The Project Team is responsible for drafting the Neighbourhood Plan (NP), a Community-led initiative bringing together local people from all walks of life. The Project Team is composed of a Steering Committee and five Working Groups, with support from Wickham Market Parish Council as the 'qualifying body' responsible for the plan. Anyone in the parish can join the Project Team or attend a meeting - please contact us if you want to join. You can check our calendar of Events Calendar for meeting times and venues.

All documents relating to the work of the project team can be found here

The job of the Steering Committee is to oversee and deliver the Plan, whilst ensuring that the wishes of the community are met. The Steering Committee meets every month until the Plan is approved by referendum.

You can view the Steering Committee's Terms of Reference and the minutes of meetings, etc here.

In order to balance the various interests in the community, the NP Steering Committee is composed of local residents, elected parish councillors and the Parish Clerk (as a non-voting advisor). The membership is as follows:

• 5 members of Wickham Market Parish Council and the Parish Clerk
• 6 members of the community representing residents, community organisations, local businesses.

The Working Groups are formed from local people with a particular interest and knowledge of issues likely to be covered in the NP. Their role is to gather information and suggest ideas to the rest of the Project Team, as well as leading community consultations and provide input to the draft NP. Each Working Group must consult with the community on specific issues using surveys and deliver their findings to the Project Team. The Working Groups will meet approximately monthly until the Plan is approved.

There are five Working Groups:

• Social & community - housing needs, local facilities including schools, current and potential sites for residential development, and community assets
• Environment - the natural, built and historic environment, heritage assets, and conservation areas.
• Economy & Infrastructure - business and employment, transport links, public access and rights of way, utilities provision and climate change challenges.
• Communications - responsible for the creation and distribution/transmission of the literature and information used in all the direct communications to the local and wider public.
• Consultation - responsible for the creation of questionnaires and other material used to consult and gather information from the community and the identified populations within it. It includes the content and format of workshops and public meetings.

Each Working Group will comprise a Leader and a number of members (typically 4-6).

You can find out more information about the Working Groups and their Terms of Reference on our Working Groups page.

Anyone who lives or works in the parish can join a Working Group. Please contact us to find out more