On 2 Aprilthe DCLG announced which councils would have an opportunity fortheir local community to have a greater control over planning in theirlocality. Much Wenlock was one of seventeen councils chosen to become a front runner In Maythe Neighbourhood Plan Working Group met with Shropshire Council to discuss how the Neighbourhood Plan could be developed In June the Town Council agreed terms of Reference for the Working Group: The Neighbourhood Plan Working Group will drive forward the development of the Neighbourhood Plan for Much Wenlock and will work with Shropshire Council and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), as the other governmental bodies, to help ensure that the whole community hasreal opportunities to engage in the creation of the Plan. In July the Town Council approved the establishment of a Neighbourhood Plan Committee to oversee the development of the Neighbourhood Plan for Much Wenlock. 6
Stage 1 Core Strategy Working Group Neighbourhood Plan Working Group Core Strategy Working Group liaised with Shropshire Council and recommended how the Town Council should respond to the Core Strategy and SAMdev (Site allocations and management of development) In April the Town Council agreed that the Core Strategy WG should be disbanded and a Neighbourhood Plan WG established, with the same membership of4 councillors plus one other. 2 of these councillors are experts in planning. 7
Stage 2 Local groups contacted Media statement released We wanted as many community groups as possible to be included inour initial discussions with the Working Group and so wecontacted the Civic Society and other leading people and groups that worked on the Town and Parish Plan. We said in a press release that Much Wenlock Town Council welcomes the Government s announcement that the town is to be one of England s seventeen front runners to develop a neighbourhood plan. The Council believes that this is a real opportunity for the community to agree on how the town should be shaped in future years and how local needs, such as affordable housing for young people, can be met. We will be working with Shropshire Council and the Department of Communities and Local Government to agree the next steps. The Town Council is committed to the whole community being involved in making the neighbourhood plan over the forthcoming months. We have advertised for volunteers in the press, on our notice boards, and our website has a dedicated page which will be constantly updated. 8
Stage 3 Neighbourhood Plan WG meets with Shropshire Council Task and finish groups Await information from DCLG 20,000 assigned to the project NPWG met with officers from Shropshire Council to discuss how the Neighbourhood Plan might be developed. The WG looked at how it will ensure appropriate community engagement throughout the process 2 task and finish groups were set up Community Engagement and Technical Matters. The Community Engagement Group s remit was to: Design an active strategy and show how it might work Identify who needs to be involved Map out key milestones for the next 18 months Identify the nature of the support that might be expected from Shropshire Council The Technical Planning Group s remit was to: Interpret the Core Strategy and its implications for Much Wenlock Ensure clarity over relationship with SAMDev Identify areas of tension and key issues the Neighbourhood Plan needs to address from a strategic perspective Identify the nature or the support that might be expected from Shropshire council Funding from government of 20,000 has been assigned to the project this must pay for a referendum and an independent assessment. This cost is not known although 10,000 is to be reserved 9
Stage 4 Neighbourhood Plan Committee Recruit volunteers Governance structure Transparency Timescale Statement of community engagement Funds The Neighbourhood Plan Working Group has now been disbanded and the Town Council has instead set up a Neighbourhood Plan Committee with delegated authority and a budget. This is the 20,000 assigned to the project. The Committee has five members. A governance structure for managing the Much Wenlock Neighbourhood Plan has been approved by the Town Council. This was developed by the Community Engagement Group I referred to earlier. The Town Council agrees that members of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and Committee, in the spirit of transparency, should declare relevant interests. We have set an 18 month timescale and programme of events and wehave developed a statement of community engagement. We have formerly requested that Shropshire Council transfers theneighbourhood Plan funds into a Neighbourhood Plan fund (budget heading) managed by the Town Council and these funds will be used by the Neighbourhood Plan Committee which has been given delegated authority to use up to 5,000 in the 2011-2012 fiscal year. 10
Plan of action 2011 June, July - recruit volunteers July agree governance and principles of community involvement July, August create steering and working groups September finalise Statement of Community Involvement September to March 2012 consultation, workshops, surveys and initial proposals We have already begun to recruit volunteers through our website,the press and local publications. We also intend to install gateway posters so that local residents commuting in and out of the town are aware of what we are doing The Town Council has agreed a governance structure and the principles of community involvement. Our Neighbourhood Plan Committee will establish a Steering Group, Working Groups and Focus Groups Each group will have its own remit 11
Plan of action 2012 April draft plan May, June consultation on draft plan July, Aug, Sept final amendments and a review by Shropshire Council on conformity with Core Strategy Oct, Nov inspection Referendum and adoption In April next year we hope to have a draft Neighbourhood Plan During May and June we shall carry out a consultation on the draft Plan Between July and September we shall make any final amendments and Shropshire Council will review the draft to see if it conforms with the Core Strategy In October and November the draft will be subject to inspection Following a referendum the Plan can be adopted. 12
Help and assistance Volunteers Local landowners Local groups DCLG Link Officers We have been assigned two link officers from DCLG who will help to facilitate the process and learn from the work to be done. One of these officers will attend future meetings. We have local landowners who are keen to be part of the process We have local people who are willing to play an active part, whoalso helped with the development of the Town and Parish Plan. We also have access to four other support providers The Prince s Foundation, Locality, The Royal Town Planning Institute, and NALC, in partnership with CPRE, who will share 3.2m to provide assistance to local groups developing Neighbourhood Plans. However, I understand that their remit is still under discussion. Information already gathered, such as the environmental assessment carried out as part of the Core Strategy, can be used to develop the Neighbourhood Plan. In fact, the NP will need to be in conformity with the Core Strategy and one of our Link Officers is investigating the technical requirement of this process and how it will be interpreted. 13
Working together SAMdev Neighbourhood Plan Planning issues We need to be careful that we avoid conflict between Shropshire Council s work on the SAMdev and the development of the Neighbourhood Plan. Two consultations running alongside each other may confuse the local community. However, the NP will be an appropriate vehicle with which to progress development proposals in Much Wenlock. The emerging Site Allocations and Management of Development DPD working alongside the Neighbourhood Plan offers the opportunity for successful co-operation on a number of issues, in particular infrastructure provision through the Place Plans and Community Infrastructure Levy proposals. One of our Link Officers has confirmed that DCLG does not think there will be any conflict of interest issues for town councillors working on the NP with respect to considering future planning applications. He also says that under the current planning system Shropshire Council is not obliged to adopt a Neighbourhood Plan. The purpose of the Front Runners Project is for pro-active councils and communities to test the system out before it becomes law. Shropshire Council will decide whether our NP conforms to its adopted strategic policies and if it doesshropshire Council must put it forward for independent examination. We want our Neighbourhood Plan to be adopted and following a successful referendum Shropshire Council will have a legal duty to bring the Neighbourhood Plan into force. 14
15