Parish Plan

The background

The Rural White Paper published by the Government in November 2000 committed the Government to establishing Parish Plans. This set out a range of measures to give local people a bigger say in managing their affairs, and a chance for everyone in the community to have a say in how it develops. Plans should “identify key facilities and services, set out the problems that need to be tackled and demonstrate how distinctive characters and features can be preserved.”

What is a Parish Plan?

It is a vision of what you would like your parish to look like and brings together the views, needs and opinions of the whole community. It can make a real difference, both to what you do within your community, and to how you work with others to improve local quality of life.

Parish plans give you an opportunity to get involved in planning in your town or village and surrounding countryside. A parish plan is a document that tackles important issues that will influence your neighbourhood in the future. This could be anything from building a new village hall to setting up new sports clubs to improving the state of local parks.

The development of the plan will be led by the town or parish council but must take into account the views of the whole community. Everyone should have a chance to contribute. It will also include an action plan for the area.

  • It is a document that captures the priorities of your parish with a written action plan. A working document that details the vision of how you want your Parish to be over the next 5-10 years
  • The community should work together to prepare the plan and feel it belongs to them
  • Firstly the community must supports the process – A Parish Plan won’t work without community support.
  • The next step is that a steering group will form that is representative of the community – including parish councillors, local groups, local business, young people, etc.
  • Next you can apply for a Parish Plan Grant from the Community Lincs. There is up to £3000 available to help towards to cost of the Parish Plan.
  • Gather information about your community… what it already has…its make up etc what it sees as the main issues - Work out a community profile
  • Consult widely, using a range of consultation techniques (biggest part of the process and the most time consuming). Make sure everyone gets a chance to have a say.
  • Produce the action plan- make sure it is workable and realistic to avoid disappointment
  • Put the plan in to action. The whole process can take 12-18 months.

Why parish plans are important
 Parish plans can be used to make sure local concerns and characteristics are taken into account before any planning decisions are made. They can also influence the way local services are delivered. Parish plans are an important tool that can be fed into other plans and strategies such as local development frameworks, where the needs of individual towns and villages and their surrounding countryside might not normally be adequately considered.Support for parish planning is gathering momentum around the country at all levels of government and amongst the statutory agencies, voluntary and private sectors. There is also widespread recognition that the long-term sustainability of parish planning depends on continued support and funding.

Benefits of Parish Plans: 

  • Represents the whole community and therefore provides information and evidence on a wide range of issues.
  • Provides a guide for the Parish Council. Also provides evidence and a mechanism for you to influence your local authority, service providers and planners. Parish Plans can be a key resource for these decision-makers, e.g. some Parish Plans are fed into Local Strategic Partnerships
  • Enhance community vibrancy. Can lead to great prosperity for communities, by supplying the evidence of need required by grant funders which in turn this leads to better village facilities
  • Offers the opportunity for those who do not normally get involved to participate. Involves young, old and socially excluded and engages local businesses. This has an effect on community spirit.
  • Stimulates community action and volunteering.

Parish plans are good for establishing relationships with Local authorities

• Raises profile with local authorities;

• provides pool of data not available elsewhere;

• encourages understanding;

• Helps Local Strategic Partnership understand the parish;

• matches community strategy objectives;

Stimulating and securing resources

• Successful funding bids;

• new income for the parish;

• improved facilities & community buildings;

• joint projects between neighbouring parishes & towns;

Improving local governance

• Sets agenda for parish council;

• acknowledges and validates work of parish council;

• attracts new candidates;

• stimulates communication;

• revives local democracy;

  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO BE PART OF THE STEERING GROUP PLEASE VISIT UPTON VILLAGE POST OFFICE AND FILL OUT A VOLUNTEER SLIP AND POP IT IN THE BOX.