Dorstone Parish Dorstone Parish PlanPlan

Questionnaire Results

Highlights

ResponsesResponses

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

ResponsesResponses

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

Good NewsGood News

“How satisfied are you with your parish as a place to live?”

63% - very satisfied

36% - fairly satisfied

1% - fairly dissatisfied

Importance of Issues 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%)

Importance of IssuesImportance of Issues

very imp (imp)

Housing 43% (45%)

Communications 26% (56%)

Transport 25% (53%)

Parish Facilities & Leisure 22% (55%)

Parish Services 14% (53%)

Planning and Planning and ConservationConservation

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

TrafficTraffic

Road Conditions 64% poor/very poor - 36% good Long list of locations identifying poor/very

poor spots – most frequently mentionedB4348 particularly the stretch to the BageDorstone HillScar LaneMynydd Brith roadCommon Bach road

TrafficTraffic

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

Traffic Solutions 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.

EnvironmentEnvironment Protection and Protection and

Enhancement ideasEnhancement 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

EnvironmentEnvironment Protection and Protection and

Enhancement IdeasEnhancement Ideas

Limited Support/Opposition

75% against more street lights

62% against Tree on Village Green

40% against - 36% in favour Wind Turbines

Other Environmental Other Environmental IssuesIssues

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

Other Environmental Other Environmental IssuesIssues

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!!

Housing 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

CommunicationsCommunications

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

CommunicationsCommunications

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

Information suitable forDorstone Community Website

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Current Events within the Parish

Details of the work of the Parish Council

Parish Council meeting minutesParish Council Newsletter

Newcomers' Welcome Pack

Planning applications detailsVillage Hall news / minutes

PCC news / minutes

Church ServicesPlaying fields news / minutes

Parish services information

Tourist information about the ParishParish groups

Future events calendar

Parish Plan progress reportsAdvertisements of items for sale

Ads for recycling of unwanted items

Adverts for businesses

% of responses

Yes

No

No opinion

TransportTransport

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

Parish Facilities Parish Facilities and Leisure 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

Parish Facilities and Parish Facilities and Leisure 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)

Suggested ActivitiesSuggested ActivitiesKeep Fit 63Dancing - Salsa / Ballroom / Latin / Modern 50Gardening Club 44Tennis 44Art Classes 42Badminton 42Yoga 40Computing Classes 37Photography 36Natural History Society 35Boules (Petanque) 30Choir 29Language Classes 26Music Society 23Rambling Club 23Volunteers' group to visit housebound residents 20Whist Drives 13Drama 12Bridge 5

Parish Facilities and Parish Facilities and Leisure 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

Parish Facilities and Parish Facilities and Leisure 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

Parish Services 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 (See Oil form here)

Parish Services Parish Services

Views on local services

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Police

Fire

Ambulance

Herefordshire Council

Parish Council

Mobile Library

% of responses

Good / very good

Average

Poor / very poor

Highlights of Youth Highlights of Youth QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

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

Highlights of Youth Highlights of Youth QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

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

Next StepsNext 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

Next StepsNext 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

Next StepsNext 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!