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November 24, 2010

Community planning that actually works?

Over the years, the most consistent criticism levelled at Community Planning is that communities have had nothing to do with it. When Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park came into existence, a unique programme of local consultation and real ‘community planning’ was put in place – with each of the 24 communities drawing up their own local plan.  It’s a measure of their success that local people are now committing the time and energy to drawing up the 2nd generation of these plans

Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Friday

A HOUSEHOLD survey in and around Thornhill has revealed the issues that most concern local people and what they think should be done to make things better.

As part of a Thornhill Community Futures exercise to prepare a new Community Action Plan (CAP), more than 200 survey responses were received from the villagers and interviews and focus group meetings were held to make sure everyone had a chance to have their say.

Thornhill Community Trust chair Peter Rickard said: “We had a fantastic response to the survey, which goes to show the interest that local people here have in their own community. The report of the survey is extremely interesting – some things we expected to hear, but there are some surprises in there too!”

Thornhill Community Trust is holding a community open day on Sunday, November 21 at which the results will be on display. The open day is from 11am-3pm in the community hall and there will be plenty of opportunity for people to contribute their views once they have seen what others said in the survey.

There will be activities for children, local groups’ displays, a full programme of local entertainment, free refreshments and the chance to vote for your priority projects and actions before the CAP is finalised.

A steering group is working with STAR Development Group to prepare their second Community Futures Action Plan for 2010-2015. The first CAP was prepared in 2003 and led to many successes, such as improving footpaths, improving drainage and biodiversity on the South Common, establishing Thornhill Kids Club, and improving traffic calming.

Funding for the work has been provided by Forth Valley and Lomond Leader, Rural Stirling Housing Association, Stirling Community Planning Partnership, Callander and District Round Table, and Civil-Comp Ltd.

http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/images/stories/Living/PDF/ActionPlans/Community%20Futures%20Mapping%20Outcomes.pdf