Big Local Poll

[Community Online 65]

Big Local's first round of consultation carried out in 2011/2012 has been analysed and the following 6 priorities for the 3 communities have been identified. They would like your opinion on how valuable or otherwise these ideas are to YOUR community. (You are then asked to rate the following in terms of importance 0, 1, 2 or 3): 0 being not important and 3 being very important.

 

The questions are in the Poll above, all you have to do is rate the importance. Below are the questions with some extra information. If you think the Big Local has missed anything, or you have any suggestions, just leave a reply.

 

Help all ages to become better educated and qualified for life, both in and out of work.

Help to develop "gifted and talented" young people in local schools?

Provide job interview practice with local businesses?

 

Encouage more "out-of-school" activities to help the health and well-being of our young people.

Saturday afternoon films for young people?

Open the swimming pool in the summer holidays?

 

Support access to affordable housing.

Set up an organisation to develop low cost dwellings?

 

Help the area get the best out of its rural position.

Car sharing scheme to help people to get to work cheaply?

Produce an advertising campaign to attract visitors to our heritage sites?

 

Support lots of new and established businesses so they can employ more local people.

Set up business forum to swap business opportunities?

Set up a locally available business advice service?

 

Help those run community buildings so that they can more ably support themselves.

Develop a commual marketing campaign to encourage more use of the buildings?

Get solar panels on all appropriate community buildings?

[neo 6]

Just a few quick comments....

 

1 - On the whole don't you think the 'gifted and talented' are probably OK?  Maybe the not so gifted and talented need more support

3 - Support for local people to get local properties... but not at the cost of over developing the area ilke the Parish Council seem to want do

4 - Car sharing?  Don't really see this working, would like to see some stats and if other rural communities have got this to work.  Maybe we need to see more people walking the 200m to the school and not driving the journey

5 - Definately, Weston Rhyn Institute sounds like they are in need of Community Support

[Simple Simon 36]

yesssssss...

 

"Gifted and talented" - who is the judge of this? Local schools? Does that include the primaries and nurseries?

 

"Saturday afternoon films for young people" -  they'll have already downloaded by then, but I wouldn't be against local public showing of the latest movies on a large screen.

 

Businesses will take money for their advice no matter what.

 

Are community buildings run by the councils?

 

No suggestions for the older generation?

 

However, these general headings of transport, housing, education, leisure and employment indicate some good broad themes of concern both locally and nationally.

[Maggie 65]

I am going to do this properly in a 'considered' way, but a few quick comments to keep the discussion going.

 

Heritage/Tourism is THE main business and economic potential for our area.  Over many years our area has been ignored, but the latest North Shrops draft Tourism strategy

 

http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/business.nsf/viewAttachments/MJOS-8YSEQJ/$file/Summary%20NSO%20Visitor%20Economy%20Strategy.pdf

 

suggests huge potential for increasing income to this part of Shropshire simply by readdressing the balance between N and S Shropshire, figures bandied about are (2005) 2.2 m visitors in n shrops and Oswestry earning £115m;  whereas S Shrops had 4.2 m visitors spending £205m.  That is one hell of a lot of money  Tourist money in our area is presently being spent in bigger organisations, a bit like 3rd world tourism where all the spend goes out of the country via hotel and attractions owners!  By supporting small enterprises, such as LJC grant to Chirk Bank methodist Hall to do teas to tourists on the canal, (or small bed and breakfasts) money is attracted in and stays here.  Social Enterprises could be supported e.g. how about the old plans to have visitor info in St Martins Centre about miners linked to the 'Colliers Way'?  

 

So emphasizes that the topics on the list actually cross into one another, Improving the area's landscape and villages brings people in and supports jobs and businesses IN the community.  

 

One theme I noticed in the original questionnaire answers that came in, was about 'brightening' up the villages (hanging baskets sort of thing)  and tidying up unloved scrubby areas,  and if we wanted to attract visitors into the villages (which is only place really they would have spending opportunities) then this would be important.  

 

Films for young people? I thought that there was at one time a subsidized bus to the cinema in Wrexham but it failed because of lack of support.  Unless there is something more (3D) young people are happy watching downloads for free.  Don't think this would work for young people, however older people might like a free bus to the new matinees on Wednesday in Oswestry (I would).

 

'Gifted and Talented'! Isn't this elitist.  They will usually find their way, its the ordinary and bored need help.

 

The whole issue of struggling community buildings throws up why Big Local came here in the first place.... there is little capacity to go after external funding within this community, people don't know about funds or are able to fill in forms...  a more sustainable answer maybe is to provide funding training and surgeries?   

 

Right Oh, will now give this thing some greater attention!

Edited February 27, 2013 by Maggie

[Penny 7]

'Gifted and talented' also get bored and can be much more difficult to deal with as they are bright enough to wind teachers up. To much time can be spent on pupils at the C/D borderline who the school want to pass to help their league tables.