Notes for the meeting of the Community Engagement Working Group held at Walford Village Hall At 7.30pm on Wednesday 25st September 2019
Attending: Cllr Newbert, Cllr Puzey, Cllr Matthews, Cllr Akers, Ward Cllr Yolande Watson
1. Apologies: To accept apologies and note reasons for absence.
None received.
2. Declarations: To receive declarations of interest and consider any written applications for dispensations.
None.
3. Minutes: To accept minutes of last meeting as correct.
Accepted.
4. To review website redevelopment progress.
Cllr Puzey reported: Training is scheduled for Friday 27th September for 4 people. An initial draft website organisation structure has been developed and will be amended following training.
Planned that some content and subscription membership will come from the Bishopswood Village website – which will then be closed.
Enough changes will be made to re-launch the website at the parish party in October.
5. Cllr Puzey to report on meeting with Fastershire.
Richard Abolins and Cllr Puzey met with Anna Wilde from a Fastershire consultancy on 11th September to walk through the proposed website restructure and how to make it more effective.
We also discussed briefly the other ways in which the Fastershire project can help support us:
They will be sending further information on grants (up to £2,500 avaialble) that we may be able to use to for example: Set-up a Walford Parish Hall website; Provide training on tablets, phones and PC usage.
They already provide free courses at Ross library, that we should promote to locals.
6. Parish Newsletter:
The layout and content is coming together.
A quote has been received from the company that has produced the old Newsletter – Lonsdale direct.
There is enough in the budget for this year as only two issues will be distributed. A budget increase will be required for 2020. This can be negated by signing up as many parishioners as possible to receive a copy by email as postage is the major cost.
a. To agree the content (articles) of the revised parish newsletter.
The following articles were agreed: Parish Party, New council, NDP, Support scheme, Parish website, Diary, Environmental or Safety issue.
Cllr Akers noted that the editors photograph position give the impression that they are a councillor. Cllr Puzey to reposition photo or article to separate.
b. To agree the initial method and timing of production & circulation.
Cllr Puzey to produce current and next issue while seeking alternatives.
David Emerson has agreed to provide an editorial column and edit the content.
It was agreed that the next issue should be end January as we try to come into line with a normal quarterly publication.
c. To agree the process for moving to email distribution.
The Households database to have a unique number attached.
A subscribe/unsubscribe process will be added to the website which includes the number when subscribing. This information will then be used to flag Households database to not send next time.
A database update process will be developed to run once per year to pick up new addresses and house sales to add or unflag Households.
Everything possible will be done to encourage parishioners to subscribe and newcomers to do so before they receive their first Newsletter – Welcome leaflet.
We will sign up as many people as possible at the parish party!
7. To agree how we might support and use the opportunity provided by the Parish Party on 27th October.
It was agreed that the parish party provide a greats opportunity to engage with a wide audience from the parish and beyond. Cllr Yolande Watson, who is organising the party outlined what was going to be there and the reasons for holding the party.
It was agreed that a Parish Website table would be present and a Neighbourhood Development Planning table.
As many Councillors as possible should be encouraged to attend and assist.
8. Review the following policies and procedures:
a. Freedom of Information.
A brief review revealed that much is missing from the existing policy document. Cllr Mathews to draft a revised version that includes the missing parts.
9. Items for next meeting agenda (No discussion)
Website progress feedback and monitoring.
Newsletter subscription sign-ups
Facebook page.
10. Next meeting: – date to be agreed
It was agreed that working group meeting could now move to quarterly about two weeks before the production of the newsletter.
Next meeting: Wednesday 8th January 2020 7:30pm Venue TBC.