Notes of NDP SG meeting held online at 7:30 pm on Thursday 26 January 2023
Present: – Andrew De La Haye, Chris Barron, Joanne Akers, Ruth Dolman
In Attendance: – Bill Bloxsome and two members of the public
1. Apologies: No apologies were received.
2. Declarations: No declarations of interest or written applications for dispensations were received.
3. Minutes: The notes of the previous meeting held on 1 November 2022 were approved.
4. Review HC referendum process.
Chris Barron ran through details on the time scale outlined in HC guidance note 33 (GN33), the schedule for which will be triggered when HC issues their decision notice.
Andrew De La Haye highlighted the ways in which the referendum will be advertised and where
HC will place documents for inspection by residents, also outlined in GN33.
Joanne Akers suggested publishing GN33 on the WPC and NDP websites and Facebook. All
voted in favour. Joanne is to ask the Clerk to publish on the WPC website and ask Ross Whelan
to publish on Facebook. Ruth Dolman will ask Bob Puzey to publish on the NDP website.
Action: Joanne Akers / Ruth Dolman
Joanne Akers questioned whether we should / could ask HC if it is possible to coincide the
referendum with the coming WPC elections. Bill Bloxsome suggested that this may affect
Purdah, and Chris Barron pointed out that the date of the referendum is the decision of the
returning officer. It was decided not to pursue this course.
5. NDP publicity for the referendum.
Chris Barron confirmed that there is £950 of grant monies left in the budget for publicity. Joanne
Akers suggested that any expenditure should be approved by the WPC Finance Committee. Joanne
will add this to the agenda for the Finance Committee meeting on 1st February.
Action: Joanne Akers
After some discussion it was decided to have a 2 prong approach. Firstly to produce an A4, 2 sided
flyer about the NDP referendum to be sent via the Post Office (PO) leaflet drop scheme to
households throughout the parish, and publish this on the WPC and NDP websites and Facebook.
Secondly to look at putting Banners up at the Village Halls once the date is known. Bill Bloxsome
advised that he has a sample of a document produced by another parish which he would circulate to
members for information.
Action: Bill Bloxsome
It was decided that our approach would be to use a strong question title and refer to consultation
results and how those are reflected in the final NDP but the final decision is yours, etc. Joanne
Akers volunteered to look at the sample supplied by Bill and collate a document for WPC and
circulate to SG members for consideration..
Action: Joanne Akers
Andrew De La Haye volunteered to contact the PO to establish exactly how their leaflet drop system
works.
Action: Andrew De La Haye
Chris Barron volunteered to look at the banners used in past consultations to see if he can amend
them to use for the referendum.
Action: Chris Barron
NOTE: – Following the meeting the SG received information that WPC are not permitted to
publicise or promote the referendum now that the date has been fixed by HC so the actions
listed above will not be carried out.
6. Update on Project Plan.
Chris Barron explained that the time scales he had entered into the project plan were based on
historical events for other NDP’s, however in the case of the WPC NDP the Examiner had asked few
questions and made very minor changes, resulting in her report coming through much quicker than
anticipated, and HC had responded to her report in a matter of days instead of weeks, resulting in
the project plan timescale to referendum being brought forward 2 months!
Andrew De La Haye asked Chris to update the project plan, circulate it to the group and get it posted
onto the NDP website. Chris agreed to do this once HC has published the Decision Statement, as
that will only leave the Referendum date as an ‘unknown’.
Action: Chris Barron
Bill Bloxsome asked if he should submit his final bill to the Clerk. It was agreed that he should.
Action: Bill Bloxsome
7. Public Participation Session.
Bridget Vine thanked the SG and Consultant for their hard work to date and stated that the few
minor adjustments that the Examiner requested in her report showed what a thorough job the group
had done. Bridget then asked Bill Bloxsome how many NDP’s he has been, and is still involved in,
to which Bill gave an outline.
8. Items for next meeting agenda.
To be confirmed
9. Date of next meeting: to be agreed.