Thanks given for Hednesford Neighbourhood Plan success
A special reception was held in Hednesford to thank everyone who had helped with the production of the town’s planning blueprint for the future.
John Heminsley, Brian Gamble and Alan Pearson at the reception.
The Neighbourhood Plan was two years in the making and was overseen by Hednesford Town Council in a steering group. A working group to establish the viability and potential benefits of a plan had been launched two years earlier.
Steering group chairman Councillor Brian Gamble said that after a public referendum returned a yes vote for the plan, it was important to recognise all the hard work that had gone into its production.
Special adviser John Heminsley was singled out for his ‘invaluable technical expertise’ and ‘practical local knowledge’ in researching and compiling the plan.
Cllr Gamble said: “Without John it would not have been possible to achieve such a positive outcome.”
Cllr Gamble also paid tribute to the former marketing director Carol Fittes who had worked hard on a promotional strategy for the plan but who died before it was finalised.
He welcomed guests at the reception at Pye Green Community Centre earlier this month. (November.)
Cllr Gamble said: “Very many people have participated in the production of the plan and thanks must go to everyone involved.”
“We were grateful to David Wisehall who generously contributed photographs that were included in the plan.”
“The then Marketing Room provided the vision for the publicity and marketing campaign which resulted in the production of an attractive and contemporary Neighbourhood Plan document supported by materials on line including a Facebook page and an innovative video.”
“We were of course deeply saddened by the death of Carol who played an important part in the early stages of producing the marketing strategy and I believe she would have been very pleased with the outcome.”
“Thank you to Linda Aitchison (The PR Woman) and Julie Metcalfe (Creative Souls Marketing) whose work continued to make a difference.”
“Thanks must also go to members of the public who completed the questionnaire and many others who responded to the several consultation exercises that were undertaken during the formulation of the plan.”
“The support and guidance of our colleagues from the planning department of Cannock Chase Council has been very much appreciated and I am sure we will continue to work closely with them regarding the implementation of the policies and aims contained in the plan.”
Cllr Gamble added that the council was particularly pleased with excellent feedback from an independent examiner whose role it was to verify the plan.
The examiner concluded “The preparation of a neighbourhood plan is an exacting task involving people, many of them volunteers, in considerable work over a long period of time. The Town Council is to be commended for preparing a thoroughly researched Plan which ably tackles a number of planning issues that are of importance to the local community”.