Where is the Parish Plan?

At a time when the adopted Parish Plan could be used to indicate support for Bleadon as a rural village community Bleadon Parish Council (BPC) restricted access to key documentation and information. BPC has made several contradictory statements, especially in relation to the Parish Plan. For example:

• Public statements indicate that BPC has a Parish Plan as minuted in three separate public meetings and that it would be submitted to the Bleadon Hill public Inquiry in support of Bleadon. Conversely,
• statements also indicate that BPC has 'lost' the Parish Plan in its email to us/BOB; and that it was up to us/public to submit and present it to the inquiry, even though we stated we didn't have a copy?

What is the truth? During the process of trying to solve this problem and receive a copy of the plan in time to present at the Inquiry BPC made several negative public statements about BOB. They also publicly invoked their draft vexatious policy against us rather than send us documention or answer key questions about the future of Bleadon. So,

• If there is a Parish Plan then please can someone send us a copy? We believe BPC should publicly state/minute why it did not submit it in good time during the Inquiry; why it didn't present it; why it didn't allow us/BOB/Action Group/public a copy to present at the Inquiry; why BOB still hasn't received a copy three months later; and why it told BOB they couldn't find either an electronic or paper copy.
• If there is not a Parish Plan we believe BPC should publicly state/minute why it told the public there was, in three separate public meetings. We also believe BPC should declare what their plan is for Bleadon's future and BPCs role in it.

The current 20 year Parish Plan was created in consultation with all residents of Bleadon, over a number years, costing residents thousands of pounds as part of it's Quality Council accreditation process. BPC minutes indicate it was formally adopted in 2009 and submitted to North Somerset Council (NSC) for their consideration/inclusion in their plans and policies (although NSC state they didn't receive a copy). BOB feels that it is shameful that such a key document supporting residents views of Bleadon should be so blatantly disregarded and 'lost' with only the draft 2008 version seeming to be the only remaining evidence of its existence at this time (see also questionnaire). BOB would like to thank the public Action Group once again for their successful efforts in defending Bleadon's environment despite such obstacles, showing that public comment and action does make a difference.

Bristol Water has said that ''Weston-Super-Mare is one of Europe’s fastest growing towns' and so we believe that a coordinated and supported plan is essential to protect our community from repeated large scale developments. This view is also supported by Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) who indicate that Parish Plans remain a valid resource for public engagement. The appeal for 79 houses may have been overturned in Mar 2017 but there is another application on the way for 70 more on Bleadon Hill, BOB welcomes your further thoughts.