Locality to provide HPPG with Direct Support
What does this mean? On 12th September, 2014 HPPG’s application for Direct Support from Locality was approved!
It means that HPPG has been allocated a consultant from Planning Aid England who will provide us with Specialist Planning Support over the next six months by way of assistance and advice with:
Project Management
Community Engagement
Building the Evidence Base for the Plan
Plan Development and Writing
This is excellent news for the group as we will now have the benefit of expert advice from a professional planning consultant who will guide us through the next, very important, steps in building the Highams Park Plan.
Who will pay for this?
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has made £10.5m available to provide support and grants to neighbourhood planning groups. We applied for Direct Support through Locality and were awarded the support outlined above. This support will cost HPPG nothing and is in addition to the £20,000 “frontrunner” grant already received from DCLG and held by the Council on our behalf.
Who are Locality?
Locality is a national network of over 700 community-led organisations and 200 associate partners. DCLG provides the funding for Locality to run a programme called “The Supporting Communities and Neighbourhoods in Planning Programme” to help local groups develop neighbourhood plans.