21st April 2015

Present: Phyllida Culpin - Chair (Allington), Ian Harvey (Bradpole), Andrew Leppard (Bridport), John Budden (Bridport), Phillip Grey (Bridport), Glenn Crawford (Bridport), David Hill (Bothenhampton & Walditch)

In Attendance: Sal Robinson (Minutes Taker), Bob Gillis (Bridport Town Council), Ronald Coatsworth (Bradpole PC), Ian Bark (Bothenhampton & Walditch PC) and 1 member of the public.

    Jak Ford will not be attending meetings until early June when his exams are over.

1.    Apologies. Richard Freer (Allington), Tricia Dendle (Bradpole Parish Council).

2.    Election of Chair.

Phyllida Culpin was proposed by Glen Crawford, seconded by Phillip Grey and elected unanimously. Ian Harvey offered to be Vice Chair, and all members present AGREED to this.

3.    Minutes of previous meeting.

•The minutes were AGREED and signed.

4.    Matters Arising.

•Phillip Grey will meet with Bob later this week to discuss further funding opportunities and money already available.

•Bob reported that a representative for Symondsbury parish has come forward.

•Bob reported that he is chasing WDDC regarding the earlier request for up to date Housing Need data for the Plan area.

5.    Updated Project Plan.

•Bob presented the updated plan

The end date has been moved out to Dec 2016 but it could come forward depending on progress

The Consultation events are the most important activity this year and must be allowed plenty of time

The web site launch is also very important

6.    Communication Plan.

•Bob reported that the Plan included a list of key stakeholders to be consulted and that the Bridport Area Local Partnership, which represented a large number of local groups, could help with this process. BLAP also had a number of working groups which could work with the NP working groups. It was agreed that it would be good to work with BLAP on the consultation and the Working Groups BLAP and other key stakeholders could be invited to meet with the working groups prior to the roadshows.

•The Communication Plan document will be a reference point for the life of the project.

•The key communication this year will be successful Roadshows in May / June.

•AGREED that potential stakeholder groups should be contacted before the Roadshows (once the dates / venues are set) and invited to contact the lead for each “working group” who will then invite them to a pre Roadshow meeting (each lead needs to chose a date and venue for these meetings)

•AGREED to ask BLAP to notify all its member groups of NP and forthcoming roadshows and meetings of Working Groups.

7.    Draft Plan Structure - Vision and Objectives – for consultation.

•AGREED that the website must go “live” ASAP

Bridport Town Council can provide admin support on areas such as obtaining data and building the evidence base.

•Working Group Briefs.

•AGREED that these should go on the website as they are now – they can be amended / expanded etc as required in the future

8.    Project Support.

•Bob said that so far he has not found anyone to take over project management – there is still funding available. In the meantime, he would provide project support.

•His recommendation is that the money might be better used for dedicated support which will be required at key stages of the project. He would report back further on this matter.

9.    Vearse Farm Exhibition.

•Bob reported that councils in the plan area have received a letter from Hallam asking for comments on the recent Verse Farm exhibition in the Town Hall. That letter had also been sent to the Steering Group. He suggested that the Steering Group reply to say that it is hoped that the developers will engage with the Steering Group as part of the Neighbourhood Plan consultation later this year (stage 5 of the Project Plan) prior to an application being submitted and that wider public consultation  needs to take place first, as a key part of the work of the Neighbourhood Plan. This approach was AGREED.

10.  Consultation Events – Roadshows.

•The Bradpole Roadshow will take place at the Bradpole Fete on Saturday 30 May.

•Bob to investigate dates other venues are available

•AGREED that these events will be publicised in as many ways as possible – on the Vision-2030 website, Facebook, Twitter, posters, the local press etc – exact details to be agreed nearer the time

•Display material to include:  Launch event material and responses, update on progress so far, maps, working group information, survey – Proposed material will be made available at the next Steering Group meeting

•Possible survey delivery methods include Survey Monkey, posters, post-its, PC / tablet, paper questionnaire, etc.

•AGREED that each “working group” will try to possible questions to the next meeting for inclusion in a survey. “What is important to you”?

•AGREED that the next meeting will concentrate on the Roadshows.

11.  Any Other Business.

•There is a Shared Assets workshop 2-3 May at the Lyric Bridport and Dorset Community Action and Locality are running a Neighbourhood Planning workshop at the Dorford Centre Dorchester on 9 May. Details available from Andrew.

•Phillip will contact everyone about the Vision-2030 e-mail addresses – people should be using these rather than their personal e-mail addresses.

12.  Next Meeting.

•AGREED that the next meeting will be on WEDNESDAY 6 May, at 7:00 pm at Mountfield.