AMT Public » Events http://towns.org.uk Promoting vibrant and viable small towns Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:41:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Getting to Grips with Localism and Neighbourhood Planning – Buckinghamshire http://towns.org.uk/2012/01/23/getting-to-grips-with-localism-and-neighbourhood-planning-buckinghamshire/ http://towns.org.uk/2012/01/23/getting-to-grips-with-localism-and-neighbourhood-planning-buckinghamshire/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:04:12 +0000 Katie Fewings http://towns.org.uk/?p=11468 Thursday 8 March in Chesham, Buckinghamshire]]> When

Thursday 8 March 2012

Where

Chesham Town Hall, Chesham, Buckinghamshire. HP5 1DS

The long debated Localism Bill finally became an Act of Government in November 2011.

It’s a key piece of coalition legislation providing a backbone to the Big Society and offers a range of new rights to communities to give them a greater role in shaping where they live.

Practical workshop

Following the unprecedented demand for bookings at the ‘Getting to Grips with Localism and Neighbourhood Planning’ event scheduled to take place in York in February, AMT is pleased to announce a replica event, to be held in Chesham, Buckinghamshire on 8 March.

Book now

This workshop, organised in Partnership with Buckinghamshire Business First,  will focus on the Localism Act and what it means in reality to communities living in and around market towns.

We will give you not only the information but also the tools to enable you to apply localism in your own area.

The programme

After an update on the Localism Act and an explanation of its different elements, this workshop will focus on one particular aspect of the Act: Neighbourhood Development Plans, including how they relate to existing Community Led Planning, whether you need one and what your next steps might be.

You will also learn how best to set up or strengthen your Plan Forum or Committee to ensure that your plan is fully representational.

 

Who should attend?

This workshop will be of interest to

  • town and parish councils who are considering doing a Neighbourhood Plan or updating their existing parish plan
  • communities in non-parished areas who are interested in setting up a Neighbourhood Forum
  • local authority staff who want to help their towns make the most of the opportunities presented by Localism
  • residents or councillors who want to understand more about the process and what’s involved

What will you learn?

Through a range of presentations, discussion group sessions and practical case study illustrations, by the end of the day you will have:

  • gained a greater understanding of what the Localism Act is, its key contents and process, including what the new Community Rights to Challenge, Buy and Build are and how your community might use them
  • been introduced to the relationship between Neighbourhood Planning and any existing Community Plan you may have, including how you can make a start in refreshing any existing plans to take advantage of the new opportunities offered under Localism and more effectively tie in with the statutory plans for your area.
  • heard direct from one of the ‘Front Runner’ towns, who has already started developing a  Neighbourhood Plan and learn about the challenges and successes they have faced so far.

 

Book now

The cost of attending this event is subsidised, with attendance fees starting at just £35 including lunch for AMT members.

In addition, Buckingham Business First are subsidising places for up to 12 Non-AMT member towns/organisations based in Buckinghamshire to attend for just £35 (maximum 2 per organisation).

We also have an introductory offer for non-AMT members of £75, which includes three months trial membership.

See the booking form for more information on all rates.

 

Venue

The workshop will be held at Chesham Town Council . Chesham is accessible from the M40, M1 and M25 motorways and is on the (London Underground) Metropolitan Line.

Joining instructions will be emailed out to booked delegates nearer the time but can be downloaded here meanwhile: Joining Instructions, Chesham 8th March

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the event please contact Susannah Maxwell on 01284 756567 or at susannah.maxwell@towns.org.uk

What next?

]]> http://towns.org.uk/2012/01/23/getting-to-grips-with-localism-and-neighbourhood-planning-buckinghamshire/feed/ 0 Getting to Grips with Localism and Neighbourhood Planning – York http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/getting-to-grips-with-localism-and-neighbourhood-planning/ http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/getting-to-grips-with-localism-and-neighbourhood-planning/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:52:52 +0000 Katie Fewings http://towns.org.uk/?p=11165 Wednesday 29 February in York ]]> When

Wednesday 29 February

Where

The Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory Street, York, YO1 6ET

PLEASE NOTE THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULLY BOOKED. IF YOU WISH TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE WAITING LIST PLEASE CONTACT THE AMT OFFICE ON 01284 756567

 

The long debated Localism Bill finally became an Act of Government in November 2011.

It’s a key piece of coalition legislation providing a backbone to the Big Society and offers a range of new rights to communities to give them a greater role in shaping where they live.

Practical workshop

This workshop will focus on the Localism Act and what it means in reality to communities living in and around market towns.  We will give you not only the information but also the tools to enable you to apply localism in your own area.

The programme

After an update on the Localism Act by The Department for Communities and Local Government and an explanation of its different elements, this workshop will focus on one particular aspect of the Act: Neighbourhood Development Plans, including how they relate to existing Community Led Planning, whether you need one and what your next steps might be.

