Summary of Survey Results
Generally, the survey highlighted concerns about road safety, poor broadband connections, the need for a village shop and improvements and expansions to existing walking pavements and play park. Any future development should be localised small made up of two-three bed properties with particular concern about the protection of rural character and existing settlement boundary being important. A keen interest in improving and preserving biodiversity and habitats was also shown.
Detail
53 responses were received. It should be noted that not all respondents chose to answer all questions, percentages reported reflecting those of respondents to that section.
54% of respondents were satisfied with the available leisure facilities. Cycling, walking with and without dogs were the most common activities reported. Multiple suggestions were put forward for improvements with the most popular being a shop and improvements to the existing play park.
36% of respondents had an issue considered crime and safety was a concern with the largest concern being speeding cars, suggesting a safety issue with the road rather than a high crime.
Youth facilities in use predominantly were in the area of the playing field. With suggestions of improvement focusing on updating the equipment with an emphasis on older children, with a youth club being a potential solution for this.
The most common form of transport used daily was that of a car with several people using the train service. Improvement of cycle routes would persuade the majority of people to use this method of transportation. Though a footpath up the reservoir and better maintenance of existing footpaths generally was the most common recommendation of improvement.
The road section had a significant response, parking does not appear to generally be a concern but there are some localised issues that may need exploring, in particular with the provisioning of parking at any new dwellings. It was felt traffic calming measures where required; the most popular being speed cameras and speed bumps.
Individual plots and small developments have the most support and there is strong objection to large developments. Generally, the respondents felt that two and three-bed homes, with a slight preference for affordable housing for local people, were most suitable. Maintaining the rural aspect of dwellings in the village was also important.
In common with the rest of the survey infrastructure that required improvement appeared to focus on pavements and roads. A concern raised here is a lack of medical facilities (doctors and dentistry) as well as communication connectivity (mobile and broadband connections).
The majority of the parish appears to be favour reducing noise and light pollution, including support of a dark skies policy. As well as the promoting and preservation of biodiversity. Preservation of the existing boundaries is a concern, and any future development should be kept in keeping with the rural character, scale and location of the existing settlement.
The most significant support of business was for a village shop, the majority of respondents run small businesses from home. Of which poor-quality broadband was a significant concern.
Parish matters appear to be well received by the current means, and generally appear to match how they are currently received. there is a note about emails being improved.
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Parish Action Plan 2021
click here to view the 2021 Survey Results
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Berwick Parish Council is currently reviewing its Parish Plan because residents views are very important and contribute to decisions Councillors make.
The deadline for the completion of the survey is Wednesday 1st September 2021. The questionnaire has been sent to its residents and additional copies are available by emailing berwickparishcouncil@aol.com or by calling 07501676569.'
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Parish Action Plans are intended as a means for villages to express the needs of their local communities to their District and County Councils. The Berwick Parish Action Plan was launched on 28 September 2007 at a meeting in the Village Hall at which residents contributed their suggestions. Based on these topics, the residents’ steering group then formulated a questionnaire which was distributed to each of the 104 households in the Parish. 94 responses were received which were then carefully assessed to arrive at the views and statistics of the Action Plan.
The Plan was first published and then formally adopted in May 2008 by Berwick Parish Council which committed to progress the Actions recommended. Copies of the Plan were given to every household in the Parish; to the Chief Executive of Wealden District Council and to its Director of Environmental Services; to the Chief Executive of East Sussex County Council and to its Transport and Environmental Department.
Click here to download the previoust version of the Parish Action Plan