For people living and working in Dedham to have a greater say in the future of our community, Dedham Parish Council has started the process to create a Parish Plan. A steering group of local people has been established to manage the process and will follow the community-led planning guidelines set out by Government and promoted by the Rural Community Council of Essex.

The Plan process will encourage the whole community to identify local needs and solutions. The process will take place over eighteen months, involving all sections of the community and covering all matters that affect the quality of life in our area.

The process will result in Action Plans which will not only specify and prioritise the local needs identified, but will also propose ways in which to address them. Action Plans will include those that the community can take forward itself, as well as those that need external support to achieve. The Plan will not seek to directly address planning and development aspects as these were well covered by the Village Design Statement.

The first stage of the consultation process will be a public workshop, to be held in April this year (2010), to commence the identification of local needs. Look out for more details of this event and how to participate.

This will be followed by a comprehensive questionnaire involving the entire community. The key areas to be addressed will then be identified and action plans proposed as to how these needs can be met. Finally, a report will be published and processes set in place to ensure those action plans get progressed.

Please do look out for announcements about the Parish Plan as your participation is critical to its success. You will also be able to follow progress of the Plan on our website.

Dedham Parish Plan.
Your Village - Your Way  
...putting ideas into action

Prompted by the Dedham Parish Council, a small steering group has already been established to start work on the process of creating the plan.

Initial members were: Alan Stock, Mark Dempsey, John Osborn, Jonathan Flack, Bob Cox, Mark Orrin - all residents of Dedham.
Mark Orrin and Jon Flack both left the group in June 2010 due to work commitments.

The main aim of the Steering Group is to obtain the views of all members of the community (from the young people to the elderly) on how they wish the community to develop. It will be trying to join in activities of other village groups to obtain the views of their members and it is hoped that some special events will be arranged throughout the coming months to obtain views of people who are not members of the various organisations. 

After the feedback from this communication has been analysed, a questionnaire will be prepared and circulated – to households or to individuals (this is something which has to be decided – so your views on this would be welcomed). 

Work on the process of creating the plan is well underway, but the whole process will take up to 18 months.

In April 2010, we are orgainsing a Parish Plan Consultation Day which will be the first opportunity for everyone living or working in Dedham to take part in producing an action plan for improvement.

Later in the year, we will produce a questionnaire for everyone to add their views.

From then, we will work on implementing the the ideas that have been made by the community.

Dedham Parish Plan.
Your Village - Your Way  
...putting ideas into action