Community Toolkit

In June 2021, Towyn & Kinmel Bay Town Council identified the need to develop and deliver a Place Plan that was centred on making the area a better place for future generations to live, work and visit. The Community Connections project was submitted for funding to UK Government, and in December 2021 TKBTC received the news that it had been successful in securing a grant from the Community Renewal Fund. The project’s main focus was to: Understand the issues the community is facing Talk with the community about what needs to be done for the future well-being of the community and place Agree priorities and the steps the community needs to take to turn ideas into action establish a Community Partnership The project for Towyn & Kinmel Bay started in January 2022, when a place planning consultancy team of planners, architects, designers and transport specialists led by Chris Jones Studio were appointed to support the place planning process. A Community Connector and Digital Project Manager, Helen Wilkinson of Wilkinson Bytes, was appointed to lead community engagement, with a focus on developing the content, outreach activity, events, marketing and digital infrastructure to support the initiative raising awareness of the project, catalysing a grass roots community mobilisation campaign, creating opportunities for the community to get involved, growing and supporting a community partnership and acting as a critical friend to the place plan team. To deliver this project, we developed a community brand, TKBVOICE, launched a successful #LoveTKB community campaign raising awareness, reaching out to local people, visitors and holiday makers and catalysing community led conversations inviting people to tell us what they love about the place, and the things they want to improve. The project gave us space to listen, learn, and develop a plan that resonated with and was owned by local people. The summary of the Community Project achievements can be found here . The independent evaluation of the project can be found

A Place Plan is a document that: Sets out local level planning guidance on the use and development of land Links to planning policies set out by your Local Planning Authority Is written by local people who know the area well and can add more detail to the work done by the planners Can link to other local/Community Plans on a wide range of issues Can enhance the profile of a place in the region The Community Connections Project summary that supported the place planning process can be found The TKBVOICE Place Plan can be read

A number of benefits flow from TKB having a place plan that has the support of, and involvement of local people. These include: Developing a good understanding of community needs and wants including levels of support required to tackle different issues and actions Prioritising key actions to improve the vitality of the area and enhance the well-being of people living in Towyn and Kinmel Bay Improving input in local planning decisions, including influencing future iterations of the Local Development Plan to ensure it continues to meet community needs Enhancing working relationships, collaboration and shared endeavour between the community, the Town Council, Local Authority and other key decision makers, and Improving community well-being

Think of the Place Plan as telling a story about TKB, its people, the place and its vision for the future. The Plan tells Towyn & Kinmel Bay’s story, through the words of local people and with insights gained from visitors and holiday makers. It describes where we are, identifies facilities and infrastructure that are missing and starts to draw out ideas for future action, development and implementation. It also looks at linkages between areas of the community so it’s easier to move around and how it also relates to neighbouring towns and communities. The final Plan is a mix of drawings, plans, words and a set of goals for us all to work towards shaped by us for us. In the first phase of our community engagement and consultation, we were gathering views, and intelligence. Out of these findings, we developed some emerging ideas which we asked the public and stakeholders in Towyn and Kinmel Bay to feedback on in the second phase of our community engagement and coproduction. These community led conversations and discussions informed the final Place Plan report. You can download all the reports and consultation materials here.

The main activities for the Place Plan are: Understanding how Towyn & Kinmel Bay works as place Identifying what’s good about it and what needs to be improved Having conversations with local residents and groups to understand issues and ideas, reaching a shared vision and focus for action To shape people centred proposals that are about the future well-being of Towyn & Kinmel Bay, are sustainable and work within the environment To discuss how actions can be delivered, share responsibilities and find ways of resourcing proposals Here is the Report of the 1st Phase of the Community Consultation Download the report below From the first phase of community engagement, discussions and consultation, we developed some emerging ideas which we asked the public and stakeholders in Towyn and Kinmel Bay to feedback on to inform the final Place Plan report. Here are the Consultation Panels to inform discussions at our community events in May 2022. Download the report below. Here is the Report of the 2nd Phase of Community Consultation and Coproduction. Download the report below. Here is the Project summary outlining the range and depth of community engagement to ensure the Place Plan was developed with the support and involvement of local people. Download the report below. Our project was independently evaluated with the findings noting the achievements of the project in a short space of time. Download the report below. The TKBVOICE Place Plan is the outcome of the place planning process. Download the report below.