You will also learn how best to set up or strengthen your Plan Forum or Committee to ensure that your plan is fully representational.

Who should attend?

This workshop will be of interest to

  • town and parish councils who are considering doing a Neighbourhood Plan or updating their parish plan
  • communities in non-parished areas who are interested in setting up a Neighbourhood Forum
  • local authority staff who want to help their towns make the most of the opportunities presented by Localism
  • residents or councillors who want to understand more about the process and what’s involved

What will you learn?

Through a range of presentations, discussion group sessions and practical case study illustrations, by the end of the day you will have:

  • gained a greater understanding of what the Localism Act is, its key contents and process, including what the new Community Rights to Challenge, Buy and Build are and how your community might use them
  • been introduced to the relationship between Neighbourhood Planning and any existing Community Plan you may have, including how you can make a start in refreshing your existing plans to take advantage of the new opportunities offered under Localism and more effectively tie in with the statutory plans for your area.
  • heard direct from one of the ‘Front Runner’ towns, who has been working with their local planning authority over the past year to trial the Neighbourhood Planning process, about the challenges and successes they have faced along the way.

 

Please note this workshop is now fully booked. If you wish to add your name to the waiting list please contact the AMT office on the number below.

 

Venue

The workshop will be held at The Priory Street Centre in York. The venue is close to the railway station and to city centre car parks.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the event please contact Susannah Maxwell on 01284 756567 or at susannah.maxwell@towns.org.uk

What next?

]]> http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/getting-to-grips-with-localism-and-neighbourhood-planning/feed/ 0 Towns Alive: Thriving alongside supermarkets http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/towns-alive-thriving-alongside-supermarkets/ http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/towns-alive-thriving-alongside-supermarkets/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:33:45 +0000 Katie Fewings http://towns.org.uk/?p=11138 This seminar is NOT about whether supermarkets are a good or a bad thing and nor is it about how to campaign against the building of supermarkets.

Instead the focus is on what you can do to help your town centre or high street continue to thrive and even to benefit from the existence of supermarkets, both current and planned.

Wednesday 22 February in Alton, Hampshire]]> When

Wednesday 22 February, 9.50am to 3.30pm

Where

Alton Assembly Rooms, High Street, Alton, Hampshire

Click here to book now

We get lots of questions from town councils, community groups and residents across the country who are concerned about the potential impact of supermarkets being built in or around their towns.

However, we are also aware of towns that have successfully risen to this challenge and have developed initiatives and taken steps to ensure that their town centres not only survive, but even thrive.

Practical and innovative solutions

This seminar, brought to you by Action for Market Towns (AMT) in partnership with The South East Rural Towns Partnership  is NOT about whether supermarkets are a good or a bad thing and nor is it about how to campaign against the building of supermarkets.

Instead the focus of this workshop is on what community groups, town councils, retail associations and residents can do to help their town centre or high street continue to thrive and even to benefit from the existence of supermarkets, both current and planned.

This seminar offers a unique opportunity for those who work in and on behalf of town centres to learn about an innovative set of solutions and practical ideas which help towns thrive alongside supermarkets.

Referring to recent research, such as the Mary Portas Review, and drawing on case studies from across the country, AMT’s Policy Manager, Alison Eardley will set the scene by looking at how to strengthen our town centres and grow their role as drivers of their local economy.

Real life case studies

This will be followed by the opportunity to hear about three case studies:

  1. a town which has taken steps to keep its vibrancy despite the existence of three supermarkets
  2. a town which is using  the section 106 funding it received due to supermarket development to make sure the whole town benefits
  3. a town where the retailers and community group have set up a Business Improvement District (BID) and developed a range of initiatives to help their town thrive

After overview presentations from each case study, we will break into discussion groups so you can learn how to transfer such ideas to your own towns.


The seminar will run from 9.50am to 3.30pm.

Book now

AMT is subsidising the cost of this workshop, with attendance fees starting at just £35 for AMT members. We also have an introductory offer for non-AMT members of £75, which includes three months trial membership.

 

Venue

The seminar will be held at the Alton Assembly Rooms, High Street, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1BA.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the event please contact Susannah Maxwell on 01284 756567 or email: susannah.maxwell@towns.org.uk

What next?

]]> http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/towns-alive-thriving-alongside-supermarkets/feed/ 0 Town Centre Solutions Workshop in North Somerset http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/town-centre-solutions-workshop-in-north-somerset/ http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/town-centre-solutions-workshop-in-north-somerset/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:59:46 +0000 Katie Fewings http://towns.org.uk/?p=11126 Tuesday 7 February in Clevedon, North Somerset]]> Town Centre Melton Mowbray

The government and media spotlight on the health and long-term future of traditional high streets and town centres, formed the basis of the Town Centre Solutions workshop in Clevedon, North Somerset on Tuesday 7th February.

