About Parish Plans

A Parish Plan gives local people the opportunity to engage with their fellow residents, community groups, service providers and others to set out a vision for how they want their village or town to develop over the next 5-10 years.

It will examine all aspects of local life and use consultation with the community to provide the foundations for an action plan, which prioritises local issues, identifies key partners for delivery and sets target dates for the completion of projects.

Why Complete a Parish Plan?

There are many benefits to completing a Parish Plan, these include:

• West Berkshire Council uses Parish Plans to help determine how local services are delivered in your area Parish Plans can create a real sense of community spirit and can reinvigorate local democracy
• A Parish Plan provides clear evidence of community needs and priorities
• A Parish Plan action plan provides the community with a defined list of community priorities,
• The completion of a Plan enables access to the Parish Plan Grant Fund and other funding streams
• Parish Plans can highlight innovative projects which need help from other agencies
• Parish Planning encourages partnership working
• Parish Plans strengthen the Town or Parish Council's relationship with the community
• Parish Plans are also used as a tool to complement and help deliver local planning policies (although they cannot override adopted planning policy)

Parish Planning In West Berkshire

The West Berkshire Partnership actively supports Parish Planning. The Partnership includes representation from a range of service providers including West Berkshire Council, Thames Valley Police, West Berkshire Primary Care Trust, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service as well as representatives from the voluntary sector and businesses. The Partnership recognises that Parish Plans are an excellent way in which public bodies can find out about the concerns of local residents.

The Partnership funds the Parish Planning project and a Community Planning Development Worker at Community Council for Berkshire (CCB) advises and supports communities during the Parish Planning process and beyond. West Berkshire Council, as a member of the West Berkshire Partnership also has a dedicated officer who works closely with CCB to guide communities through the process. (For further information on how the CCB can help you click on the download pdf file on the right).

The Process

The Parish Planning process involves communities coming together to compile an evidence-based action plan - a list of priority issues and the potential solutions needed to deliver the communities' long-term vision for their area (see Parish Plan Action Plan template as a download on the right). At its most effective, whole communities are engaged in this process, overseen by a steering group made up of local volunteers and Parish Council representatives.

Once priorities and ambitions have been agreed in communities, the action plan is circulated to Council Officers who help communities develop projects in the Plan.

Once completed plans are formally adopted by West Berkshire Council. To help communities implement their actions, West Berkshire Council has established the Parish Plan Grant Fund. Parishes can bid for up to £5,000 in any one year to help fund capital projects in their action plans. For further information please contact Carole Ruse (see contact details listed on the right).

Refreshing your Plan

Plans usually have a shelf-life of roughly 5 years because many communities quickly achieve their actions, or undergo change. The process of refreshing a Parish Plan enables communities to celebrate what was achieved in the original Plan and allows them to develop further priorities. 

CCB and West Berkshire Council will help and guide you through the process - see the  Parish Plan Refresh Guidance Leaflet (click on the link).