Press Release: Group of MPs to meet to discuss involvement in neighbourhood planning
Civic Voice – the national charity for the civic society movement - and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civic Societies will host a meeting to discuss how members of Parliament can help assist neighbourhood forums to start planning for their communities. The meeting will encourage discussion and allow MPs to consider the range of areas that they can support neighbourhood planning; what priorities they would like to pursue in their neighbourhood plan and to discuss new ways to bring all members of the community together.
The meeting will feature a representative from the Department of Communities and Local Government and Shadow Planning Minister, Roberta Blackman Woods MP who will discuss the impact of neighbourhood planning and its future. The meeting is being supported by John Thompson & Partners.
Laura Sandys MP, Chair of the APPG said: “We are looking forward to MPs attending and learning more about how they can take this power forward. Neighbourhood planning is at the heart of the Government’s agenda on Localism, giving communities power to make changes to the places where they live. Just as the local authority has a plan for the local area, residents too can develop one that will sit alongside, putting residents in control of the future of their neighbourhood.”
Paula Ridley CBE, Chair of Civic Voice said “Civic groups play a vital role in the democratic process which was recently demonstrated when nearly 400 MPs were contacted by civic societies over the Government's proposed permitted development changes. This resulted in the Government making some significant amendments on this key planning policy. We look forward to discussing how we can all play a part in spreading neighbourhood planning further”.
Laura Sandys finished by saying: “I am passionate about empowering our local communities, and neighbourhood planning gives communities across the country more rights and greater opportunities to take control what happens in their local area.”
Anyone who would like to attend and contribute to the discussions should register their interest at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
A list of MPs and Peers supporting the group can be accessed at http://www.civicvoice.org.uk/.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Civic Voice is the national charity for the civic movement. We lead and support civic societies as a national movement for quality of place, with people actively improving their towns, cities and villages and promote civic pride. We speak up for civic societies and local communities across England. We believe everyone should live somewhere they can be proud of and we know how people feel about places because we feel the same way. Civic societies are the most numerous participants in the planning system. Since its launch in April 2010 Civic Voice has been joined by over 290 civic societies with 75,000 members. Further information is available at http://www.civicvoice.org.uk including how to join Civic Voice (£10 individuals) and contact details for local civic societies.
The APPG is an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) with a particular interest in the civic society movement. It was established in November 2010. An APPG is a backbench cross-party group of MPs and Peers who share an interest in this particular issue.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Ian Harvey, Civic Voice (m) 07877 096968