Breadcrumbs
Parish Plans - know how and show how – 18 March 2003
But it needs to be realised through proper planning. As part of its commitment to quality parishes, the Countryside Agency has produced new guidance to show how to prepare a parish plan, and is ready to give grants of up to £5,000 to help councils prepare them.
Launching Parish Plans – guidance for parish and town councils at the National Association of Local Councils seminar today (Tuesday 18 March) Countryside Agency chief executive Richard Wakeford said: “Our Parish Plans guidance to parish and town councils marks a significant stage in meeting the government’s Rural White Paper commitment to improving local governance. Endorsed by the Government, this pack will help local councils lead their communities in setting out their own vision for their future.
“Parish Plans enable local councils, including parish meetings, to demonstrate their leadership role as the first, not bottom, tier of local government. They can be used to both influence local development plans and decisions (for example if they become supplementary planning guidance) and the newly emerging statutory community strategies.” concluded Mr Wakeford,
Our parish plans grants have already helped a number of councils and examples can be found along with the guidance on our website at www.countryside.gov.uk
John Findlay, Chief Executive of the National Association said: "The launch of the guidance on Parish Plans marks another important step in the enhanced role that parish and town councils can play in their communities following the Rural White Paper. I am pleased to see that through this developed role parish and town councils now have more influence over local development planning and newly created community strategies issues. This can only be a good thing, and I know that many parish and town councils already have parish plans underway and many others I am sure will follow".
The Parish of Linkinhorne in Cornwall has already used a Parish Plan to make a huge difference for their community:
- Caradon District Council has adopted part of it as supplementary planning guidance;
- a full transport needs survey was undertaken and new bus service established;
- a new bus shelter has been provided;
- a farmers market established;
- a recycling centre established.
It has also enabled the community to;
- provide new play equipment;
- build a pre-school facility;
- rebuild the parish hall as a multi-use centre;
- join with an adjacent parish to get a youth worker; and
- produce local footpath leaflets.
The Countryside Agency will send the free Parish Plan guidance packs free to all parish clerks next week. The packs also contain contact addresses for Rural Community Councils who can also provide advice and assistance.
Additional copies of the Parish Plan guidance pack can be obtained free from Countryside Agency Publications, PO Box 125, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7EP. Tel: 0870 120 6466, Fax: 0870 120 6467.
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Notes to editors:
For further information or an interview please contact the Countryside Agency press office on 020 7340 2909/7/6 (out of hours 07900 608204)
On 21 March the Countryside Agency will be publishing guidance to all involved in town and country planning [the statutory planning system]. This will cover the future of the planning system, and the replacement of development plans with Local development frameworks.
There will also be a good practice guide containing case studies of successful parish plans published in the near future.
The Countryside Agency is the statutory body working to make life better for people in the countryside and improve the quality of the countryside for everyone.
