Soham Town Forum Open Meeting

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Soham Town Forum Open Meeting
Review of 2004/05Action Plan for 2005/06 Your
feedback
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Review of 2004/05

• Healthcheck research
• Developing an action plan
• Soham Revival

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Healthcheck activity

• Our September meeting last year showcased the
  findings of our healthcheck research
• To complement this we
• also sent out a feedback
• leaflet to over 5000
• Households

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Some of the things we were told

• They want to see Soham acting as a hub for
  surrounding villages with a bright, varied and
  thriving shopping centre with a healthy economic
  image and a welcoming character combined with
  appealing amenities and attractions
• They want us to promote pride in our community
  with better communication encouraging more
  people to get involved was also an aspiration.
  Longer term aims of establishing a community
  centre were also highlighted.
• Improved transport and accessibility was also
  thought to be key with integrated public
  transport, well maintained roads and safer routes
  for all forms of transport. The longer term aim
  of re-establishing a rail link was also
  highlighted
•    

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How we took these aspirations forward

• Focus groups worked on developing projects which
  would help deliver some of these aims
• As a relatively small group of volunteers the
  Forum looked at how best to develop an achievable
  range of actions

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The Action Plan

• Develop pride in the community
• a welcome pack for residents
• a community newsletter Soham Life
• the launch of a Proud of Soham Campaign for
  Young people
• a Shop Window Scheme (to enhance the street
  scene)
• supporting the commons enhancement proposals
• a Town Guide

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• Youth Facilities To explore with young people and
  relevant agencies projects which will benefit
  young people in Soham
• Viva Centre
• Soham Festival Continued support of the project
  to provide a centrally located community facility
  for Soham
•  French Market/Twinning Activity The healthcheck
  flagged up the loss of the market as a key issue.
  It was suggested that a one-off event could act
  as a platform from which to gauge support
  locally.
• Set up Rail Link Working Group

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Soham Revival

• 90,000 over three years funded by the Greater
  Cambridge Partnership and East of England
  Development Agency
• The Revival Scheme comprises of a range of
  capital projects under four distinct themes, i.e.
• Town Centre Gateway Enhancements including
  Interpretation signage,
• new welcome signs, new street
• furniture and High Street upgrades.

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Town Centre Attractions - Christmas
Lighting and Public Art provision to enhance
the Millennium Trail Service Centre
Facilities/ Workforce Development Soham on-line
website enhancement, car park enhancements,
business support Soham Business Centre
Equipment Loan Scheme, Soham Area Resource
Centre Transport Service Enhancements Cycle
routes linking industrial estates to the town
centre and bus shelter/ information signage
improvements. 
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2005 and beyond

• Soham Life
• A new Town Leaflet
• A new Town Guide