5 Aug Meeting 2017 » Little Waldingfield

Note of Little Waldingfield Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee Meeting on 5 August 2017 at 11am

Present: Tim Sheppard (‘TS'); Richard Furlonger (‘RF'); Chris White (‘CW'); Barbara Campbell (‘BC') and Jennie Jordan (‘JJ'; via skype)

The structure of the meeting was to update the Steering Committee (‘SC') on progress in relation to the action points that arose from the last meeting, which took place on 17 July 2017.

TS confirmed that he had been in contact with officers from Babergh DC about a potential meeting but that Paul Bryant and his colleague, Paul Munson, were away on annual leave until the week commencing 7 August 2017. In the circumstances, while TS had obtained the Project Plan template and guidance, due to the input required of Babergh DC, it was not yet possible to finalise the Project Plan and Neighbourhood Plan (‘NP') costings. It was, however, expected that print costs and the instruction of consultant support for the NP would constitute the major heads of expenditure, running to several thousands of pounds each. A meeting would be arranged with the Babergh DC officers, following which a draft Project Plan and NP costings document would be circulated. Action Points: TS to meet with Babergh officers and then to circulate draft Project Plan and NP Costings document.

In relation to expenditure, BC would chase a response from Lavenham Printing Press in relation to print costs and CW would check the precise printing costs incurred in the development of the Lavenham NP, with Carroll Reeve. RF undertook to look at the cost of using Survey Monkey, alongside a hardcopy questionnaire, as part of the consultation process with Parishioners. Action Points: BC, CW and RF to clarify/ascertain the aforementioned print and Survey Monkey costs.

BC went through suggested content for the NP evidence-base questionnaire to be sent out to Parishioners. The form and content of potential questions were discussed and BC undertook to type up and circulate a copy of the proposed draft questionnaire, along with a PDF version of the Lavenham NP questionnaire as a point of reference. Action Points: BC type up and circulate a copy of the proposed draft questionnaire, along with a PDF version of the Lavenham NP questionnaire.

TS raised the need for a Community Engagement Strategy as part of the development of the NP. Action Point: TS to draft Community Engagement Strategy for circulation.

JJ joined the meeting via skype and was updated on the content of the meeting thus far. JJ provided some input into the form of the questionnaire to be drafted by BC. JJ confirmed that the My Community funding application was relatively straight forward and that in addition to the standard funding amount (£9,000), it seems that the Little Waldngfield NP may be eligible for the extra element of funding (£6,000), on the basis that consideration may be given to designated sites. TS will provide JJ with the complete Project Plan, which needs to have been completed as part of the My Community funding application. TS also agreed to be the point of contact if My Community needed to clarify any elements of the NP process as part of the application.

The funding application for Awards for All would be more complex and would require some more research. It was agreed to progress the My Community application first and to use the information generated through that process as part of the future Awards for All application. It was hoped that an application for My Community funding would be submitted within 3 weeks or so, with the intention that if it is granted, funds would be available by the time of the next SC meeting, so that the preparation of the NP can move forward to the next stage. Action Point: JJ to submit the My Community funding application

The next SC meeting will take place on Saturday 16 September 2017, between 3-5pm, at Malting Farm.

Duration: 2 hours.