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Suckley
Community Plan
Suckley Parish Council would like to initiate a Strategic Action Plan to
help shape the future of our community. The Plan must reflect the views of
all parts of the community and identify popular achievable opportunities
that would benefit our Parish in the years ahead. So we would like your
help. We are setting up special interest groups to explore specific
concerns and aspirations within the Parish.
The list of proposed subject areas is
initially as follows:
Children & Young People (inc. education)
Community facilities and projects
Employment, retailing & economy
Environment, landscape, footpaths
Health & Wellbeing
Housing and building development
Recreation, sport & leisure (inc. tourism)
Roads, transport, traffic
COMMUNITY PLAN – TOPIC TEAMS
Many thanks to everyone who offered their time and intelligence to
contribute to one of the Topic teams.
These are now starting to meet, and are still open to newcomers.
The Facilities/Projects group’s first meeting
- 22nd February 2010.
Acting Chair Andrew Grieve explained the potential for the Community Plan.
It could define and build support for projects that could then seek funding
from appropriate organisations.
Each Topic team will aim to cross-support the others. The successful
Christmas Fayre demonstrated the appeal of co-operation. Four community
groups working together raised more funds than they had ever been able to do
singularly.
Andrew tabled the elaborate Bromyard Town Plan and pointed out there was no
need for Suckley to produce something so substantial. Instead we could aim
at a simpler, more fluid document that evolved over time.
We identified the existing facilities in the village, which I’m going to
list alphabetically: the Bruff offices, the Church, the Hall, Holloways
café, the playing fields, the Post Office and shop, 2 pubs with meeting
rooms, the School and the Sphere parish magazine. Is this right? Please feel
free to challenge.
There was a debate as to what was satisfactory and what could be better.
One contributor had not come across the Sphere. It was suggested this
invaluable newsletter should ideally be provided to every household and
should make up part of a Welcome Pack for newcomers to our village.
There are 549 people living in Suckley, 100 of whom are under 18, yet there
are few specific facilities for young people. Could there be a children’s
playground, and, if so, where?
The problems of the geographic gap between Longley Green and the Suckley
upper site (i.e. Stocks Farm to the Church/School/Holloways) was considered.
This is quite a difficulty when compared with a village that has a natural
heart.
In the 1950s and 60s there were frequent events at the Hall – dances and
whist drives. Now people have cars and computers, so perhaps they don’t need
local entertainment?
It’s generally the same faces who turn up at Hall events. Where are the
others and why? Don’t they know what’s going on or don’t they care? Or maybe
they want something different. Perhaps they don’t want anything at all?
Are Suckley residents going to Alfrick, Leigh or farther afield for
activities – to better equipped Halls?
How do we determine the need for new things to do? Would a survey help, or
would it not necessarily deliver worthwhile data?
Does Suckley need anything new or are the people who choose to live here the
sort with a low appetite for interaction?
Having a well-equipped childrens’ play area seemed a pleasing proposition.
The team decided to explore this and other possibilities with their
neighbours and friends (i.e. a straw poll) and report back.
What do you think?
Please let us know.
We’re meeting again on 29th March.
Mike Jackson 01886 884745.
Housing
Roads & Transport group first meeting - 1st March 2010
Present: Andrew Grieve, Peter Whatley, Robin Hill
Housing – Community has little influence on planning issues. AG remarked
that we need to have a clearer picture of what the community felt about
further development in the village. RH reported that earlier work by Parish
Council had failed to identify suitable sites for low cost housing and that
a parish housing survey carried out some years ago. AG agreed to find a copy
of the results of this old survey
It was felt that we would need to carry out a new survey of housing needs to
ascertain the current situation
Transport - It was agreed that public transport initiatives such as Sphere
bus and the daily bus service was very poorly supported so there was no case
for pushing for a better service. The volunteer service to get people to and
from doctors surgery was only lightly used and the present arrangements
seemed adequate.
Traffic – There are some issues concerning speeding within the 30 mph
limited areas.
AG agreed to check if the recent exercise by the police in locating a
temporary speeding warning also produced any data which could be useful for
our plan
The group discussed some ideas which could be deliverable:-
a) School warning signs on approaches to turning into Church Lane and rumble
strips to slow traffic
b) Rumble strips at Stocks Farm X roads
c) Re laying of road to remove standing water near Nelson and near Rectory
Cottage
ther suggestions –
a) Provide more grit bins in the parish and make sure that they are kept
filled
b) Provide a weather proof footpath from Damson Way to Longley Green built
up area
c) More rigorous control over verge encroachment by Parish Council
RH agreed to take over running of this task group and will call next
meeting.
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