Welcome to Woodcote
The latest issue of the Woodcote Correspondent is available to download here.
Selected photographs on this website courtesy of Alan Copeland.
Parish Plan
Parish Plan 2008
The Parish Plan 2008 has now been published.
Please download a copy below -
Parish Plan 2008 (PDF format - approx 1.5 megabytes)
Parish Plan 2008 (Text only in Word format - approx 100 kilobytes)
Additional Material
Over the next few weeks, additional material to that published in the Woodcote Parish Plan booklet will be available on this page. The leaders of the individual working groups are producing longer commentaries than those already published.
Please download a copy of those currently available below -
Built Environment (PDF format - approx 110 kilobytes)
Built Environment (Word format - approx 60 kilobytes)
Business and Employment (PDF format - approx 110 kilobytes)
Business and Employment (Word format - approx 45 kilobytes)
Natural Environment (PDF format - approx 100 kilobytes)
Natural Environment (Word format - approx 40 kilobytes)
Social Activities and Sports (PDF format - approx 100 kilobytes)
Social Activities and Sports (Word format - approx 48 kilobytes)
Youth and Education (PDF format - approx 63 kilobytes)
Youth and Education (Word format - approx 25 kilobytes)
Additional material to follow -
Communications
Health
Services and Utilities
Would you like to help ?
We are actively seeking people willing to help carry forward the Action Points in the Plan. If you wish to help in any way, please make contact with any member of the Parish Council who will be able to put you in touch with the appropriate person.
What is a Parish Plan ?
A Parish Plan will ‘set out a vision of what is important, how new development can best be fitted in, the design and quality standards it should meet, how to preserve valued local features and to map out the facilities the community needs to safeguard for the future’. ‘Our Countryside - the Future’ Government Rural White Paper Nov 2000
Woodcote lies in a beautiful part of the country. It has a very long and interesting history, a history of continuity and change. How do we want to manage the changes of the future ?
Woodcote has excellent experience in carrying out appraisals, surveys carried out by questionnaires delivered to every household in the village. The appraisals of 1984, 1991 and 2000 have had extraordinarily high response rates of nearly 90 per cent and because of them we have our own library, rather than a van; improved facilities for youngsters; the Woodcote Conservation Group (www.woodcotecg.org.uk) and many other benefits.
Every individual living in the village has had a chance to make their voice heard. Statements made about what Woodcote wants have been backed up by sound statistics. The similarity in questions asked over the three appraisals has allowed us to understand changing trends.
But how is a Parish Plan different from an appraisal? Well, it is part of a national strategy to improve democracy which has been particularly successful in neighbouring West Berkshire and which has Oxfordshire's full support.
A Parish Plan has legal weight: it must be taken into account by decision-makers. And consultation is used as well as a questionnaire. Working groups focused on different issues are contacting individuals and groups for opinions and ideas, to allow a more in-depth discussion than is possible with a questionnaire. (Long questionnaires are not returned.) People with special knowledge, experience or enthusiasm can share their expertise. Also, we can include, if we wish, the strategies of national and regional bodies, such as AONBs or Business and Enterprise Councils.
This website is funded by Woodcote Parish Council. If you would like to contribute or update any part of the site please contact the webmaster - web@woodcote-online.co.uk.