For the time when Woodley and Ganger formed a separate area, 8 meetings were held with a total of 10 people participating apart from walks and exhibition. All events were held in Woodley Village Hall.
Consultation Process
Phase 1: Getting to know the area:
2004
Initial step: October 2005: A letter was sent to people who had shown an interest in Look at Romsey inviting them to a meeting to restart the project in Woodley and Ganger. 6 people attended the initial meeting at which the text of the questionnaire was agreed. The layout was subsequently finalised in discussion with Mr Rod Simpson, chairman of Romsey Extra Parish Council. REPC arranged the distribution of the questionnaires.
Guided walks: Two walks had taken place in August 2004 and had been attended by five people. It was decided not to undertake any more in 2005 and 2006.
Questionnaire: January 2006: Copies of the questionnaire were delivered to every household in the area with a request to return them by 18th February. Replies could be handed in at the local public house, Woodley Village Hall, a nearby shop, a private house or the offices of the Romsey Advertiser. Some questionnaires were returned direct to the Look at Romsey convenor.
September: Every answer to every question typed into Access database.
Processing of answers: Spring 2006
Every answer to each question was typed into an Access database. 59 replies were received, which is 10% of all households
Preparation for exhibition: Two meetings were held at which the replies were analysed, and materials were prepared for public exhibition. The whole area was leafleted once again inviting people to the exhibition. The date had also been announced in the Questionnaire.
Exhibition: 18 March 2006. An exhibition was held in Woodley Village Hall and 36 people visited it.
Phase 2: Preparing the Statement: 2004/6
Following the exhibition, two meetings was held to discuss the content of the Design Statement. A draft of the text was produced as the basis for discussed. After revision it was sent to TVBC for comment. The comments were then discussed and once the group was satisfied with the text, photographs were chosen and inserted.
Public consultation June and July 2006: The draft statements were printed and a working party assembled to collate and staple them. A leaflet was distributed to each household telling residents that copies were available at six locations, or on-line. In addition copies of the statement were sent to all Romsey Extra Councillors, Test Valley Councillors for the four Romsey wards, County Councillors for the two Romsey divisions, the MP and one or two other bodies, such as the Police and Test Way Housing.
Reactions to the design statement: 50 copies of the design statement were taken from the outlet points. In addition, people read them at such places as the CAB offices, or the library.
Comments: No comments were received until after 12th July. (See Non-design issues below.)
Final meeting:
This was held on Wednesday 12th July, at which the treatment of non-design issues was discussed and text to be added to the final map was agreed.
Non-design issues:
The Statement provoked a claim that the land at the junction of School Road and Braishfield Road adjacent to Chestnut Cottage is privately owned and not part of the public highway. The Statement was amended to remove the suggestion that a proper footway be provided in this area, and enquiries into the ownership of the land is being pursued by Romsey Extra Parish Council.
Phoebe Merrick, Convenor
