Parking is a big issue in Charlbury - so here's your chance!

Sun 8 Feb 2015, 17:17

Yes, the Forum is thTown Council-appointed body for developing a plan for the future of Charlbury. We're hoping to conduct all the work required over the next few months so the referendum would be held at the end of this year or beginning of next. It's hard to estimate that - it depends how many people join the Forum to help get the work done. We're keen to get on so the more people we get to help, the faster and better it will be.

Sun 8 Feb 2015, 16:11

So just to clarify, Liz, are you saying that the Charlbury Neighbourhood Forum is the body approved by the Town Council to develop the Neighbourhood Plan on behalf of the Council? If so, when does the plan need to be completed by, and when will the referendum on its content take place? Thanks for any further info you can provide.

Sat 7 Feb 2015, 19:46

I should add that the Forum will not just be a talking shop. We have funds from the Town Council (and are seeking additional government grant via Locality) to explore ideas that could solve problems raised in our consultations and via the website, and come up with potential solutions.

Sat 7 Feb 2015, 18:18

Hi All, We're glad the post has elicited all these queries! Two years ago the Town Council delegated the development of a Community-Led Plan to a Steering Group chaired by a (then) town councillor, Jim Holah. A lot of work was done to establish issues that concern Charlbury residents through public events in the Memorial Hall, a town centre workshop and a facilities forum, bringing together all those organisations that have buildings for hire in the town to foster cooperation between them. As a result of these activities, several new members joined the Steering Group. In our discussions, we decided that the provisions of the Locality Act (thanks Russell for your explanation) mean that Charlbury should also consider developing a neighbourhood plan which sets out a strategic vision for the town. This is when we changed the name to Charlbury Neighbourhood Forum, a name designed to clarify its role as encouraging discussion and debate to lead to the development of a plan whose contents will have to be put to a referendum of all Charlbury residents. All of this has been explained in articles for the Charlbury Chronicle We are also about to launch a website which also links to this discussion forum. We wish it had been sooner, but I'm sure you all understand why volunteers don't always get things done in a timely manner. Happy to answer further questions. We would all love to have more people join the Forum. Anyone interested?

Sat 7 Feb 2015, 17:35

Use the WODC link, a neighbourhood plan is a very specific tool led by a TC, outlined in the Localism Act 2012 (Part 2, Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012)
It might be a chance for Charlbury to gain concensus on what the community wants to see happen in the 20yrs, rather than what it doesn't want.

Sat 7 Feb 2015, 16:35

I agree with you, Mark. The reason I looked for and posted the WODC link was that I wanted to see if anyone was thinking the same way as I am!

Sat 7 Feb 2015, 16:18

I'm grateful for these two links but I'm also now rather puzzled. The WODC site is clear that the Town Council is responsible for developing the Neighbourhood Plan. The other site, which belongs to 'Locality', apparently a pressure group, says that Charlbury has been designated as a 'neighbourhood' and that the Charlbury Neighbourhood Forum is in the early stages of developing a strategic plan. Those two statements don't immediately square with one another. I cannot see anything else about the CNF online, and the Town Council minutes do not cast much light, though they do suggest the Council has engaged in extended debate on the issue.

Has the Council delegated its authority to the Forum in this area, or is the Forum a pressure group? I think it's difficult to know how to engage with this without knowing the answer.

Sat 7 Feb 2015, 10:01

It has "been designated as a Neighbourhood Area by West Oxfordshire District Council" according to its and WODC's websites.
www.westoxon.gov.uk/residents/communities/community-planning/neighbourhood-planning/current-neighbourhood-plans/

Sat 7 Feb 2015, 09:23 (last edited on Sat 7 Feb 2015, 09:29)

All Google comes up with is www.locality.org.uk/our-members/charlbury-neighbourhood-forum/ and there is nothing on this (Charlbury) website about it as far as I can find. Curiouser and curiouser, Mark.

Fri 6 Feb 2015, 21:31

Can you remind us, please, Liz, what the Charlbury Neighbourhood Forum is, how it came into being, and what its relationship is with our elected representatives on Town, District and County Councils? I probably ought to know all this, but I confess I (and possibly other residents) don't.

Fri 6 Feb 2015, 16:36

Charlbury Neighbourhood Forum (CNF) will be tackling parking issues as it develops its strategic plan for the future of Charlbury. The Gifford Trust's planning application for the new community centre requires it to undertake a parking survey at the Spendlove site. The results will be useful in informing the longer-term plan. Are you able to help over the next couple of weeks with managing and/or undertaking the survey and helping to feed these back into the Forum?