Congratulations to Mike Temple of the Sidmouth branch of East Devon Alliance, who has recently become one of the first Trustees of the Community Voice on Planning (CoVoP), who are vigorously working for changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The following update on progress at the national level has just been received by CoVoP secretary, Julie Mabberley:
We are trying to keep up the pressure on the policital parties prior to the election next year. To that end
we are attending a meeting with Greg Mulholland and his colleagues this week to work on a manifesto
put together by a range of campaigners who share a similar vision for the future of the planning system.
The attendees include: Greg Mulholland MP (LD, Leeds North West); Philip Davies MP (C, Shipley); Fiona
Bruce MP (L, Congleton), Sir Nick Harvey MP (LD, North Devon); Alok Sharma MP (C, Reading West);
David Ingham (Wharfdale & Airedale Review Development); Ian Harvey & Freddie Gick (Civic Voice); Paul
Minor (CPRE); Duncan McCallum (English Heritage); Adam Royle (NT); Paul Adams and Julie Mabberley
(CoVoP).
In common with many of the affiliated groups we have been invited to to attend a discussion forum with
Committee MPs at 3.30pm on Monday 1 September at Portcullis House, Westminster for the NPPF inquiry.
This may be an opportunity to get a number of our members together face to face anyway. There may
even be sufficient a number of groups on the same day to hold a rally but I guess that only one person
from each group will be invited.
We are also in communication with the MPs Interest Group on the Green Belt led by Chris
Skidmore MP.
Our next get-together and Trustees meeting will take place at the Navigation Inn, Barrow Upon Soar,
Loughborough, LE12 8LQ on Sunday 10 August. Please let me know if you want to send a
representative. We will be discussing the outcomes from the meeting this week and the preparation for
the NPPF Inquiry discussion forum as well as other actions to put pressure on the main political parties.
On the subject of Trustees – we have now set up The Community Voice on Planning on the Small Charity
Constitution basis managed by Trustees. The first Trustees are
– Paul Adams (DefeND [Defend North Devon])
– Geoff Rice (Wantage and Grove Campaign Group)
– Jenny Unsworth (Protect Congleton)
– Ron Morton (Save our Green Spaces)
– Julie Mabberley (Wantage and Grove Campaign Group).
– Mike Temple (Save our Sidmouth).
Our Constitution is available at http://covop.org/constitution/ and we would like to formally invite all groups
to nominate individuals for membership now and to nominate Trustees at the AGM which will be held
early next year.
Thanks for reading.
Julie
Community Voice on Planning
A National Alliance to provide communities with an effective voice on planning.
East Devon Watch 