FOREWORD BY DAVID GAY - CHAIRMAN OF THE STEERING GROUP

Following the Public Meeting instigated by the Parish Council early last year where there was a clear desire to undertake an Appraisal, a number of like-minded volunteers met and formed a Steering Group and the first Bigbury Parish Community Appraisal was launched. We are now pleased to submit our report and findings in the accompanying pages.

None of this would have been possible without your co-operation and this is much appreciated. Of the 257 Questionnaires delivered to occupied households in the Parish 178 (representing 416 residents) responded positively (69%) with 367 persons answering the questions. The results are considered most satisfactory and are a clear indication that the majority of residents in the Parish do care about what happens in their Community and show concern for the Environment in which they live.

Now this is not the end of the exercise and for the main objective (which may I remind you was to give everyone in the parish the opportunity to voice their opinions and obtain their views on local issues which were causing concern and needed addressing, thus helping to shape our community in the future) to be achieved all of us must now react positively to those issues raised in the report, and to start the ball rolling we are to hold a:-

PUBLIC MEETING AT THE MEMORIAL HALL
ON
THURSDAY 15th APRIL AT 7:30PM

At this meeting we will have the opportunity to discuss the report in full. It is hoped to have as many representatives from local bodies as possible to whom we may address certain issues so that an Action Plan can be agreed.

Finally I must thank Sue Murphy and her team from the Community Council of Devon for their input, the Community Regeneration in the South West Partnership – Small Grants Fund – South Hams District Council – Bigbury Parish Council for providing the funding for this project. Last but not least thanks to all the very hardworking volunteers who collectively have put in many 100’s of hours over the last 12 months.

Thank you for taking the trouble to read this Report and if you are not one of the many volunteers who have already pledged their help please come along to the Public Meeting and see if there is any way in which you could get involved and make a contribution towards our aims.

March 1999

NB. All numerical references have been extracted from the analysis of the responses and the full text of this analysis will be made available at the Public Meeting should anyone wish to seek verification of the figures quoted in this report.