Dorstone Parish Plan

1. Dorstone Parish Plan Questionnaire Results Highlights

2. Responses • One word – brilliant! • Thanks to you all and the volunteers who delivered and collected the questionnaires • 85% of households which is 136 • Considerably higher than is normally achieved certainly in Herefordshire possibly nationally • Solid basis for preparing the Plan itself

3. Responses 227 Adults – 45 Young people 0 to 5 years 10 30 to 44 years 28 5 to 10 years 14 45 to 59 years 61 11 to 17 years 20 60 to 74 years 44 18 to 24 years 13 75 to 84 years 19 25 to 29 years 7 85 years plus 15

4. Good News “How satisfied are you with your parish as a place to live?” • 63% - very satisfied • 36% - fairly satisfied • 1% - fairly dissatisfied

5. Importance of Issues • All issues covered were rated as either very important or important by a clear majority – demonstrates our prior consultations were effective. Issues ranked as very important(important) • Planning & Conservation 56%(38%) • Traffic 54%(34%) • Environment 52%(38%)

6. Importance of Issues very imp(imp) • Housing 43%(45%) • Communications 26%(56%) • Transport 25%(53%) • Parish Facilities & Leisure 22%(55%) • Parish Services 14%(53%)

7. Planning and Conservation • 52% not aware of conservation area conditions • 30% satisfied/fairly with those conditions • 10% not satisfied. • 93% very important/important that new buildings matched existing styles • Building materials – stone 98% slate roofing 92% wooden window frames 89%. • Opposition strongest against aluminium window frames 72% brick 51% and UPVC windows 47% • Long list of constructive comments on these issues

8. Traffic Road Conditions • 64% poor/very poor - 36% good • Long list of locations identifying poor/very poor spots – most frequently mentioned • B4348 particularly the stretch to the Bage • Dorstone Hill • Scar Lane • Mynydd Brith road • Common Bach road

9. Traffic • 65% - Yes to traffic problems/safety issues and 131 comments received. • Speeding - 84 • Problems at specific locations - 21 • Speed of tractors - 12 • Problems with HGVs/Buses - 10 • Dorstone Bends - 9 • Also important concern in Youth Questionnaire

10. Traffic Solutions • 90% improve maintenance of ditches & drains • 80% 30mph speed limit within village area • 81% safe crossing to playing fields • 73% against speed humps • 50% against more pavements • 46% against signs requesting more care • Long list of detailed comments and suggested improvements to road safety.

11. EnvironmentProtection and Enhancement ideas In favour • 82% Extended recycling collections throughout Parish • 76% Bottle Bank within Parish • 70% Minimal Carbon emissions for new buildings • 62% Litter Bins • 61% Solar lighting Schemes

12. EnvironmentProtection and Enhancement Ideas Limited Support/Opposition • 75% against more street lights • 62% against Tree on Village Green • 40% against - 36% in favour Wind Turbines

13. Other Environmental Issues • Positive view of local footpaths and bridleways • Majority support for development of cycle & walking paths in GV 20% opposed • “Quiet Lanes Initiative” 26% opposed Some of the list of other ideas for improvement • Leave things as they are • More flowers and planters • No bonfires in summer

14. Other Environmental Issues • New village signs – ‘Welcome to Dorstone’ • Provision of skips for removal of larger rubbish • 15% (34 houses) affected by flooding – mainly in garden/outhouse/cellar • More sunshine!!

15. Housing • 109 owner occupiers - 10 rented • Future housing needs -132 responses • 12 - yes 30 - possibly • Support was greater than opposition for all types of new housing • privately owned/rented/low cost/housing association • 20-30% had no opinion • New homes built • 73% in favour of small infill • 72% - no to developments of more than 6 homes • Building outside conservation area • 42% yes - 43% no • 43 businesses are run from homes within Parish

16. Communications • Amount of information available • 81% good or reasonable - 10% poor. • 71% word of mouth • 51% Link / GVN • 50% Post Office Notice Boards • 65% in favour of Parish Council newsletter • Of 55 newcomers 28 not received welcome pack • 82% of those that had found it to be useful