A Place Plan can help Towyn & Kinmel Bay in a number of ways; Evidencing need and garnering support from the wider community Directing Conwy County Borough Council and other strategic organisations on potential solutions for the area, solutions which have the support of local people Demonstrating a joined up process and way of thinking Building confidence in our place due to its clear direction Levering in funding towards projects, big and small Providing a benchmark to measure progress and celebrate success Creating a platform for TKB to promote its vision to the outside world – putting TKB on the map

In the first phase of involving the community in the development of Towyn & Kinmel Bay’s Place Plan, we provided a range of face to face and digital options for everyone to have their say. We took the same approach in the second phase of community consultation and coproduction. Throughout we combined traditional face to face community engagement techniques such as face to face events, and a #LoveTKB community campaign powered by volunteers alongside digital engagement through social media, using words, images and video to reach people, and raise awareness about the project. We also ran two highly successful expression of interest processes to recruit members of the Community Partnership, which was over-subscribed. We developed the TKBVOICE brand, website and digital platforms and used it as a channel to keep the conversation going and as a digital hub for all information related to the project. All in all TKBVOICE hosted 6 specific community engagement events over 4 days, in 6 different locations specifically to engage people in the place plan process. We also hosted 15 other TKBVOICE community activities, some in partnership with others between March and the end of July, to have more relaxed conversations, to foster and strengthen community connections, and encourage people to get involved. We hosted Wellbeing Walks and Talks, mobilised volunteers for the #LoveTKB community campaign, held 3 drop in Digital Skills Workshops during the first consultation window to support people to use the online tools for engagement, supported other volunteer action. We have attended events hosted by other local groups, and organisations, went into our two local schools to hear the views of children and young people and continue to respond to invitations to get involved in other local community and business events. The TKBVOICE Community Partnership was formed following a highly successful recruitment campaign, and met for the first time in April. In May, we held another successful recruitment campaign to select the four government members. The Partnership meets monthly, and has been guiding the place plan process, listening to and commenting on the emerging themes, and priorities, and discussing how to turn ideas into action. On the digital front, we have used social media to reach people, and developed an online TKBVOICE Community whom we update weekly and have communicated across a range of social media platforms to reach out and connect to a much wider group of people. We are also proud to have developed and deployed innovative digital applications. We took our #LoveTKB postcards online, to be used as ongoing ways of engaging people in telling their story about the place they live, work, visit and holiday in. TKBVOICE also worked in partnership with Create Streets, a social enterprise, and together we created an interactive map for you to pin your comments about what you liked and disliked about where you live, work and enjoy your leisure or holiday time in. In the second phase, you were invited to pin your comments about what you liked and disliked about the ideas we had developed based on your feedback. It was the first time this application has been used in Wales, and we're delighted that TKB was the first mover! The map was first available for comments from 1st April - 18th April 2022 along with our #LoveTKB postcards where we invited you to share what you loved about the place and what you wanted to improve. After this, we read your comments, along with the TKBVOICE postcards (physical and digital that we distributed and shared). We produced a Community Findings Report that was discussed by the Community Partnership, and informed our second phase of community engagement and consultation in May. Our Place Plan Consultation Panels sharing emerging ideas through visual panels on display at our consultation events, were used as prompts to start community led conversations at our second phase of community events and we hosted them online so that those who could not attend could share their views. We produced a second Findings Report which fed into the final Community Place Plan. Throughout the period, we have reached out and responded to people who have reached out to us. We had a very short timeframe to develop the plan but with the support of local people, who gave their time and ideas generously, we have achieved alot together in a short space of time. To mark the milestone achieved so far, the TKBVOICE Community Partnership is hosting a Fun Olympics Celebration event in July 2022 in partnership with Towyn and Kinmel Bay Sports and Recreation Association with other community partners, and local people, to celebrate the project, the Place Plan, and the start of the next chapter. Looking to the future, having raised the profile of our place, and engaged people locally the members of the TKBVOICE Community Partnership are looking forward to building on what has been achieved, and working with others to turn ideas into action. TKBVOICE is a community led movement to shape and improve the area now and for future generations. The TKBVOICE Community Partnership wants to empower all members of the community to share their views, and provide ideas and potential solutions to support Towyn & Kinmel Bay’s future direction. It’s your place! Our digital #LoveTKB Postcards remain open for comment, and feedback. And if you have a great idea we will do our best to help make it happen, if we can!

