Notes of Meeting on 3rd June 2019

Meeting with Representatives of Droitwich Spa Town Council 3 June 2019 at 4pm

Present
Mike Lambden, Rhys Jones and Paul Karakashian (of the Droitwich Spa Neighbourhood Plan working group. DSNPWG), Councillor Alex Sinton, Councillor Alan Humphries, Councillor Chas Murray, Mark Keld (Town Clerk), and Sharon Abbott (Assistant Town Clerk, Community and Amenities).

Apologies
Apologies were received from Peter Hawkins.

 Style of Meeting Notes
It was agreed that these meeting notes need only summarise agreements and actions, with supporting narrative added only where necessary to aid understanding.

Agreements and Actions

The following points were agreed:

  • A joint positive statement will be prepared ahead of the next Council meeting (to be agreed between Mike Lambden and Councillor Sinton).
  • Councillor Sinton will make a positive statement of intent regarding the Neighbourhood Plan at the next Council Meeting on 17th June 2019.
  • Rhys Jones will gather existing draft NP documents, eliminate duplicates, categorise, and provide a copy to Councillor Sinton to help to establish current status.
  • No further posts will be made to the DSNPWG Facebook page (other than reporting a positive meeting) and the DSNPWG website will be updated to reflect the current status.
  • A stakeholder analysis is required to identify individuals and organisations that could have an interest in the development of the Neighbourhood Plan,
  • Following the Council meeting, a joint meeting will be held comprising elected councillors and members of DSNPWG. Wychavon DC will be asked to involve a person with detailed NP expertise. The aims of the meeting will include:
      • Reviewing current status and assessing work to be done
      • Forming a forward schedule, associated resource plan, and financial plan
      • Reconstituting the NP Management Group
      • Deciding how best to re-engage previously active volunteers
      • Decide whether to hold a public meeting, and how to control the discussion
      • Consider future use of newspapers and social media as ways of engaging the public
      • Consider the use of a separate website to raise awareness and facilitate consultation
      • Recommend changes to the NP Constitution, in particular:
        • Simplify the management structure
        • Ensure that the Management Group is the decision making body
        • Consider setting up a Project Office to manage documentation, record progress, etc.
  • The reconstituted NP Management Group will seek advice and guidance from other councils with knowledge and experience of producing Neighbourhood Plans, such as Malvern and Wychavon.
  • It was agreed that a timeline is essential in order to ascertain financial requirements in line with the budget setting process of Droitwich Town Council.
  • It was noted that 3 newly elected Councillors will attend a NP briefing session to be delivered by Wychavon DC.

Conclusion
The meeting closed at approx. 5.10pm.