Why a Parish Plan?
Following advice to Parish Councils from East Devon District Council in Autumn 2002, the production of a Parish Plan is a way of ensuring that there is a clear blueprint for local parish needs to be implemented by local and county authorities for the future development of our village.
For sometime now there has been an increasing demand for residents to have a greater say in improving the quality of life within their village. A well planned questionnaire can be very useful in finding out what is more important to the people living in the village, by expressing their views and ideas. Residents are able to have their say in improving the quality of life in their village.
The Parish Plan is a summary of the views, needs and priorities (expressed by local residents) about key issues, which they feel to be important to the future of their community - socially, economically and environmentally.
The Parish Plan is now in the process of being written up and should be off to the printers in the early autumn. Some early statistical snippets show that 175 residents would be more likely to use the bus if it came off the A35 into the village and 78.5% of the village would support a campaign for a new water mains to reduce the frequency of water leaks. .7% of the village population is under 5 and 18.8% are over 75.
It was the intention of the committee to provide every household with a copy of the finished plan. However, some people have mentioned to us that for environmental reasons they would rather receive their copy via email - if you prefer to have your copy in electronic format please email us on brookhouseclaire@aol.com
Many thanks
The truly superb response to the Parish Plan questionnaire has highlighted a much greater need for affordable housing in the village than we estimated in the past and clearly some action needs to be taken as soon as possible. You will remember there was a separate form enclosed with the questionnaire specifically to obtain information on this need and more than 30 people responded. I have been asked by the Council to follow this up with the appropriate people and organise a plan to meet this demand in the village. I have accepted this challenge and have already been in touch with a number of people some of whom were involved with a similar project in Beer. Unfortunately some of the residents who completed the forms did not enclose an address or contact telephone number, I would be grateful, therefore, if all those who did not do this, or anyone else who may be interested, would contact me in confidence and I will make sure they are included .
Parish Plan Update
We are delighted to tell you that so far approximately 90% of the Parish Plan questionnaires have been filled in and returned - a response rate that really will provide a clear picture of what you want for the future of Kilmington! Thank you to everyone who replied and especial thanks to all the villagers who delivered and collected the questionnaires - this has been a huge help and has undoubtedly contributed to the large number of replies. If you haven't yet been able to return yours - please get in touch and we will come and collect it.
The questionnaires will now be annalysed and in a few weeks time we will receive the statistics. The next task is to write these up into a report - which we hope to be ready by early summer. If there is anyone - with or without experience - who would like to help us do this, all help will be gratefully received!
Kilmington Village Plan. An update.
A meeting was held in The New Pavilion on 9/05/06 for the people who had expressed an interest in being involved in setting up a Village Plan.
A Steering Committee was formed: to date 2 Chairpersons (Michael Collier and Julie Austin), Secretary and Treasurer, plus 14 members.
Michael Collier updated the meeting on the situation and the progress made so far, especially on funding the project.
General discussion took place and various points and concerns were raised from the floor, but not necessarily solved.
PLEASE if you borrowed literature or other Village Plans following The Open Meeting held on Weds. April 19th in the Village Hall and have finished reading it would you be kind enough to return it to Michael Collier or a Parish Councillor, as these publications are needed for information.
Thank you.
Village Plan Update
We would like to thank everyone who attended the Village Plan open afternoon at the Hitchcock Pavilion and for the interest shown in the project. We received over 50 suggestions to be considered in the Village Plan.
Thank you to all those who helped to assemble the display, especially Sally Huscroft and Joan Cudmore.
The next stage will be to put a sample questionnaire together, followed by the approved final Village Plan questionnaire which will be distributed to all households in Kilmington.
KILMINGTON VILLAGE PLAN OPEN MEETING
Over 130 people packed the Village Hall on the evening of 19th April to hear representatives of the Community Council of Devon and EDDC outline the aims and benefits of proceeding with a Village Plan. Questions and discussion ensued, and whilst some reservations were expressed, the general consensus appeared to be that it would be an opportunity Kilmington should not turn down. There was a 2 year programme of funding available to help finance the producing of such a plan. A Village Plan would give additional support to requesting action on projects identified as important for Kilmington’s future. Such projects would arise from a questionnaire distributed to every household and the findings co-ordinated by a steering committee. It would give the community more say in the future of the village on such matters as housing, highways, and the needs of specific age groups. There was an encouraging response to a request for volunteers to help with the venture. Contact Michael Collier (32390) if you would like to help.