The TKBVOICE Place Plan was developed following an intensive period of community engagement, and process of co-production with the local community from February to end of June 2022. The project was funded by the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund and Towyn and Kinmel Bay Town and Community Council. You can read the summary report of the project's activities here. The Place Plan itself provides useful facts and figures, and describes how Towyn and Kinmel Bay works as a place in terms of living, working and visiting based on feedback from you during our community campaign and engagement. You can read the plan here. The Plan identifies a 15 year vision, and outlines key themes and proposals, to provide direction and focus. The aim is to turn ideas into action under the leadership of the TKBVOICE Community Partnership. Some ideas can be realised by grass roots community action. Other bigger projects will require collaboration and will need investment and large scale funding with key partners. Plans to be effective do not stand still and are always evolving and our door is always open to other thoughts and ideas. The TKBVOICE community is a way of keeping the conversation going. We’d love to hear from you and understand how we can work together to make a difference! If you see something in the Place Plan that interests you and you want to strike up a conversation about ways of getting involved, email info@tkbvoice.wales Reach out to individual members of the TKBVOICE Community Partnership and speak to them – they can share your ideas with other members at the monthly Partnership meetings If you are interested in volunteering to support TKBVOICE and to turn ideas into action, please fill out our volunteer form here. Our #LoveTKB postcards can be filled in at any time with your comments, and suggestions and are available online here – your views and ideas will be shared with the TKBVOICE Community Partnership to consider Join the TKBVOICE Community by subscribing to the website to be kept informed and follow us on your preferred social media – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you have content – views and news (words, images, and videos) and an event you wish to promote that is relevant to the area share your content with us and we will republish it. you can share your content via the View & News page

