A TEN-POINT plan, designed to improve the lives of Cherwell residents, is to be discussed by Banbury Town Council's resources committee tonight.

The Cherwell Community Plan is a vision for the future and sets out targets to be achieved by 2016.

The town council is being asked to adopt the plan, which has been drawn up by the Cherwell Community Planning Partnership.

The partnership was formed in 2000 to determine long-term goals for the area, and consists of representatives of public, private, and voluntary sector organisations.

It published its first draft plan in 2002 after consultations with residents, and has now updated the original document.

The ten categories include making Cherwell a safer place in which to live, improving health care, raising educational standards, promoting prosperity, providing more affordable housing, protecting the environment, increasing leisure opportunities, enhancing the quality of rural life, developing the unique characters of the major towns, and caring for people of all age groups and backgrounds.

  • The plan aims to tackle the "safer place to live" issue by reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and improving road safety.
  • Health care will be improved, the plan says, by ensuring services meet the needs of the population, and by minimising the barriers people experience in accessing services and care. Healthy lifestyles will be promoted.
  • Educational standards will be raised by boosting the learners' sense of enjoyment, and by developing parental commitment and support.
  • Prosperity will be encouraged by sustaining high levels of employment, promoting a recession-proof way of life, and by creating a sustainable economy.
  • The environment will be protected by minimising pollution, reducing carbon emissions, and by high-level waste recycling.
  • The plan promises to provide increased play and recreational facilities for children and young people and by encouraging more volunteers to oversee recreational opportunities.
  • Rural life will be enhanced by creating thriving village communities, meeting the needs of the changing rural economy, and preserving the environmental character of country areas.
  • Towns in Cherwell will be "protected" by providing "liveability" for all developing the strengths of each centre, and building community spirit. In Banbury the plan is to value the town's historic past, enliven run-down areas, and preserve its industrial heritage.
  • "Caring for people" plans include promoting racial equality specifically in public service delivery and employment. There are plans to address racism and provide counselling for people affected by racism.

Partnership groups include county, district, and parish councils, police, primary care trusts, Banbury and Bicester chambers of commerce, Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, Cherwell Faith Communities, the Voluntary Organisation Forum, and Kidlington Voice.