Report of the Walford Parish Plan Steering Group

The Parish Plan Steering Group met for the third time on Wednesday 10^th December 2003.  At this meeting, the Steering Group firmed up on its plans for the consultation process.

The first stage of the Group's work will concentrate on consulting with representatives of organisations or groups that exist to serve the community.  Examples of these are walkers' groups, social groups, transport providers and schools.  If you belong to one of these organisations in Walford, or you are a member of a group whose activities take place in Walford, even if you don't live in Walford, contact us and let us have your name and telephone number (or e-mail).  We will need to consult you and your members, during the next twelve months, on a variety of issues affecting the Walford community.

The first stage of the process will be to conduct a pilot consultation.  Three groups have been chosen for the pilot, which will be reviewed at the next meeting on 21^st January 2004.  If successful, the main consultation process will begin shortly afterwards and will include all the remaining groups, associations and organisations. 

The pilot organisations selected will be the Bishopswood Bridge Club, the residents of Fowbridge Gardens and the equestrian fraternity within the Walford parish boundary.

At an earlier meeting the Steering Group agreed its constitution.  This explains how the Group will work and what it will do.  Parish Plans are intended to set out a vision for how the community wants to develop, and to identify the action needed to achieve it.   They can include everything that is relevant to the people who live and work in the community, from employment and playgrounds to the design of new buildings and protection of hedges and ponds.  So if you want to get into the action and make a real difference to the future of Walford then let us know as soon as you can.

The next meeting of the Steering Group will be on 21^st January 2004.