This half day workshop provided a unique opportunity for those who work in and on behalf of town centres to learn about an innovative set of solutions, services and ideas which help deliver economic vibrancy.

The aim of the workshop was to help delegates:

  • understand their town centre
  • measure the success of their town centre
  • engage and train independent retailers
  • create a Town Centre Action Plan
  • develop a loyalty scheme

Download the workshop programme here

Chris Wade started the workshop with a ‘Setting the Scene’ session to present the wider town centre context for the day.

Click here to download the ‘Know your Place’ presentation.

This was followed by three presentations offering a range of possible Town Centre Solutions:

amt-i provided an insight into the importance of understanding your town centre from a customer perspective, outlining an array of tools and techniques such as footfall counts, town centre surveys, mystery shopping and car parking and signage audits, with the need to measure the success of town centre performance outlined via the AMT Town Benchmarking system.

Click here to download the amt-i presentation:  ’Understanding Your Town Centre’

Retail specialists, Metamorphosis , took delegates through approaches to engaging with independent retailers to create a ‘town centre vision’ and ensure customers’ experiences are positive.

Click here to download the Metamorphosis presentation:  ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s Retailers’

Loyalty scheme experts, My Card, highlighted how towns can use loyalty schemes to benefit overall economic performance.

To download both the Local Loyalty presentations click here: ‘Building Loyalty’  and ‘My Card Local Loyalty Solutions’

Any questions?

If you have any questions about this or any other AMT event please contact Susannah Maxwell on 01284 756567 or email: susannah.maxwell@towns.org.uk

What next?

]]> http://towns.org.uk/2011/12/13/town-centre-solutions-workshop-in-north-somerset/feed/ 0 Neighbourhood Planning Symposium presentations http://towns.org.uk/2011/11/10/neighbourhood-planning-symposium-presentations/ http://towns.org.uk/2011/11/10/neighbourhood-planning-symposium-presentations/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:29:38 +0000 Katie Fewings http://towns.org.uk/?p=10900 Nearly 100 delegates attended AMT's Neighbourhood Planning Symposium in Euston, London on 9 November 2011.

Whether you were able to come along or not, download presentations from the day here for some useful insights.]]> Download presentations from AMT’s Symposium on Neighbourhood Planning of 9 November 2011. 

All presentations open as pdfs in a new window. Further resources will be added shortly, too.

Plenary sessions:

Neighbourhood Planning – Gareth Bradford, Planning Division, Department for Communities & Local Government

The National Trust and the NPPF – Ben Cowell, External Affairs, National Trust

Successful Neighbourhood Planning – Michael Wellock, Kirkwells

Neighbourhood Planning – the missing debate - Kirby Swales, Renaisi

Workshops

Workshop A: Becoming neighbourhood planning ready – led by Rebecca Maguire, Head of Programmes, The Glass-House Community Led Design (part of The Building Community Consortium)

Workshop B: Community Led Planning: what it is, how it fits into a Neighbourhood Plan, and how to do it – Alison Eardley, Policy Manager, Action for Market Towns

Workshop C: How can the web enable Neighbourhood Planning? – Michael Kohn, Slider Studio

Workshop D: Notes from the ‘Increasing participation’ workshop – Michael Edwards, Senior Lecturer, Economics of Planning at UCL Bartlett School

Workshop E: Filling the void: the role of neighbourhood plans if your area isn’t going to be ready – Chris Bowden, Navigus Planning

Workshop F: Neighbourhood Planning: Lessons learnt from the first Frontrunners – Jon Herbert, Planning & Places, SKM Colin Buchanan

Workshop G: Developing Neighbourhood and Community Led Plans in rural areas – Tristan Peat, Teignbridge District Council, South Devon

Workshop H: Neighbourhood Planning in London – Darren Richards, Executive Head of Planning and Transport, London Borough of Sutton

What next?

]]> http://towns.org.uk/2011/11/10/neighbourhood-planning-symposium-presentations/feed/ 0 Could your town host the 2012 AMT Convention? http://towns.org.uk/2011/10/27/could-your-town-host-the-2012-amt-convention/ http://towns.org.uk/2011/10/27/could-your-town-host-the-2012-amt-convention/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:44:11 +0000 Katie Fewings http://towns.org.uk/?p=10794 AMT Convention 2011 - Ludlow ShropshireThe Action for Market Towns National Convention 2011 took place in the Shropshire town of Ludlow on 13 October.

With a strong reputation for its local produce, the historic town of Ludlow and its Shropshire neighbours also exemplify community action.  Find out what the AMT Convention did for Ludlow.

Does your town have what it takes to deliver a fun, practical and inspiring Action for Market Towns National Convention in 2012?

Yes? Then download the Convention Expression of Interest Form now {opens Word doc}.

But be quick…

Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 11 November 2011

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