A group of Saxilby residents have been helping shape the future of their community since 2006 and in so doing have influenced the policies of local government.

Saxilby Futures, formerly Saxilby Parish Plan Steering Group, was set up by local residents including members of Saxilby Parish Council to enable a broad and in-depth public consultation process to let the people of Saxilby set the agenda by highlighting the issues that matter most to them.

Following a successful grant application in early 2007, the group began the consultation process with the people of Saxilby and the adjacent villages of Broadholme and Broxholme.   A series of open forums let residents express the matters, which concerned them.  A consensus view on the most popular issues was determined by a questionnaire sent to every household. Nearly 600 households (about 30%) replied.  The results were used to write a final report.

The results of the consultation led to further development of the green spaces in Saxilby, more benches and the creation of a youth shelter.

The results have also been used to shape the policies of Saxilby Parish Council policy on key areas such as future housing development, transport and environment.

Peter Walker Saxilby resident and one of the founding members of Saxilby Futures said: “I’m so glad I got involved with Saxilby Futures, because we’ve been able to accurately reflect the views of the people in the village and help Saxilby Parish Council develop the kind of policies that make the village a better place to live.”

Following on from these successes, Saxilby Futures has secured further funding from the Active Parishes  Grant of Community Lincs to develop a tourism strategy for the village. Building on their existing research, the group is holding further consultations with members of the business community, residents and other stakeholders in order to produce a fully costed tourism strategy during 2010.  The policy will be implemented by Saxilby Parish Council and Saxilby Futures.

Take Part Lincolnshire, a joint initiative by the University of Lincoln and Lincolnshire Assembly, is aiming to get more people involved in local democracy.

Zoraida Mendiwelso-Bendek, Senior Research Fellow in Active Learning for Active Citizenship at the University of Lincoln, believes that Saxilby is a model of community involvement: “Saxilby is a great example of residents getting involved in the local democratic process to create positive change in their community. I wish all success to Saxilby Futures and hope that other communities will be inspired by the work they’ve been doing.”

To find out more about what’s happening in your area and to take part visit www.takepartlincolnshire.org

To find out more about Saxilby Parish Council and Saxilby Futures visit www.saxilbyparishcouncil.gov.uk

Take Part Lincolnshire is part of the Take Part National Network and the Take Part Pathfinder National  Programme.