THE CITY OF WINCHESTER TRUST LIMITED
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 MARCH 2001
Policy Group
Faced with the Government's forecasts for new housing in the South-East, the Council of the Trust established a policy group in 1999 to recommend what the Trust's attitude should be. By April 2000 the group had produced several pages of key points that they believed should form the outline for the new policy. The next step was to clothe each key point with explanatory text, while trying to maintain brevity. At this stage the group debated and criticised their document, point by point. The result was a larger text, but a clearer one, with many of the rough edges removed.
By June 2000, the Policy Group was ready to present its ideas to the Council of the Trust. Council members responded with more than a hundred comments and criticisms, which were all relevant and helpful. These were all considered, and most were adopted in one form or another. Perhaps surprisingly, the group felt that the document still retained a unity and consistency after all this revision. In September 2000 the policy document, named "A Strategic Vision", was adopted by the Trust Council as a discussion document. The Vision does not attempt to provide a solution to Winchester's needs, but rather to provide a set of principles with which to judge proposed solutions, and help guide future policy.
Next the Vision was presented to interested members, and again amended in the light of their comments. Finally, the document was printed in January 2001. lt was presented to members of the Trust on 2nd February, and to members of the County and City Councils, key officers and other invited guests on 5th February. Trust members were asked by the Chairman to send in their comments, and 36 thoughtful letters were received by the Trust. The results have been analysed and fully reported in the Summer 2001 Newsletter.
Work continues in 2001/2002 to develop and direct policy, and members will be kept informed of progress in the Trust's publications and meetings.
Antony Proudman
Chairman, Policy Group