Big Society in Ulverston
Rural communities in Cumbria have a long tradition of self-reliance.  Residents are well used to finding their own solutions to local issues. The Big Society is the Government's vision of a society where individuals and communities have more power and responsibility, and use it to create better neighbourhoods and local services. A community like Ulverston doesn't want to be sidelined by government (local or national) when it comes to having its views seriously considered and so it will grasp this opportunity to form a future Ulverston based on its own needs.

What Will Come Out of a Plan?
Some projects coming out of other community led plans include:

• Community Transport
• Community Renewable Energy
• Community Housing
• Community Broadband
• Neighbourhood Planning Orders (Planning Policy)

In Ulverston the community may follow the lead of other places or raise ideas about retail, the canal, markets, festivals, parking, activity for youth, local economy etc. all of which have been topical in recent years.

The initial survey for the community led plan will identify the priorities of the people. As a community with collective skills, experience and ideas, solutions that are totally effective and new may be developed.

Benefits
At least two benefits will come out a community led plan:

1. a stronger, closer community based on new relationships between each other and with authorities
2. a rolling plan of action that can create a better place for us and our future generations

The second benefit will be more tangible and evident in a number of actions and projects. These will be the measure of how successful the town is in taking control of its own future.

Why Should Ulverston Bother?
A community like Ulverston embarks on a significant journey such as community led planning confident in the knowledge that many of its citizens already have a view and are passionate enough to become involved. We look forward to working with you to deliver that plan. Future citizens of Ulverston deserve our service

5 Things To Do Today

Getting people to open up with their thoughts is not easy. Getting them to think creatively for ideas to improve the Ulverston area is harder still.


We are up to asking if you are up to giving us a little of your thinking time to help the community.

Thinking Thoughts about Ulverston

We have a titchy survey to get us started. We need 600 completed surveys to have a significant sample of 5% of Ulverston’s population. We can also take ideas from outside of our postcode area because some people move away and some are huge fans of the town with great ideas to share.


·                     Complete the survey

·                     Follow the blog

·                     Like on Facebook

·                     Follow on Twitter

·                     Volunteer for a project by emailing planulverston@gmail.com for the current projects

Open Plan at Natterjacks

Join us to discuss the way forward for Ulverston at Natterjacks in one of our Open Plan meetings. Paul will be there from 1830 to 2030 on Friday 28 Oct 11 where he can explain how Plan Ulverston is collecting the ideas that people want to take forward. An update on the survey returns is shown:

Data Protection!

Plan Ulverston is a voluntary organization which needs some of your info to function!

If you choose to give us your email address, we will contact you sometimes with information about what's going on in the town, or information about how you can get involved with your community. We may tell you about stuff a third party is doing, but only if it's relevant and always in our own friendly tones. Your email isn't viewable by others who receive the same message, and we will never redistribute them. You can email planulverston[at]gmail[dot]com to ask us to stop.

We also keep a publicly list contact information about local organizations in our directory. If you would like the information about your organization altering at any time, please email us at planulverston[at]gmail[dot]com.

Plan Ulverston Facebook Page

We know lots of our friends love Facebook so Mark has made us our own Facebook page here.

One thing we know that is crucial to a community led plan is good communication so if you can see your way to liking the page it will really help us getting the word out.

Stop This Monkeying Around

The future of Ulverston is too important to allow the people's thoughts to be ignored. You can put a stop to this monkeying around by giving your ideas at the short 8 question survey (with Survey Monkey). Click on this corny link!

Morecambe Bay Partnership Hosts Plan Ulverston

Saturday saw the Coronation Hall stage the AGM of Morecambe Bay Partnership. Plan Ulverston attended and several delegates completed questionnaires to get the ball rolling. Among them the mayoress Councillor Pat Jones.

Star Trek Supports Ulverston

Remember, "greater is the need of the many, than those of the few” (Star Trek Fans will know what I mean) :-)

“Do not ask what Ulverston can do for you but rather …”

Can we make a difference?

