Bridport Area Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Meeting
 
9 August 2016 at Bridport Town Council Offices (Mountfield)

Present: Phyllida Culpin-Chair (Allington), Richard Freer (Allington), Caroline Meredith (Chamber of Commerce), Bob Driscoll (Symondsbury), Glenn Crawford (Bridport), Stephen Spear (Bradpole), Richard Nicholls, Katy Graham (Project Manager).

Also In Attendance: Anna Lovell (POPP), Dominic Knorpel (POPP/BLAP), Rose Chaney (Transport), Colin Baker (Bradpole), Horatio Morpurgo (member of the public)

Phyllida reminded everyone of the Register of Interests.

1. Apologies. Tricia Dendle (Bradpole)

2. Minutes of Last Meeting.

Under Item 6 of the last meeting minutes, it was agreed that the word ’urgently’ be removed from the section on housing to instead read: “AGREED that the Working Group will meet with WDDC on the discrepancies between their housing need data and that gathered by the group.”

Subject to this edit, the minutes were AGREED and signed

3. Matters Arising From the Minutes.

• Complaints about the website and that the Vision 2030 emails don’t work for some people. The existing site can be refreshed - Katy now has log in access and can make updates. Working Groups to ensure they check their pages and send updates and minutes to Katy. Katy to email a reminder about how to access emails and identify if there are still problems.

• The Vision 2030 poster at Bucky Doo Square is old and getting hidden underneath other items. Katy to action

• No one has come forward to represent Walditch and Bothenhampton parish. Katy to make contact again

• Link with young people – Caroline to contact Colefox just before start of next term. Raja has been asked if he will front a presentation to the school., Bob Gillis is current link with the Youth Centre when appropriate materials/consultation is ready

4. Call for sites – update

Eight sites had been submitted for consideration in the latest call for sites, making a total of 10 when including the two put forward in the first call. Katy has developed a template for the site assessments and started populating the information ready for Jo’s return and the group’s site visits to complete the assessments. Katy has also mapped the sites and these were circulated for information.

5. Summer Events.

The list of events and attendance was circulated and more attendees came forward to help cover the Neighbourhood plan stall:

• 13 August – Bucky Doo Square – 4 definite

• 20 August – Bucky Doo Square – 2 definite

• 25 August – Melplash Show – 6 definite

• 28 August – Symondsbury Fete – 3 definite

• 14 September – Bradpole Parish Plan meeting – cover needed

• 15 October – Bridport Apple Day – cover needed

   

• The Melplash Displays were discussed and the group attending Bucky Doo on 13/8 will feedback to Katy on any updates/changes needed, including any images the group has available.

• Katy to find out if there is an A-board available to draw attention to the stall

• The questionnaire is now available online, but it does need those involved with the Neighbourhood Plan to share it via Facebook, Twitter etc.

• Andrew has confirmed that the display banner is in hand, but no further update has been received and this is now urgent for forthcoming events. Katy to contact Bridport Banners direct for an update

• The group discussed wider publicity and getting information in local publications such as The Bridge, Team News, Eggerdon View and Marshwood Vale. Katy to prepare a paragraph (press release) which the group can circulate to their contacts and can be used in publicity.

   

6. Evidence Base.

Katy has started to pull together the policy Evidence Base which will be included as part of the Neighbourhood Plan and shows that the process has been aware of and worked within a wider policy context. The draft paper was circulated and groups asked to get back to Katy where any gaps exist, including any research that has been undertaken on behalf of the Neighbourhood Plan by Working Groups (which can also be put onto the website when ready).

7. Any issues from Working Groups.

A member of each Working Group gave a brief update.

• Land Use. The 2nd “Call for Land” has resulted in 8 new sites coming forward

• Climate Change. No update

• Environment. The group is working with the current Local Plan and AONB policy to help structure its recommendations for the area.  Allotments will now be included.
• Economy. The first draft of the Working Group template has been completed, and a start has been made on the Evidence Base
• Transport. Miles Cross – looking at evidence regarding speed limits here as well as Sea Road North
• Community Facilities. Mapping of facilities is completed
• Housing. Glenn tabled a brief outline of key housing figures related to local housing need and discussed some of the early findings of the group. There was some discussion that followed regarding the profile of those in housing need as it isn’t just young people. Glenn was asked to ensure the Housing Needs Assessment also considers the needs of, for example, elderly people. The 100% ‘affordable’ housing element was also discussed with reference to the Local Plan stating that it won’t reach its 35% target. The question was asked whether a document can really change behaviour? Glenn finished by confirming that there is much work to do with policy makers to sound out the HNA draft findings – not just planners, but others with a housing interest in the area.  The next meeting of the Steering Group will consider the issue of affordability and what should be put forward as the strategy. 

8. Any Other Business. None.

Next meeting.

The next Steering Group meeting will be on Tuesday 23 August, 6 pm at Mountfield.  Key agenda items to be publicity and housing.

Subsequent meetings have been booked for 6 pm September 6, September 20, October 4, October 18, November 1, November 15, November 29 and December 13