Below is a copy of the latest report on Town Action Plan Projects

 

TO:ALL WHITCHURCH TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS - PROJECT REPORT

 

FROM: Tony Corbin � Town Project Officer HCC (for and on behalf of WA/TAPT) 2nd November 2006��

 

Dear Councillors and WA Trustees

 

Please find below summary of the main activities, request for support (WTC and WA Trustees) and report of WA Town Action Plan Project Activities.

 

1.      SEEDA Rural Towns Programme Bid � Thank you for reviewing and endorsing the proposals. The preliminary bid was presented to the SEEDA Hampshire Market Towns Panel (HMTP) on 25th September in Winchester by Stewart Parrington and I. As a number of you may already know, the stage one bid was approved and we have the green-light to proceed with the detailed (costed) 2nd stage bid � potentially to be submitted by February/March 2007. I say potentially, because the bid forms part of the overall Town Centre Improvement Project which specifically will require BDBC to �underwrite� the WA bid to comply with the SEEDA contractual terms for such Town Partnership led initiatives. Meantime, work on drawing up the final list of schemes is underway with the next Steering Group meeting expected to agree the final list.

2.      CIW 2006 The plans are now well advanced and include arrangements for installing the Christmas Tree Brackets (thanks to Cllr Jackman for his offer of help) � we have around 15 stalls for the Christmas Market 16th Dec in the Parish Hall and a kiddies funfair that will be staged in the White Hart car park area. Thank you to the Mayor for agreeing to switch on the lights (now 3.45 pm 9th Dec) and to announce the best dressed window judging results. (Is the Mayor or alternatively the Chair of WA available 16th December to present the prize (12 noon) in the Parish Hall for the �odd one out competition? The calendar of events is being prepared for the website (www.thewhitchurchweb.org) , there are posters and press releases planned, Parish Magazine coverage plus issue late November of a special CIW Community magazine. It has been proposed that profits will go to the Mayor�s fund. ACTION: It would be much appreciated if the Mayor could review the draft article prepared by Stewart Parrington which will go on the front page of the magazine urging residents to support etc. Similarly it is hoped that Members will lead by example and �shop locally in Whitchurch� this Christmas themselves. Meantime, WA will have a stall at the Parish Hall promoting the Community Hall

3.      Town Centre Revitalisation � The mystery shopping survey results were presented to retailers on 5th October. There were wide variations (the information is confidential at individual shop level) but overall Whitchurch did better than some of the other ten Hampshire Towns taking part. Plans are afoot for follow up mentoring and training all heavily subsidised by the programme. The Whitchurch Welcome Pack is also complete � this will be issued by Redwoods and Brockenhurst to their clients and it is proposed that copies will also go into the Library, Town Hall etc in due course

4.      Heritage Display - The library interior layout was presented at the meeting held on 18th October. Areas have been allotted for local Heritage display

 

Finally, just to remind everyone that my contract comes to an end on 31st December, though I fully expect to be able to provide input and support to the SEEDA bid in the NewYear . It is anticipated that Jim Seamons will produce the Monthly TAPG report from January onwards as part of his liaison duties between WA Trustees and the Town Action Project Teams.

 

 

Kind Regards

 


 

(Merged)

Initiative

Project Charter

Sub Group Members

Leader in bold

(= Co opted)

<Cllr>

Aim and Current Status

1. Business Development, Town Centre

Revitalisation and Tourism

 

Tourism:

 

         Encourage More Visitors to the Town

         Increase spend in the Town

         Raise Town Profile

Stewart Parrington

Phil Cooper

Harriet Titcomb

(Derek Verran)

(Stephen Bryer)

John Buckley

Tony Corbin

Keith Watts

(BLWx)

 

(Brockenhurst � Comm�l Agency)

(Testbourne Bus Forum members)

(Local Retailers)

Aim - Target by end 2006 - Town Guide, Heritage Leaflet and Circular Walks reprint/update all cross-referencing further information on the Whitchurch Web. 30th Nov. meeting determined priorities, which include identifying sponsor/funding for new Heritage Leaflet (see also �Heritage� project below) and Town Guide.

 

Status � Excellent meeting with Tourism SE on 6th September confirmed their support and belief that Whitchurch can be more strongly marketed as a Tourism destination. Provision of �brown� Tourist signs on the A34,, a Town amenities Guide, enhanced signage and heritage trail form part of the SEEDA element of the Town Centre Project Bid.

