2023 NPSG Minutes

Grasby Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group

Attendees:

Chris Mead (Chairman)
Janet Brown (Treasurer)
Rob Bennett
Mike Downing
Tim Phipps
Julie Turnbull
Cllr Tom Smith

Apologies:

Steve Riley (Secretary)
Nick Harrison
Bethany Johnson
Cllr Peter Morris

Agenda:

1. Outstanding actions from previous meetings as per minutes of 29th October 2023 (Chris)
2. Progress since last meeting Grant application (Chris / Janet)
3. Terms of reference (Janet)
4. Parish Maps (Chris)
5. Community engagement & further information gathering (All)
7. Any other business

Major Points of Discussion

1.   Outstanding actions from previous meetings

1.4   Map of Grasby village has been provided by WLDC and can be used as base for initial collation of data. Chris will request a similar map for Searby Village and will work with Steve on obtaining more maps via the OS licencing granted to Grasby Parish Council.

Action: CM/SR 1.4

4.4   Competition to engage the younger members of the community will be a drawing/writing competition for ages groups 5-9, 10-23 & 14-16 to be held towards the end of January 2024. A pamphlet to publicise the competition will be created and prizes for winners are to be sought.

Action: MD 4.4

4.6    Survey response analysis is continuing. Steering group members were asked to forward any conclusions they have reached on the analysis provided to Chris. These conclusions will form part of the presentation at the forthcoming public meeting.

Action: All/CM

5.5   Contacts have been made with other parishes that have already completed Neighbourhood Plans. Caistor – Steve Kemp, currently updating their plan. Great Limber – completed without consultant input by 2 Councillors. Nev Brown has suggested looking at the plans for Hemswell Cluff & Glentworth. We can contact others. Details of all plans within WLDC are available here:
https://www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/planning-building-control/planning/neighbourhood-planning/all-neighbourhood-plans-west-lindsey

2.   Progress since last meeting – Grant Application 

The Chairman reported the following progress since the last meeting on 25th October 2022:

•   Consultants have been contacted and asked to submit quotes. 
•   Only one consultant, Helen Metcalfe, was able to provide a quote.
•   The application to Locality for grant aid to cover the consultants & incidental costs was made on 20th November - Appln Ref: 15013
•   An initial call with AECOM, the organisation that provides technical assistance, was done on 27th November with Chris & Janet. They confirmed they would recommend us for support to carry out a Housing Needs Assessment to develop a design guide. These will take 3-4 months to complete. Their support, if approved, will continue until the work is complete. It is not affected by the financial restriction that requires unspent grant monies to be returned at the end of March 2024.

Further developments since Steering Group Meeting.

•   5 Dec 2023 Email from Locality wanting to know how we propose to spend the applied for funding within the period up to end March 2024. Contacted consultant to discuss way forward and agreed to revise quote to exclude 4 days of work. We can apply for funding in 2024/25 for this remaining work.
•   12 Dec 2023 Revised quote and covering letter submitted to Locality.
•   12 Dec 2023 Received confirmation revised quote is acceptable and grant application will now proceed. 
•   18 Dec 2023 Grant offer for £7,737.00 received! We now need to complete a due diligence form by 29 Dec 2023 before the grant can be paid to the parish council. The offer letter also includes advice on how to deliver the plan sustainably, which echoes the message received from Clive Wilson at our last meeting (see below). 
https://www.groundwork.org.uk/making-your-community-project-more-environmentally-friendly/

3.   Terms of reference

6.3   Terms of reference has been updated and needs to be confirmed by both Parish Councils. Janet/Chris to check status of these approvals.

Action: JB/CM 7.1

4.   Parish Maps

See point 1.4 above.

5.   Community engagement

7.1   The Chairman attended Searby cum Owmby parish meeting on 14th November 2023 and gave an update on progress including details of results from the survey. Agreed to post a summary on the Searby Facebook page.

Action: CM 7.1

7.2   Agreed to update residents on progress to date, survey results and next steps. Will post an update on the Facebook pages for both parishes.

Action: CM 7.2

6.   Any other business

8.1   Appointment of consultant

This is dependent on obtaining grant aid. We have contacted several consultants, but only one has indicated they have the time available and has responded with a quote. They also have demonstrated appropriate experience and are currently working on other Neighbourhood Plans. If the grant is approved, we will proceed to appoint the consultant ‘Planning with People’.

8.2   Presentation by Clive Wilson from Bigby Parish Council.

Clive spoke passionately about sustainability and his thoughts on how it could be taken into account in the Neighbourhood Plan. He has worked with partners, including international consultants ARUP, to investigate how Bigby Parish could transition to a position of Net Zero Carbon utilising ex gravel out land. He gave details of the investigations made into renewable energy and particularly solar energy generation within Bigby Parish, the partners and customers identified, and the obstacles encountered. He also shared information on the Greater Lincolnshire United Nations Association and the support it can offer. More details can be found at www.unagreaterlincolnshire.org. It was an interesting insight into the subject and the work done by a neighbouring parish.

7.   Next meeting

It was agreed that the next Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group meet will be on 

•   Wednesday 10th January 2024 at 7pm in Grasby Village Hall

Provisional dates for a public presentation at Grasby Village Hall to residents of the parishes will be on:

•   Wednesday 24th January 2024 from 7-9pm in Grasby Village Hall
•   Saturday 27th January 2024 from 10-12am in Grasby Village Hall

Details of these meetings will be confirmed at the next Steering Group meeting.

The next Grasby Parish Council meeting is on 

•   Wednesday 17th January 2024 at 7.15pm