With major developments planned right on our doorstep, it is important that all the residents of Girton consider how our village will be affected, and make our own plans for our future. A Parish Plan is a good way of achieving this.
The Government introduced the idea to enable rural communities to "map and safeguard their most valued features and influence future development plans" (DEFRA White Paper at www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruralwp/whitepaper/ten_ways.htm). The Parish Plan should be drawn up by all organisations and individuals of the village working together. The Parish Council wants to facilitate this but not to control it. There is more information about Parish Plans at the Cambridgeshire ACRE website.
In January 2008 the Parish Council called an open meeting to begin the Parish Plan process here in Girton. The meeting was very well attended with over 50 people there, and others sending apologies and expressions of interest. We were very grateful to George and Viv who moved their Tai Chi session into the front room of the Cotton Hall so that we could take over the large hall.
As people entered the room they were asked to write on a slip of paper the one suggestion, concern or issue they thought most significant. The collation of these suggestions has already shown a number of common concerns which the steering committee must address.
The main business of the meeting was to identify those prepared to serve on the steering committee. Their job will now be to identify all "stakeholders" in Girton, and to ensure that they are all canvassed for their views, and to enable all residents to have their say too, probably by means of a questionnaire. To do this they will need other volunteers and probably a number of sub-committees. So there is plenty of opportunity to get involved if you are interested!
We need the following kinds of help:
If you would like to help please email the Parish Clerk
Minutes of the meeting of 24 January 2008
Minutes of the meeting of 14 February 2008