17. Communications • 80% receive internet at home • 78% broadband - 50% said speed was sufficient • Only 22% had visited the Dorstone Community website • There was widespread support for using the website for all information needs e.g. Parish Council Newsletter/Minutes, Events, News of Parish Groups, Planning Applications, Tourist Information

19. Transport • Car is the dominant mode of transport • Bus services were important for a minority going to School or College and 67% of those thought the services were efficient. • 54% never used the bus service and 28% had used it within the last year • Reasons for not using it were inconvenient times, cost and the convenience of using own car. • Demand for better bus shelter provision • Car parking facilities within village 35% good - 56% reasonable - 9% poor

20. Parish Facilities and Leisure Village Hall • 65% used the Village Hall at least a few times a year – 11% never used it. • Facilities 43% good - 49% reasonable - 9% poor • Many ideas for refurbishment e.g. better kitchen, heating, new chairs, sound proofing, late usage and redecoration • 52% would use it more if there were more local events • 40% would use it more if there were more clubs or regular activities

21. Parish Facilities and Leisure Playing Fields • 49% use Playing fields at least a few times a year • 29% never use them. Main uses • 61% specific events 24% walk or exercise 22% playground • 47% of users rated playground facilities as poor • Ideas – improved facilities for Children’s playground (12) tennis court (18)

22. Suggested Activities

23. Parish Facilities and Leisure Church/Chapel • 66% St Faith’s important as historical building 57% as a focal point for the community 37% important for worship • 45% thought it should be more of a community facility - 22% did not - 33% no opinion • 39 people suggested using for concerts and music. • Widespread view that Church would need toilet facilities, kitchen and flexible seating if it were to become more of a communal facility • Dorstone Chapel 24% important as an historical building - 66% did not see its importance

24. Parish Facilities and Leisure Co-ordination • Need for more co-ordination between the various village groups to avoid overlap and duplication • Lots of ideas have been put forward to improve facilities and leisure activities • Existing groups or even new ones could pursue many of these suggestions

25. Parish Services • 59% use Post Office at least once a month 21% never use it. • 134 made comments on how closure would affect them – of these 42 said there would be no effect – the remainder referred to adverse effects on themselves and the community. • 130 were prepared to support community oil purchase scheme with various other suggestions for community purchase – gardening supplies, firewood, LPG, potatoes, rice and pulses, office supplies – all these being picked up by the Dorstone Front Room (SeeOil form here)

26. Parish Services

27. Highlights of Youth Questionnaire • Excellent response 45 out of 66 of 17 years and under. • Best things about Dorstone 84% friendly - 58% safe - 49% neighbourly • Like least – lack of activities, isolated & traffic • Problems/worries – speeding traffic, dog mess, having nothing to do & being bored • 66% knew about Youth Club 60% say they will use it

28. Highlights of Youth Questionnaire • Activities wanted on Playing fields e.g. tennis, mountain bike circuit, cricket and better playground facilities • Wider choice of things to do • More activities for young people at Village Hall • More say for young people in community decisions e.g. Parish Plan & Parish Council

29. Next Steps • Full report will be available on Web Site and a paper copy will be left in the Front Room, Church and Pandy Inn. Once you have read the report, any additional comments are very welcome. • Email copies on request - leave email with us • Copies of sections relating to various groups e.g. Village Hall, Church, Playing Fields, Parish Council & Dorstone Front Room will be passed to each of them to consider and report back with their own action plan

30. Next Steps • Discussions will commence with service providers, including Parish Council, on issues raised and action required. • This may involve open meetings with:- • Herefordshire Planning Department - planning, conservation, housing • Herefordshire Highways and Police – Traffic, speeding & road safety issues • Herefordshire Council/Parish Council (lengthsman scheme) - Highways maintenance • Herefordshire Environmental Services - Environmental Issues • Parish Council - Website development

31. Next Steps • As some of the possible improvements involve expenditure, we have to look at all methods of raising money, including grants. • Report back to parishioners on progress as we go • By mid-summer - produce the Parish Plan to be adopted by Parish Council and Herefordshire Council. • Aim is to produce a short, concise document setting out improvements with an action plan to achieve them. • There is no reason to wait for the Parish Plan - we can make a start today!