Community Led Planning

Community Impact Bucks and Aylesbury Town Council have been in discussions recently about bringing Community Led Planning to some of Aylesbury Town’s Communities. Community Led Planning is a process where residents of a community come together to form a steering group and look at what the current issues, challenges and values are for the residents in that community. This process looks at everything in a holistic manner and nothing is off limits. The steering group would be led by members of the community and it would be the steering group who would co-ordinate the consultation with as much of the community as possible.

This consultation could take many forms – questionnaires, displays at community events or workshops with community groups. Ideally there should be a range of consultation activities undertaken to reach all parts of the community. Once the steering group has collated responses to the consultation activities; things are prioritised, by the community, and then realistic actions to address issues raised are formulated into an action plan that everyone can get involved in delivering. It can give all sorts of people things to do to improve a community, right from individuals through to community groups, all the way up to the Town, District and County Councils.

Community Impact Bucks supports communities, of all sizes, to go through this process right across Buckinghamshire. Therefore Community Impact Bucks will be supporting several of Aylesbury’s communities to go through this process. This support ranges from assistance with steering group meetings, through to providing equipment and man power at consultation events. Community Impact Bucks can also provide examples of what has worked well elsewhere along with examples of best practise. How the process is shaped and evolved is ultimately down to the individual communities. It is also encouraged that your locally elected representatives at all tiers of local authority be engaged in the process to offer their advice and support and champion your completed plan at a higher level.

If you live in one of the initial communities that are going to be worked with, you may see information about this process along with ways to become involved. There will also be open meetings in the near future that will kick start the process by demonstrating what community led planning is all about and identifying people who would like to drive forward the project for their area.

If you require any further information, or are interested in starting this process in your community, please feel free to contact Paul O’Hare, Community Development Team Leader at Community Impact Bucks on: 01296 744725 or via e-mail on: paul@communityimpactbucks.org.uk.

_{The community led planning special projects thumbnail and above banner image are (c) Tom Clare / FreeDigitalPhotos.net, and is used under permission.}