Parish Magazine Copy February 2007

The Parish Plan for Balcombe will be presented to Balcombe residents for the first time at an exhibition at the Victory Hall on Saturday February 24^th between 10.30am and 12.30pm. The exhibition will also feature paintings and drawings produced by the children of Balcombe School to illustrate their favourite places around the village, the best of these have been used in the plan document. In addition all of the Voluntary organisations, Clubs and Societies have also been invited to show and explain to residents their activities. The WI has kindly offered to provide refreshments for the event.

The Parish Plan is the culmination of a year’s work by the Balcombe Parish Plan Action Group (BPPAG), which was established and funded by the Balcombe Parish Council to consult the community about issues that were concerning them, and to produce a report. This definitive report of residents’ views should strengthen the arm of the Parish Council, as the elected body that represents the community, by providing it with clear evidence of what the wishes of the community are.

The views collected in the Parish Plan fall into three categories:

    Matters which it is possible for the Parish Council to act upon;

    Matters that are outside the powers of the Parish Council, but which the Parish Plan will provide a powerful tool for influencing the decisions and     actions of other authorities i.e. in establishing strategies for the use of land, determining planning applications, and traffic management.

    Matters on which it is possible for people to take the necessary action themselves, given appropriate support and funding.

Members of the BPPAG will be available during the exhibition to explain what residents told them in consultations and in the questionnaires which were sent to all households and, separately, to the Voluntary Organisations and young persons between the ages of 11-16. Having listened to the concerns expressed, the BPPAG is recommending what action needs to be taken to address those concerns, and by whom.

The BPPAG and the 40 contributors to the production of the Parish Plan invite everyone who lives in the Parish to come to the exhibition on the 24^th February to see the result of the work which has been done on your behalf.