Village Plan

We have included here the final section of the Village Action Plan so that the plans and recommendations are easily to hand. You can also download the whole Village Action Plan here.

Plans and Recommendations

Whilst the Village Pump questionnaires performed a useful task in gathering information and prompting people to think about their community it was the Village Hall Meetings that brought everyone together with a chance to hear each others ideas and give voice to their own.

The penultimate slide in the Village Hall presentations asked

…… and went on to suggest that it was up to those present.

This section of the report headlines some of the discussion that followed and details some of the actions that have been taken or are still in the planning stage.

If as a result of the Information Exchange section a Village Newsletter comes into being it could well be used to give six month and twelve-month updates on progress on the other initiatives.

This section takes as it sub-headings those used on the ‘issue sheets' shown at the Village Hall meetings and the comments are compilations or quotations from the notes made on them by those attending.

Proposed actions, actions already in hand or recommendations are shown in italic type.

Acquiring information

• The survey indicated no one method was satisfactory.

• From the feedback meetings it was indicated that regular local information sheets would be helpful.

• A more regular and comprehensive Parish Council Newsletter could fill this gap.

Recycling facilities

• Something small and discreet at the village hall in South Perrott was the principal suggestion.

• In Chedington the facility was well favoured but the location was a problem.

• Perhaps South Perrott village hall committee and the Parish Council could take the suggestion forward.

Library services

• A lot of people were interested in the library service but wanted it in the evenings, unfortunately the library service are unable to accommodate this.

• Users of the service at Chedington mentioned the results of the survey and the library service has now changed its schedule to call at South Perrott in the daytime.

• The box scheme was supported at the feedback meetings because it could be used in the evening, and there was a volunteer willing to run it.

• The Village Action Group hopes that the box scheme will be seriously considered by the library service.

Starter homes

• Some of the ideas brought up by the villages of Chedington /South Perrott , concerned starter homes

• This issue needs to be explored more thoroughly, as a lot of people would support this as a way of developing the community.

• Initiate housing needs survey

• This need was also identified in some of the children's work.

• Broadwindsor was suggested by some as a good model for starter home development

• Sites suggested included

•  between village hall and old school house at South Perrott

•  on Pickett Lane, past Bellamy Farm

•  on the A356 on the Crewkerne side of South Perrott

•  behind village hall in Chedington

Dark skies

• The majority of residents would like the villages darker and have suggested various ways of forwarding this concern.

• Pattemores factory is at present looking at ways` of reducing their illumination.

• Any future development of housing, industrial/agricultural units or street lighting should be sensitive to this issue.

Natural environment

• There is an overwhelming body of support to protect and enhance the natural environment although no clear way forward became apparent

• A small group might be convened to explore the topic – paying attention to the suggestions made by children in their submissions. These include a nature trail, a wildlife garden and a pond

Travel problems

• For most people this is not a problem, but for some it is a great problem

• There has been no use of the County Cars scheme during this past year. Perhaps this could answer some of these problems.

• The number of people who would use a bus service does not make this a viable option for any operator.

• Do people know about the County Cars scheme?

• The County Car scheme could be promoted through the newsletter.

•  It was suggested that people should be prepared to ask others when transport is required .

Recreation

• A good response to the survey indicating many activities with a large following.
• However it is difficult to identify key people who might organise any of these sports.
• The village halls or newsletters might help to publicise existing activities and encourage new ones.
• Volunteer organisers could also be sought.

Neighbourhood watch

• The survey showed that insufficient information is being given to the residents.
• The feedback meetings made the wardens aware of this.
• Neighbourhood Watch could be promoted through a newsletter.

Traffic Management

Traffic Management was a ‘hot topic' at each of the meetings. The comments and suggestions are listed below more or less as they appeared on the posters. Each comment is shown only once and similar comments have been amalgamated into one.