TKB TOOLKIT To help local groups, organisations and residents with the development of ideas and projects, the following information provides useful links to further advice and support, best practice and funding. They are structured into the themes of the Community Place Plan. Place Plans These links provide you with further advice on place plan development and delivery. https://www.conwy.gov.uk/en/Resident/Planning-Building-Control-and-Conservation/Place-Plans/Assets/documents/Shaping-Conwys-Communities.pdf https://planningaidwales.org.uk/ourservices/place-plan-support/ http://www.placeplans.org.uk/ http://www.shapemytown.org/ Useful Facts and Figures You may want to find out more about local statistics and data to help understand some specific needs as well as supporting an application for funding. The links below will provide you with place based information on Towyn and Kinmel Bay. http://www.understandingwelshplaces.wales/en/home/ https://wimd.gov.wales/explore?lang=en#domain=overall&&z=13&lat=53.2902&lng=-3.5490 https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=W04000119 https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue A Resourced TKB Whether you be a local volunteer, member of a community organisation or you are looking to improve your local facility or other amenity, these links direct you to advice and funding. This could be for a community building, a well-being project and more. Welsh Government https://gov.wales/community-facilities-programme Other Organisations https://www.bct.wales/ https://communityfoundationwales.org.uk/grants-overview/ https://www.powertochange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Community-Hubs-Handbook-Final.pdf A Greener TKB Do you have green fingers? Are you looking at an idea or a project about greening an area or street in Towyn and Kinmel Bay? Look no further for advice and support. Welsh Government https://gov.wales/allotments-and-community-growing-guidance-growers-and-growing-groups https://gov.wales/allotments-and-community-growing-guidance-local-authorities-town-and-community-councils Conwy CBC https://www.conwy.gov.uk/en/Resident/Planning-Building-Control-and-Conservation/Replacement-LDP/Stage-4-Development-of-Evidence-Base/assets/documents-NaturalEnvironment/BP29-Green-Wedge-Assessment.pdf Others https://lnp.cymru/ https://www.incredibleedible.org.uk/ https://ukgbc.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/05150947/Practical-how-to-guide-Developing-and-Implementing-a-GI-Strategy-UKGBC-Jan-2019-Final-v4-web.pdf http://www.wsspr.wales/ https://keepwalestidy.cymru/ https://www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/ https://www.biodiversitywales.org.uk/Wales-Action-Plan-for-Pollinators An Active TKB Wanting to develop a more active environment for walking and cycling, in addition to developing sports, recreation and spaces for the community to enjoy? Best place is to start talking with the community partnership about ways to get involved. Other advice and guidance can be found here. Conwy Council https://www.conwy.gov.uk/en/Resident/Parking-Roads-and-Travel/Active-Travel/Assets/documents-INM-Routes/Towyn-Kinmel-Bay-2017.pdf Sustrans https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2022-01/active-travel-act-guidance.pdf https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/policy-and-resources/resources https://www.sport.wales/sport-in-the-community/ An Enterprising TKB Already in business or looking at taking the plunge? Want advice on an idea for a start-up or want to grow your business further? Advice and contacts below. Welsh Government https://businesswales.gov.wales/ Conwy Council https://conwybusinesscentre.com/business-support/# Others https://cwmpas.coop/what-we-do/services/ A Destination for All – TKB Do you have a tourism facing business or do you have idea that can support the visitor economy? https://businesswales.gov.wales/tourism/finance#guides-tabs--1 https://businesswales.gov.wales/sites/business-wales/files/tourism/Sense_of_Place_Guidance_v2_EN.pdf Other Useful Links These include: https://www.futuregenerations.wales/ https://climate.cymru/

We would love it if you are inspired to use our TKBVOICE postcard, logo, design assets, videos, and posters - whether it's in your shop window, on your social media pages, or on your noticeboards. You are welcome to download and use the logos, postcards, videos, posters and other assets. We simply ask that you respect our Community & Publishing (Creative Commons) licence which you download on our Term & Privacy page and do not use any of our designs for commercial purposes.

Learning and evaluation is critical to understanding the impact of any project, and lessons to be learned for future projects. Throughout the project, there were various ways of engaging, and sharing views and feedback. The consultants involved in delivery for TKBVOICE adopted innovative approaches and were keen to test and learn from this to find out what worked well and what we could do better next time. This learning will also inform and guide the TKBVOICE Community Partnership as it looks forward beyond the lifecycle of the Community Connections project, and focuses on turning ideas in the Place Plan into action with the support of the community. The Community Connections Project, in line with funding requirements, engaged a consultant independent of project delivery to evaluate the impact of the project and to reflect on lessons learned to inform future project success, the sustainability of the Community Partnership and help ensure the Place Plan goes from ideas into action. The evaluation process was informed by interviews with a wide range of people and stakeholders who were involved in the project in different ways. We also invited members of the TKBVOICE Community (people who have subscribed to our website and database) to share their views about what worked and how we could improve for future projects. We also shared the survey on social media to reach as many people as possible and asked others to share to their networks. The survey we asked is here and the final independent evaluation report is below. The summary report of the Project achievements is here.