Bridport Area Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Meeting
 
14 July 2016 at Bridport Town Council Offices (Mountfield)

Present: Phyllida Culpin-Chair (Allington), Richard Freer (Allington), Caroline Meredith (Chamber of Commerce), Bob Driscoll (Symondsbury), Katy Graham (Project Manager).

Also In Attendance: Sal Robinson (Minute Taker) and Tricia Dendle (Bradpole PC), Anna Lovell (POPP), Margaret Toft, Sue Fryer, Gavin Fryer, Sarah Preston, ?????.

Phyllida welcomed everyone to the meeting. Everyone introduced themselves and Katy Graham spoke about her role as Project Manager for the Neighbourhood Plan.

Phyllida reminded everyone of the Register of Interests.

    1 Apologies. Glenn Crawford (Bridport), Bob Gillis (Bridport TC), Andrew Leppard (Bridport), Stephen Spear (Bradpole).

2 Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes were AGREED and signed,

3 Matters Arising From the Minutes.

• The Charter Fair was badly advertised and the weather was bad.

• Web Site – Katy is meeting with Phil Grey next week. The site is not up to date. It has been suggested that the website be transferred to the Bridport Town Council site. The current website is receiving a lot of criticism and the way forward must be decided at the meeting next week.

• WDDC has also made a “call for land” the week after the BANP call.

• There has been consultation regarding Bridport area cycle ways.

• The Steering Group were unaware of both the above – Katy to talk to DCC and WDDC to tell to keep the BANP Steering Group informed of such matters which impact the Neighbourhood Plan.

• No one has come forward to represent Walditch and Bothenhampton parish.

• Colfox have been contacted and seem receptive to the idea the Neighbourhood Plan being part of a school assembly. Phyllida suggested that Raja would be the best person to present this. Katy said we should take their guidance as to when the assembly will take place.

• Katy to investigate making links with the Bridport Youth Centre.

   

4 Attendance at Events Over the Summer.

• 16 July – Bothenhampton Fete – 2 definite

• 23 July - Bucky Doo Square – 2 definite, 2 possible

• 13 August – Bucky Doo Square – 3 definite

• 20 August – Bucky Doo Square – 2 definite

• 25 August – Melplash Show – 6 needed, 4 definite

• 28 August – Symondsbury Fete – 1 definite

• 14 September – Bradpole Parish Plan meeting

• 15 October – Bridport Apple Day

   

• Melplash Show – Due to space restrictions it is not possible to have a separate stand for the NP. It is essential to make sure that the NP stands out apart from Bridport Town Council even if it is sharing the same stand.

• Symondsbury Fete – suggestion that a prize draw be help for everyone who completes a questionnaire

• The questionnaire needs to be amended to include all the places they can be handed in – Bridport Library, Bridport Tourist Information Office and Mountfield.

   

5 Project Management Support.

• This is Katy Graham’s priority at the moment.

  
   

6 Any issues from Working Groups.

A member of each Working Group gave a brief update.

• Land Use. The 2^nd “Call for Land” has gone out.

• Climate Change. Contact has been made with Regen Southwest and the Sustainability Centre at Bristol to find out if there is anything to be added to the report

• < > Still waiting for information from Symondsbury. The group is due to meet to consider the position regarding Allotments.

  Economy. Brian Wilson’s help in writing the industry report is urgently needed – the Joint Council has approved the expenditure provided that they approve the deliverable – clarification of this is urgently required if the funds are to be released.

• < > Still waiting for information from DCC re the Town Hall junction – this is part of other planned survey work. Financial data from the Bridport Community Bus proposal has been asked for but not received. Re-looking at possibility of light railway from West Bay to Bridport – Jurassic Rail say that they will be making a proposal public by the end of the year. There is overlap between Transport and Environment on footpaths etc. – the group will talk to Nick Gray when he returns from holiday.

  Community Facilities. Mapping of facilities is in progress. Katy will contact Bridport Medical Centre and Bridport Hospital for their input.

• Housing. Phyllida reported that Roy Matheson wants to hold a “Housing Summit” to inform local councillors of the actual housing need in the Bridport area. AGREED that the Neighbourhood Plan must not be involved with this. AGREED that this does not stop Roy from remaining as a member of the Housing Working Group. Glenn had sent a report for the meeting. There was considerable discussion regarding the proposal to still have a policy for 100% “affordable” housing. AGREED to defer a decision until the next meeting as Glenn was not present. AGREED that the Working Group must urgently meet with WDDC on the discrepancies between their housing need data and that gathered by the group. It was pointed out that policies in the Neighbourhood Plan cannot be retrospective and therefore cannot affect the proposed Vearse Farm development.

   

7 Timetable.

• All Working Groups to complete their work by the end of August.

• Katy to provide a template to feed the information into the draft Plan.

8 Any Other Business. None.

9 Next meeting.

The next Steering Group meeting will be on Tuesday 26 July – Katy to find a suitable venue and time, as Mountfield is not available.