Chairman's Miscellany - TrustNews June 2006
Members may not be aware that radical changes are in train for the way future planning policies and local plans are to be produced. A fairly complicated hierarchy of documents have to be drafted by the local authority and not all of them are subject to public consultation. However there will be opportunities for local residents and organisations to put forward their ideas and stages that do demand public consultation.
The City Council has recently published a draft Statement of Community Involvement which sets out how they will consult and whom they will involve. There is a worthy aim to include minority groups in an overarching consortium called The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) – yet it is worth noting that representation for the built and natural environment of this historic city is NOT included. Parish Councils are represented but not the generality of those who reside in Winchester wards. Consultation with other Civic Societies reveals that they are encouraged to be involved in their LSPs in the realisation that the built and natural environment contribute to the quality of life.
All members of the Trust are encouraged to engage in this planning process, as it will be too late to protest once the plan is approved. Documents can be seen on the City Council website and will supply many hours of reading!
The Trust continues to promote the case for Heritage Town status. Much will depend on support from the Councils and in April a presentation to the City Council Cabinet. It generated considerable interest but we shall have to repeat the presentation to the new Cabinet. Later this month it will be made to the senior officers. Success in promoting Heritage status depends on adopting a vision for Winchester that all can share and then a master plan to guide its implementation. Winchester deserves this carefully considered development policy rather than the piecemeal ‘cram-it-in’ approach favoured by the government.
We were very concerned to learn that the City Council recently withdrew all funding for Historic Building Grants. These are modest grants that are given to fund the difference between using traditional materials in preference to cheap substitutes for repairs to buildings of historic significance. We sent our objection to the Council and will continue to press for reinstatement of this fund in next year’s budget.
The programme of Summer Walks is enclosed with this newsletter. The suggested donation for these walks has been £1 per person for at least 10 years so, this year, we are suggesting an increase to £2.