Business & Town Centre:

         Revitalisation of Town centre

         Encourage residents to �shop locally�

         Improve appearance of Town Centre

         More Town Events

         Establish Traders Association

         Skills Development

         Marketing/Business Development

Aim - By Mid 2006 � Develop Bid for HCC Country Towns Initiative and LTP 2(circa �100k) and B&DBC POPPI circa �20k (Pride of Place Partnership Initiative) and �100k of SEEDA RTP matched funds potentially available for qualifying built environment enhancement & related Town Centre Revitalisation projects.

 

Status � 1st stage WA Bid to SEEDA HMTP on 25th September was successful. A list of 27 possible schemes (work-packages has been reviewed by officers and the resulting shortlist is currently out to Steering Group members for comment. It is anticipated that the final list might be agreed at the next Steering Group meeting at the end Nov. Beyond this, the schemes will need to be costed and put to the local community for comment (prioritisation within the funds expected to come available in 07/08)

Traffic Management

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traffic Mgt (cont)

Traffic Mgmt Projects:

a)       Reduced HGV through traffic volumes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

b)       Distinctive

Town Gateway Entry Signs and associated BDBC funded traffic calming scheme

Tony Corbin

(for Derek Verran)

(Keith Watts)

(Reg Kimpton)

(Keith Pauw HCC)

<Cathy Burt>

John Wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greg Harris

Susan Flawith

<Cllr B. Jackman>

Harriet Titcomb

Tony Corbin

(Jamie Daly B&DBC)

Aim - Start Jan 05, Survey April 05; Report Presentation Sep 05; Actions agreed Jan 06

 

StatusGroup reviewed and submitted proposals (copied WTC) related to BDBC Parking proposals There was no time at the June meeting to discuss HGV follow up.

 

The project has not progressed further following the reporting of the findings of the HCC HGV Survey.

 

 

 

Aim - Start Jan 05; Agree design Apr 05

 

Status: The agreed scheme is now progressing through the various statutory processes associated with speed restriction changes.

New Library Local Heritage

Display and IT Facilities

 

Local Heritage Centre

         Accessible display and educative centre for local artefacts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT/Internet Public access:

         Increase number of individual Learning and Information access points

Harriet Titcomb

Deborah Woodland

Dr. Alison Deveson

Tony Corbin

<Cllr. A Wall>

John Mariner (History Soc)

Russell Cleaver (HCC R&H)

Hector Goldsack

Sarah Gray (R&H Library Service)

Phil Cooper

 

 

AIM - Start Dec 05 Finish Jan 07 (opening of Ctty Centre). Agree aims; recruit volunteers; agree and cost solution; develop lottery bid

 

 

Status Meeting 18th October reviewed the planned interior layout of the library. Display cabinets etc need to be funded by WA (e.g. maybe by Grant application to BDBC)

 

 

 

AIM � Increase the provision of publicly accessible Internet Terminals

 

Status Confirmed that six PC�s to be included in new library design one of which enables access to Hampshire Record Office facilities (Family History tracing etc).

Time Capsule Project

Community Centre

 

         Capsule to �freeze the present for posterity including the aspirations of the young in the Town

Harriet Titcomb

Local Schools

WA Trustees

<Town Council>

AIM � Include a Plaque and capsule within the new Community Building that reflects current life and times in Whitchurch to be opened in 100 years time

 

Start date......Spring 06

Estimatedfinished date......by Spring 07.

 

Status The schools have the acid free paper and are in the process of writing their future hopes and dreams down.

Details will be added to the website during November

 

EIGHT

Comms

Communications Project:

         House Style for WA materials

         Web site inc open forum for feedback

         Internal/external and stakeholder comms model

 

Phil Cooper

John Buckley

(Steve Hoffmann)

<Cathy Burt>

Tony Corbin

 

AIM - Start Jun 05; Launch website Oct 05. Launch Magazine Spring 06

 

Status - Website (www.thewhitchurchweb.org) launched Oct as planned and being increasingly used by community and local businesses. Now contains Tourism pages

 

New Whitchurch Web Community Magazine (quarterly) 1st edition, including contribution from the Mayor, now being distributed late November (deferred to coincide with CIW).