| Mid-November 2026 | Upcoming | - Review first drafts of sub-group reports, due to be circulated by the end of October.
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| 9 September 2026 | Completed | - Heard an update on the National Planning Policy Framework and Dorset Council's emerging Local Plan timetable, and agreed to continue with the Neighbourhood Plan.
- Agreed a plan to communicate the new timescales to the community, including progressing the Vale of Allen website and linking to it from the Parish Council website.
- Received verbal updates from each sub-group (Business, Housing, Environmental, Heritage, Infrastructure and Youth).
- Agreed first drafts of sub-group reports would be circulated by the end of October.
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| 1 July 2026 | Completed | - Reviewed updates to the character and design policy work.
- Considered the local call-for-sites map and the next evidence checks required.
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| 20 May 2026 | Completed | - Approved the minutes of the previous meeting.
- Established sub committees covering Environment, Heritage, Housing, and Business; a fifth Youth Working Group has since been added to work across every theme.
- Reviewed National Planning Policy Framework consultation timelines and implications for the work programme.
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| 29 April 2026 | Completed | - Agreed communication methods for reaching residents, including validated address lists, existing channels such as Village Voices and the Witchampton Parish Magazine, physical notices, and hand-delivered surveys.
- Identified the policies to be drafted (Housing, Infrastructure, Environment, Landscape, and Historical Buildings and Heritage Sites) and agreed AI would support policy review rather than drafting.
- Discussed a possible questionnaire or consultation with local businesses and landowners.
- Considered whether a Housing Needs Survey would be required.
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| 21 August 2025 | Completed | - Held the Steering Group's initial meeting, recapping the plan area boundary and the Plan's legal framework and five topic sections.
- Circulated a draft Terms of Reference for discussion at the next meeting.
- Reviewed the funding position after the Government withdrew neighbourhood plan grants, and agreed the Parish Council would fund one to two years of work.
- Elected Sarah Old as Chair and Chris Simpson as Vice Chair, and agreed roles for Ken Lannon (Parish Council/Dorset Council liaison), Tim Read (landowner liaison) and Susan Hanstead.
- Assigned initial homework and action points to group members.
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