Introduction
1.1 Bracebridge Heath Parish Council, as qualifying body as defined by the Localism Act 2011, has submitted its Neighbourhood Plan to North Kesteven District Council for independent examination. This Consultation Statement meets the requirements of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 Regulation 15 to provide a detailed description and Regulation 14 to record the pre-submission consultation. It also contains an outline of earlier consultations carried out while developing the Bracebridge Heath Neighbourhood Plan.
1.2 Section 15(2) of the Regulations states that a Consultation Statement is a document which:
- contains details of the persons and bodies who were consulted about the proposed neighbourhood development plan;
- explains how they were consulted;
- summarises the main issues and concerns raised by the persons/bodies consulted; and
- describes how these issues and concerns have been considered and, where relevant, addressed in the proposed neighbourhood development plan.
1.3 This Consultation Statement summarises all statutory and non-statutory consultation undertaken with the local community and with other relevant bodies and stakeholders in developing the draft Neighbourhood Plan, In particular it describes how some of the concerns that arose during the statutory pre-submission consultation have been addressed and what changes have been made to convert the draft Neighbourhood Plan into the proposed Neighbourhood Plan.
1.4 The first meeting of the Bracebridge Heath Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee was held on 13th March 2017. It is a sub-committee of the Planning Lighting and Roads Committee (now Environment Committee) Membership consists of Parish Councillors and members of the community. The sub-committee was asked to prepare the Neighbourhood Plan, on behalf of the Parish Council.
1.5 The various consultation activities on the draft Neighbourhood Plan carried out prior to the pre-submission consultation are summarised in Appendix A.
Methodology
This section of the Consultation Statement outlines the approach taken by the Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee to consult on the draft Neighbourhood Plan. Several methods were adopted to ensure all relevant bodies and parties were informed of the progress and consultations throughout the development of the draft Neighbourhood Plan and provided with opportunities to provide their views and comments.
Facebook Groups
1.6 A Facebook group was set up on 15th July 2017 to provide information to the parishioners about progress, formal meetings of the Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee and working group meetings. Information was also put on the Bracebridge Heath Parish Council Facebook group and other local groups such as Bracebridge heath and Proud..
1.7 Both Facebook groups are public groups and can be viewed by parishioners without becoming members of that group. Members can pose questions that will be answered by a member of the Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee.
1.8 The Facebook groups were also used to advertise events such as the monthly church coffee mornings and school fête where members of the Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee would be available to answer questions.
Sub-committee meetings and minutes
1.9 The first meeting of the Bracebridge Heath Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee was held on the 13th March 2017.
1.10 The membership of the committee is a mixture of parishioners and councillors. It comprises a minimum of six members with no more than 50% Parish Councillors.
1.11 All minutes of meetings from that date can be found on Bracebridge Heath Parish Council website (http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/BracebridgeHeath) and can be accessed by the general public
1.12 Meetings are held in accordance with parish council standing orders.
1.13 All meetings are open to member of the press and public.
Publications: Heathcliff View magazine and Parish News
1.14 Heathcliff View magazine is a commercially produced monthly magazine. It is delivered free of charge to every household in the village.
1.15 Parish News is published monthly by the village church and chapel. It is delivered to approximately 450 subscribers.
1.16 Virtually every month since the start of the process the Neighbourhood Plan subcommittee has published regular updates on the plan’s progress and forthcoming events in each monthly publication.
1.17 A survey produced by Community Lincs for the Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee was distributed to every household via the Heathcliff View magazine. Extra copies were available on line through surveymonkey. The survey included a section for parishioners aged 11 -18 years.
Documents
1.18 For the Regulation 14 consultation digital copies of Neighbourhood Plan documents and comment form could be found on Bracebridge Heath Parish Council website. Links to this website were provided on social media, in Heathcliff View and Parish News and on posters in local venues. Comments could be entered online.
1.19 Hard copies were available in the centre of the village at Bracebridge Heath Community Library, the Church of St John the Evangelist and the café The Pantry. Copies were also supplied to sheltered housing complexes Minster Court and Sheppard Court. Further copies were available at the Pavilion on the recreation ground. Boxes were available in each location for completed forms or they could be posted to the Clerk to Council.
1.20 Documents could also be supplied electronically or by hard copy by contacting the Clerk to Council.
1.21 Throughout the whole of the process of developing Bracebridge Heath’s Neighbourhood Plan a regularly updated permanent display has been available at St John the Evangelist Church which is open to the public during daylight hours on weekdays. Comments could also be left by those viewing the documents.
Public Consultation Events
1.22 Appendix A includes a full list of Neighbourhood Plan consultation events.
1.23 St John’s Primary Academy has been involved in the consultations from the beginning. To raise awareness two members of the committee addressed a full school assembly and invited pupils to enter a drawing competition for a mascot. (Appendix A A6)
Community Lincs consulted pupils in the school about their views relating to the future of Bracebridge Heath. The findings were displayed at a public consultation event. on 15th August 2018 (Appendix A19)
At each school fête the Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee had a display and consulted with pupils and parents with on the latest stage of the Neighbourhood Plan.
1.24 Community Lincs were engaged to conduct an initial survey for residents and another for businesses. Their report on the analysis of these surveys was made available for public consultation on September 2018. (Appendix A19)
1.25 Further Consultation events were held as part of St John the Evangelist Church fêtes and coffee mornings. (Appendix A5,18,22)
1.26 In September 2019 the Parish Council held two Showcase days where the Neighbourhood Plan was displayed and committee members were on hand to
answer any questions and gather feedback. The Village Hall was used one Saturday and the Pavilion the following Saturday (Appendix A23, 24)
1.27 During the Regulation 14 consultation members of the Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee held open consultation events at the Library, Minster Court, Sheppard Court and St John the Evangelist Church. (Appendix A26)
Posters and Banners
1.28 Consultation events were also advertised by the use of banners and posters which were displayed throughout the village on the Parish Council notice boards and railings, in local shops and in local magazines and social media outlets.
