This topic contains 3 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by JANDP 1 year ago.
Hi All, I have a concern here that someone may be able to help. We have set up a NHP Forum from which we have a Committee. WE applied for an initial £1500 and received £1350. This we have expensed most of it on a minimal website, three public presentations, two public surveys and associated printing costs.
We are now preparing to submit funding for a Town Planner but find that these are charging the full amount of funding available. One even quoted £16950 which is above the funding limit. Has anyone been through this dilemma and can they offer advice?
I am a neighbourhood planning consultant.
I would say that the costs of creating a NP can vary hugely, depending on what you are hoping to acheive. We have NP steering groups who have allocated precept to the NP to cover the extra costs, or who have undertaken a lot of the work themselves to avoid extra costs.
I would advise that if you have sought a few quotes and consultants have come back with similar projects and project costs this might give you more confidence that the costs are probably accurate for the work that they are bidding on – provided that the approaches look similar as well as the costs.
If different consultants have estimated wildly different costs and project plans then this be useful for judging the approaches they are taking. Some may be prioritising new revenue over what is necessary, whilst at the other end of things, some consultants might be being optimistic and over extending themselves. That's why it is good to get two quotes at the very least.
Most experienced consultants who work with neighbourhood groups will be aware of funding restraints and would be unlikely to do something like schedule consultation events using multiple members of staff that eat up the majority of the Locality grant, leaving you with some of your evidence base and no money left to finish your plan.
If you are a forum you should be aware that the criteria for additional support has narrowed in the new programme and this means forums which were considered eligible by virtue of the fact that they are a forum, are no longer eligible in that way. You might still be eligible for extra support if you are assessing sites or doing design codes. I'd check this before you submit an application as it might help you decide how much you can spend over the next year or two.
I'd back up what Becky says about doing the work yourself. Some of the guides written by Locality are designed to guide the layplanner In doing some quite process driven pieces of evidence gathering – like site assessments for example.