We can’t pretend! Preparing a Place Plan will take some time and needs skills and resources. There are really four main sources for these, all elaborated more fully on Worksheet B:

• Steering Group time and skills: If you decide to do a Place Plan, you will need a Steering Group, maybe with those on the Decision Group, maybe others as well or instead. Theirs will be the biggest time commitment, which is again why it is so important to be really clear about exactly what issues you want to work on.
• Community time and skills: Engaging others in the wider community actively is crucial, not just to share the load but because others can bring key skills.
• Local authority time and information: They can offer general advice and information (e.g. maps and statistics).
• Funding: Costs will vary depending on the scale of what you want to achieve and what resources are available to you. You might be able to get funding for part or all of your project, and you may be able to find creative ways to engage local businesses or groups in the process. See also our Toolkit on funding which gives you ideas for where you might access funds.