 "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

 Margaret Mead (cultural anthropologist)


Thoughtful committed citizens can help by completing the short 8 question survey. Click here.

Time to Have Your Say

What is Plan Ulverston?
Why should I care?

If you don't care about the way Ulverston is now and don't care how it shapes up in the future then go no further - Plan Ulverston is not for you.

Plan Ulverston is collecting the views of the people who care about the area, people who want planners and leaders of the town to listen to their views.

Plan Ulverston is about saying what is good and we want to keep and improve but also what we want that we don't already have.

By collecting your thoughts and needs to support the plan and tell Local Authorities what WE need rather than having it imposed further evidence can be gathered. By gathering the thoughts of the people who care abut the area, the people who care can have their say that will actually create the plan.

The plan takes over from the Market Town Initiative plan. By keeping this new plan continually refreshed Ulverston can develop in a way steered by the people. The plan may look ahead as far as 15 years for some of the more ambitious projects.

What can I do?

Well first your thoughts are needed so that Plan Ulverston knows what the people who care want. These thoughts can be put down in the Initial Questionnaire.

Some ideas may be put in to action quickly, some may need developing. All thoughts will be listened to. These may be diverse and some conflicting but without them a plan is impossible.

Help Ulverston to plan for the future. Put your thoughts down  in the questionnaire and even better pass copies to your family, colleagues and friends explaining how important it is to have a go.

Ulverston's future is important to those that care. Plan Ulverston will pave the way for future generations for the children and their children. If we care about it now perhaps they will care about it as well.

About us!

What is "Plan Ulverston" about? 
We want to gather the real thoughts of Ulverstonians and those who love Ulverston and its surrounding countryside to find what they like now and how they would like Ulverston to be in the future.


This will be used to make a new plan (to replace our Market Towns initiative which we have just come to the end) to guide the actions that happen in our community over the next 15 years.



What is a Community Plan?

"A step-by-step structured process used by local community groups, activists and volunteers to work with residents and businesses to create a vision for the community and an action plan to achieve it."

Community Plans provide a vision for the future of a town and plans for how to achieve this vision. They are based on thorough consultation with interest groups and all parts of the community. 
The role of a Community Plan: 

•     To bring the community together around a vision and a task list to take that vision forward
•     To ensure that local government officers and members bring parts of the action plan to fruition.

Who's doing this?

The Ulverston Community Led Plan are a small and long suffering group of volunteers invited by Ulverston Community Partnership to facilitate the plan being made by the community itself! If you'd like to get involved, there are many ways in which to do so!




How can I get involved?
If you want to keep up to date with the happenings, including questionnaires, open consultations and the opportunities to craft both of these you can keep an eye on this blog, and the group's Facebook page!

If you want to contact the steering group you can email:
planulverston@gmail.com

Or ring coordinator Paul Jarvis at:

01229 463751

Or Kim Farr at
01229 588164

If you want to receive emails from the group so you can keep abreast of questionnaires, open consultations and the debate on the future of Ulverston,you can also fill out this form!

Name:



E-mail:

I want to get involved!

If you want to be involved in consultation process in Ulverston there are many things you can do!

Most importantly help us by completing our short 8 question survey click here.

If you want to contact the steering group you can email:
planulverston@gmail.com
Or ring coordinator Paul Jarvis at:
01229 463751
Or Kim Farr at
01229 588164

If you want to receive emails from the group so you can keep abreast of questionnaires, open consultations and the debate on the future of Ulverston, please fill out this form!

Name:



E-mail:

The Directory!

One of the aims of the Ulverston Community Led Plan is to create a directory of Societies, Clubs and Voluntary groups for Ulverston and Surrounding areas. This will make each organisation more readily contactable and hopefully make the jobs of every voluntary group much easier! It will be the only place that every voluntary organisation is listed, and will be used to bring the community together.

The most recent version of the directory can be seen here:

Click here to see the directory!

If you think that any of the information is outdated, or are part of a society that isn't listed -- then please fill out this form and your info will be edited into the document!

Click here to add to the directory!