Saturday, November 28, 2009

HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

Brigg should have its own Community Plan for the first time, the town council believes.
Community Plans are wish lists of projects and initiatives residents want to see developed, or progressed, in the future - set out in nicely-presented form and made available to the public.
It shouldn't prove a burden on council tax payers in Brigg, as a grant can be sought from the North Lincolnshire Strategic Partnership.
Coun Tom Glossop told fellow town councillors he took a positive view of working towards a Brigg Community Plan, which might take 18 months, or two years, to complete. But he urged speedy action while the money was available.
Coun Ann Eardley thought it would be a good idea to put a Commmunity Plan questionnaire in the Brigg Matters newsletter.
Mike Campion was not against the idea, but pointed out it would take up a lot of time within the council.
Deputy Town Mayor Coun Ben Nobbs revealed he had been involved in producing a Community Plan for Winterton, which took about a year. As it reflected public opinion, the plan was useful when it came to bidding for grants.
But Coun Jenny Bell said although some things looked good on paper there was not always a positive end result.
The town council agreed to support the idea of a Brigg Community Plan. Watch Brigg Blog for developments. Perhaps a public meeting will follow sometime next year.
No thoughts have yet been given to what the Brigg Community Plan's contents might be. But how about kicking off with development of the Recreation Ground, off Wrawby Road (seen below)?

3 comments:

Ken Harrison said...

Owing to Brigg's hierarchial influence - folks from out-lying villages visit Brigg for shopping, recreation and sporting events, any questionnaire should include their views.

Anyway, to put my penny-worth in, I think Brigg should have an annual, combined Beer and Jazz Festival over a long weekend.

Check out what happens at the Brecon Jazz Festival - sponsored by the Arts Council for Wales.
It attracts rsponsible adults and involve the whole community - from farmers for camping, pubs for drinks and venues to coach firms to move groups around to outlying venues.
The Festival has put Brecon* on the map and like Brigg, is of similar size with lots of pubs, out-lying pubs and open spaces for venues and camp-sites.
Methinks, that a few Town Councillors should be sponsored to visit the 2010 Brecon Festival and come back with ideas.
Google - 'Brecon Jazz Festival' - easy!!

*Brecon is technically a city - it has now a cathedral!!!!

Ken Harrison said...

Kenny's brainstorming ideas:

1. Nicking Brigg Garden Centre so it comes within NLC.
2. Landscaping the River Acholme - developing river walks and the restablishment of regular boat trip - the latter will need a jetty in th heart of Brigg.
3. Practical and aesthetic improvements in Brigg - from Springs Parade to establishing a Brigg approved colour scheme for facades. For example, the first impression of Brigg to a stranger travelling along Barnard Ave is the initial sighting of Wrawby St near the White Horse - orange, yellow, black, green - it's like a carnival town!
4. a.In cooperation with outside bodies, the creation of an approved truck stop in th area - ie Barny's Cafe at Barnetby Top.
b. The development of facilities for visiting coaches and their parties within Brigg.
5. Consolidate a tourist inventory of places and activities in striking distance of Brigg - from Scawby Hall, Lincoln, local paint-balling, pony-trekking, golf, sailing clubs, Humber Bridge and etc for visitors and tourists.
6. Allow local groups the facility to advertise their own activities - Where is there a public info board in Brigg? There ain't one!
7. The feasibility of contructing an alternative route from the northern estates - ie Brick Yard Lane.
8. The establishement of a paid specialist group - with sponsorship from such as the Arts Council, NLC, government grants etc, responsible for organising annual events in Brigg and environs - Brigg Fair, Jazz Festival, model aircraft flying events at ??RAF KinL and etc.
9. The cart before the horse? The improvement of Brigg rail station and immdiate area - better rail service.
10. The creation of other small, single industrial units (ie Island Carr)around Brigg.
11. Attract a national/internation high-tech firm to the Brigg area to soak up local young talent and etc.
11. Stop in-fill building of vacant land. Keep some areas green and attractive. Use, if needed, the probation service and the young offender from Hatfield to keep such area tidy and appealing.
12. Improve/landscape the area around Springs Parade - potentially one of the most attractive area in Brigg - but its a mess. Use thumb-screws on Lidls if required!!!
13 Avoid concentrating too much upon minor projects that do not really inspire public enthusiasm and interest - think on a bigger scale and these minor projects - Bridge, Milly Green etc, will fall into place.

Now for a mug of coffee - end of part 1!!!

Ken Harrison said...

..........and now for Number 14:

The construcion of a Cerne Abbas Giant figure in the chalky hill-country of the Wolds......
If the Cerne Abbas guy is too rude, how about the cutting out of a Avro Lancaster......after all Lincolnshire is known as the Bomber County and there were several RAF bases near Brigg.
Geographically and geology, the only place in Lincolnshire for such a memorial - with much of the remaining county being flat, glacial drift - is around here.
Not a bad idea, really, is it??