Parish Action Plans

The Parish Action Plan process is a way in which your community can establish what are the key priorities and actions for the future of your area. The process should involve consultation exercises with the entire community to ensure that everyone has a say and that the actions put forward are those considered important to the majority rather than the few.

Here at Action in rural Sussex we are currently working with over 80 parishes throughout Sussex who are at some stage of the process: many are just beginning and others have a number of actions well under way. Action in rural Sussex can provide expert help and advice to communities wishing to consult locally about future projects and actions. Your consultation process can be as simple or as varied as you wish and may involve open days, drop-in events, questionnaires and participatory exercises, although emphasis should be placed upon ensuring no members of the community are excluded.

The overall time and costs involved vary a great deal from parish to parish, as does the final Action Plan. A Parish Action Plan is a unique document that is relevant specifically to the Parish from which it originated. Not only are Action Plans helpful locally but they can also play a key role in the development of Local Strategic Partnerships and their associated Community Strategies.

Funding for Parish Action Plans is available from a wide variety of sources, including the Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs as well as Parish, District and County councils. Action in rural Sussex can offer advice and support to communities who wish to apply for funding.
For more details please contact:

Mark McTaggart
Action Plans Officer
01273 405448
mark.mctaggart@ruralsussex.org.uk