Chairman’s Annual Report 2009-2010

Swanage Town & Community Partnership
Chairman’s Annual Report 2009-2010

Overview
The Market and Coastal Towns initiative (MCTi) Group, working under the auspices of the Swanage Town & Community Partnership, was responsible for delivering the Swanage Community Strategic Plan. This is a 20 year rolling plan for the development of Swanage based on extensive public consultation. This was published on May 24th, 2007 and copies circulated to all households within Swanage and local villages.

The Swanage Town Plan has been adopted by Swanage Town Council, Purbeck District Council and Dorset County Council.

Since the publication of the Strategic Plan, the MCTi group has dedicated itself to promoting it to the Partners outlined in the Plan in order to move the projects forward.

2009-2010
Over the last year, the MCTI Working Group has been involved in various major consultations which Dorset County Council and Purbeck Distruct Council have undertaken. These include:

- Purbeck school review
- Core Strategy and Local Development Framework which has led to discussions on affordable Homes/leisure and adult educational development
- Development of health care within Swanage which has led to the successful outcome of the Open All Hours Group so that we now have a permanent Paramedic service for Purbeck and a joint working group looking at elderly care places in Swanage after the James Day outcry
-Swanage sea-front regeneration scheme

For the above projects, we met with the relevant project leader and outlined the needs of the Swanage Community based on the research gathered from the development of the Strategic Plan.

The MCTi working group has also undertaken projects where the group identified a need arising from the Strategic Plan which could be brought forward by various Partners getting together. These have included
-    traffic flow within the town centre
-    credit union development
-    development of out of season festivals/events

Traffic Flow within Swanage Town Centre
The MCTi Working Group met with various relevant members of DCC and it was agreed that a traffic flow research project was required; this was undertaken during 2009 – once in the high season and another in the off- season. The result of this survey was to have been assessed early 2010. However, the indications were that whatever Government took control after the election in May 2010, that significant budget cuts were to be made. Due to this, DCC have not progressed the project any further.
The MCTI group asked Swanage Town Council to request that the assessment of the data is made available to STC so that it can be used during the Sea-front generation project which PDC are undertaking on behalf of STC.

Credit Union Development
A Managing Money day was organised by the STCP and sponsored by the Swanage and Purbeck Rotary Club. This event was in response to the current financial climate and the recognition that key advisors could be brought together to provide free impartial advice to local residents. The event was held on 31st October 2010 and the following organisations were present;
Coastal Credit Union
Purbeck DC- Housing Benefits
Equity Release Solicitors Association
Tax for Older People
PoPPs
Wayfinders
The Old Stable
CAB- Information table
Swanage and Purbeck Rotary Club

The turn out was not high but residents, who did attend, found the advice useful. The organisations also spent some time talking to each other and agreed to explore the setting up of a Credit Union in Swanage.

Our local Credit Union is the Coastal Credit Union which is a co-operative, not for profit savings and loans organisation with a passion for promoting budgeting and thrift in the BH postcode area.

Alan Dominy, with the management committee of the Old Stable, offered to host the service point and worked with Coastal Credit Union, Swanage Town and Community Partnership, Rotary Club, and the Senior Forum to publicise and set it up. A number of people volunteered and have been trained as service advisors. The Coastal Credit Union Service Point was launched in April 2010 and is open every Tuesday morning.