• speed limits through village

•  many requests for this, some specifying 20mph others 30mph

•  children's art entries suggested 20mph speed restriction

•  others suggested rumble strips

•  speed humps or traffic lights to control the flow through the village (South Perrott) were also mentioned

•  the road by the golf course was particularly mentioned as a hot-spot

• one suggestion targetted the golf course users for special treatment or ‘education' “as they form a large percentage of our traffic”
• another pointed out that 13 children assembled outside Manor Farm to wait for the school bus and suggested a speed restriction or other special measure to protect them
• several comments were made about the number of unsigned concealed entrances and the dangers they represent.
• several perceived danger spots were mentioned:

•  Leecher Lane through to Picket Lane

•  adverse camber by Leecher Lane corner

•  the Leecher Lane junction with the A356 (mirror to assist right turn suggested)

•  exit between Bakers Arms and Maple Cottage

•  the area around Hill Farm

•  Hill House corner (double white lines suggested)

•  double white lines and/or a speed limit were also suggested from the golf course to Sockety

•  Manor Close

•  Old School House (coaches)

• one suggestion was to build a by-pass through the golf club grounds

These suggestions inform the work on Traffic Management undertaken by the Parish Council.

Who listens? Who Cares?

• There was at least one Parish Councillor at each meeting
• District and County Council representatives received invitations but none attended.
• Simon Thompson representing Dorset Community Action attended one meeting and complimented the Village Action Committee on their work and presentation.
• Perhaps councillors should hold coffee morning surgeries to become better known and more accessible.

Community Shopping

• Ideas discussed at the Meetings included

•  establish a link with shop in neighbouring village to provide a delivery service either to households or to a central village point (village hall), the latter might be more attractive to the shopkeeper

•  as above but using the Tesco (Dorchester) Home Delivery Service to a central point.

•  establish a village market

•  use of vegetable boxes

•  open a ‘community shop' or at least a sweet counter.

• The idea of a village market received most support. A similar project was established in Bothenhampton about a year ago and seems to be thriving. This might be a viable project if one or two local suppliers/producers were prepared to commit to regular (monthly?) attendence as a nucleus around which a thriving enterprise could be formed.
• Perhaps an entrepreneurial parent could open a village hall based sweet counter for the children.

Adult Education/Evening Classes

• Adult Education and Evening Classes both received over one hundred ‘wishes' on the Wish List in the Village Pump Survey.
• Some of the suggestions received during the course of the Village Hall Meetings included:

•  archaeology

•  stained glass making

•  computers

•  history

•  genealogy

•  languages

•  plumbing

•  woodturning

• Following the Village Hall Meetings a ‘surgery' was arranged in South Perrott so that interested people could meet Adele Kemp the local Community Learning Co-ordinator. This was poorly attended.
• The availability of the Community Learning Co-ordinator service and the range of services on offer (‘archaeology to yoga') could be promoted at regular intervals.

Closing Thoughts – where do we go from here?

It is sobering to reflect on the overall message of the survey.

We live in a beautiful place and we have many assets.

We could make better use of two of these, the Millenium Green and the Village Halls

• The Village Meetings and the Children and Teenagers Competitions brought forward many ideas that would do this.

•  baby swings

•  goal net

•  nature trail

•  whole village celebrations

•  village barbecue

•  evening classes

•  whist drives

•  film evenings

•  U3A

•  Easter Egg Hunt

•  yoga classes

•  childrens' holiday activities

• and other ideas that would benefit the community whilst not actually using the hall or green

•  walking group

•  theatre trips

•  swimming club

If we truly want to develop our community we must escape from the mindset that says, “there are a lot of things that I would like to do if they organised or provided it”

We need to understand that there is no anonymous ‘ they' there's only ‘us' – in the final analysis we each have to say “Its ME”

We also need to recognise that communication between us is very poor. We all live busy lives and we neglect to tell each other what we are doing, what we would like to do and when we could do it.

We have talked a lot about the benefits of a community newsletter to convey information. We already have the Parrett & Axe Parish Council Newsletter and we can build on this to produce a regular, dynamic community information exchange.

This will be a small and easy step forward towards revitalising our community but we will need to be conscientious about making it happen.

Articles, letters, announcements, club news etc can be sent to the parish clerk for inclusion in the new style publication which will be circulated, free of charge, to every house in the parish.

Lets see if we can make it happen………………….

It's up to all of us.