Since 1998 the LRP has provided on-going financial support to the Rural Community Council (Leicestershire and Rutland) (RCC) through the Building Capacity in Rural Communities Project. The Rural Action Team within the RCC work closely with rural community groups to help them identify common local issues and priorities requiring action. Principally this has been through the development of a Parish Plan (or a Village Appraisal prior to 2000).

Parish planning is a comprehensive community-led process within which local issues, needs and aspirations are identified. It leads to a holistic document, supported by extensive consultation, covering a variety of issues that affect the well-being of a community. Themes addressed within an Action Plan include highways and transport, housing needs and planning, the environment and climate change, access to information and services, provision for young people, crime and safety, education and training, and employment.

Each local authority and partner organisation has a designated co-ordinator who is responsible for responding to Parish Plan Action Plans. The Parish Plan Protocol sets out the responsibilities of local authorities, parish plan groups and the RCC throughout the process.

Within Leicestershire we have been very successful in supporting communities to produce parish plans. 25% of parishes within the County have either developed a Parish Plan or Village Appraisal. This represents double the East Midlands average. Currently the RCC are working within over 60 rural communities across Leicestershire and Rutland.

Undertaking a parish plan can be a lengthy process – from start to finish it can take 2 years. As a result, the Rural Action Team has been trained in the use of a number of other consultation techniques, which include Planning for Real® and Visioning.

Alongside the LRP’s support of parish planning and other consultation techniques we also host a number of Service Co-ordination Events across the County each year. These one-off events provide a forum for service providers and community representatives to meet, discuss issues, and agree actions to be taken forward.

In August 2008, significant efforts were undertaken to ensure that parish plan and other community consultation activity aligned with the 27 Community Forums established across the County. Published parish plans and responses from service providers will be reported to Community Forums. Each Forum will take steps to ensure that Action Plans are acted upon – either in reference to individual plans or through the consideration of a number of plans within a Forum area.

If you are thinking of establishing a parish plan group or wish to learn more about community consultation in rural Leicestershire please contact Diana Cook at the RCC (or telephone 0116 268 9706)

For more information, including access to relevant documents, please consult the Rural Community Council (Leicestershire and Rutland)’s website