Under the Increased Prosperity theme there are four areas identified for action:

Involving businesses

Businesses are the life force of any community, providing jobs for people and contributing to the prosperity of the community. Christchurch's businesses are important to the partnership because they have a valuable contribution to make to the community by sponsoring and providing volunteers for a variety of community projects.

In return the partnership engages with local businesses through business forums to encourage them to work together to overcome common issues such as health, access, recruitment and skills development. The partnership will also help them to improve the environment around their premises with projects such as bulb planting and litter picks.

Evening Cafe culture

Christchurch attracts many visitors and tourists, especially in summer, but we need to encourage tourists and local residents into the town centre during the evening. This need was confirmed by feedback from the Church Street Evening Festival last summer. A group of people is required to help us to develop a way forward to introduce an evening cafe culture to Christchurch. If you would like to contribute to this project, why not give us a call.

Heritage walks network

The network produces an annual leaflet publicising all guided walks which take place in Christchurch throughout the season. New guides are always sought after, so if you would like to be included in next year's leaflet please contact us.

Affordable housing

We are working to raise awareness of the need for a higher percentage of appropriate affordable and social housing in the borough. Together we can raise awareness of what incentives are available for cash poor people in large houses to move into smaller houses and also publicise the need for better use of empty properties and encourage their return to appropriate use.

The Increased Prosperity Action Group meets quarterly to work towards their action plan.

Five Year Housing Land Supply  -  Christchurch

Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 3 Housing requires all planning authorities to produce a five year housing land supply assessment. This has to demonstrate an up-to-date five year supply of deliverable housing sites as of 1 April 2010.

Five year housing land supply - Christchurch

Current initiatives

• A Heritage sub group has been formed to begin looking at methods to promote Christchurch as a heritage tourism destination. The initial focus is developing a guided walks network

• Christchurch Community Partnership is a delivery partner and sponsor of Better Together Dorset (opens in a new window) which is a free online charter designed to encourage Dorset businesses to pledge to undertake an environmental, social or economic activity

If you have any contributions that you would like to make to the action plan, or are interested in any of the issues raised then please come and join the Action Group.

Future meetings of the Increased Prosperity Action Group

All meetings at Christchurch Borough Council, Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Christchurch.

• Name: Community Strategy Officer (Christchurch)
  Email: w.smith@christchurch.gov.uk
  Tel: 01202 495088
  Fax: 01202 495108
  Full details for Community Strategy Officer (Christchurch)