On 3 Feb 2013 at 11:57am Cllr Ashley Price wrote:
Lewes Town Council needs the support of residents and community groups to develop a Neighbourhood Plan for Lewes.
Experts from the South Downs National Park Authority and Lewes District Council will be on hand, at a Public Open Day, Lewes Town Hall, 16th February in the Council Chamber, and the day will consist of a series of one-hour "bite-sized" sessions - with a short presentation followed by an open forum, starting at 10am, and then repeated on the hour, until 4pm, so visitors can choose a convenient time of day to drop in.
Councillors want to hear YOUR ideas on the future of the town and are looking for representatives to volunteer for the public steering group that will be needed to carry the process forward.
A Neighbourhood Plan is a new type of plan, introduced by the government in 2011, which can set out a vision, aims, polices and proposals for future development of a neighbourhood. Neighbourhood Plans can only be adopted following independent examination and a 50% "yes" vote in a public referendum, but if they are adopted, the Plan forms part of the statutory development framework for the area so that the local authority and panning inspectors will have to take it into account when making planning decisions.
See more at the link below:
Check it out here »
On 4 Feb 2013 at 6:16pm OFH'er wrote:
I find it interesting and rather disappointing that despite all the vehemently expressed opinions and concerns about North St, the Magistrate's Court building and other local planning issues, no one has posted a single response to this constructive invitation in over 24 hours.
Over From Hassocks
On 4 Feb 2013 at 6:31pm Local wrote:
I suspect that is because it sounds very much like another load of red-tape-enrobed talking about talking, with precious little coming out the other end. Plans, frameworks, bite-sized sessions, visions, referendums and the rest may be well-meant but will, I fear, be a serious turn-off to most people due also to the involvement of LDC and or LTC.
I mean, even SQ hasn't posted on this thread!
On 5 Feb 2013 at 5:57pm OFH'er wrote:
But that's the way it has to work. Discussion, agreement, approvals and all the rest. That's the fundamental problem - people see things as single issues, unconnected with anything else, and see them from one (often under-informed) point of view.
On 6 Feb 2013 at 3:31pm Old Cynic wrote:
It might have a lot to do with the fact that the meetings are slap bang in the working day - would love to be involved but not willing to give up a day of precious annual leave!
On 6 Feb 2013 at 9:25pm Down South wrote:
Tough on people who work on Saturdays - do you want it on Saturday evening, Old Cynic?
On 6 Feb 2013 at 11:04pm Local wrote:
Face it - most people aren't interested.
Just out of interest, how much does such a referendum cost the public purse, I wonder?
On 7 Feb 2013 at 12:58pm Old Cynic wrote:
Why cant it be done in the evening?
On 8 Feb 2013 at 3:33pm Ed Can Do wrote:
I think the bigger issue is that most residents don't have a plan for the future of the community. In fact, most people quite like it just how it is without any need for new strategies and development, something that the vast majority of local concillors seem completely oblivious to.
I mean, you don't have to be an "LDC expert" to see that people want the council to get rid of the parking scheme, stop selling off public land and buildings at ridiculously cheap prices in behind-closed-doors deals, do something to support and encourage local businesses and save money by hiring fewer consultants, not by turning off streetlights and ignoring blocked drains and potholes.
Does the scope of the Neighbourhood plan include removing at least one layer of local government and enforcing performance reviews on council employees and getting rid of the ones who consider their own opinions of more value than those of the electorate?
I'm at a loss as to what future develpoment our Neighbourhood needs beyond an extra school and some houses people can actually afford but I fear it's well beyond the remit and abilities of either LTC or LDC to deliver either of these.
On 8 Feb 2013 at 10:43pm Local wrote:
Ed Can Do for Council Leader! Perfectly judged.