Harborough's second neighbourhood forum established

Harborough’s second neighbourhood forum has been created in Welland Ward.

The group of volunteers have been selected to help with neighbourhood planning in the area.

They will aim to create a sustainable environment while supporting businesses and locals. The group will ensure residents have more of a say in planning and how land in their community is used, alongside tackling issues like flooding, traffic and care of green spaces.

Little Bowden was the first of five wards across Market Harborough to have a forum established by the Harborough Town Hub - a non-party political volunteer group, with support from Harborough District Council. It has now been followed by Welland Ward.

The next step will see forum members develop a statement of neighbourhood priorities, with a longer term plan of writing a neighbourhood plan which covers from Farndon Fields to Northampton Road and south of the River Welland.

Forum chair Susan Garon said: “We have started work obtaining residents views about their community and have regular meetings to which everyone is welcome. We want to know what residents value about Welland ward and what they would like to improve. We will use this information to write a neighbourhood priorities statement.”

Cllr Simon Galton, Harborough District Council’s planning spokesman, added: “Neighbourhood forums can help protect and enhance the character of an area as well as highlight what is important to a community in the writing of a neighbourhood plan. We are delighted that Welland Neighbourhood Forum is now designated as its formation will help strengthen the community.”

Meetings are planned this month to establish forums in Arden, Town Centre and Logan. A minimum of 21 members are required in each area to form a neighbourhood forum.

Market Harborough residents are not represented by a town council in the same way some towns and villages are in the district. Neighbourhood planning was started under the Localism Act of 2011 and since then 29 neighbourhood plans have been adopted by parish councils across Harborough district.

The forums are part of a wider government pilot scheme encouraging communities to develop neighbourhood plans in a simpler way.

Email [email protected] for more information.