To get the right answers
ask the right questions

Placecheck: residential streets

This page, written with residents in mind, contains most of the materials and advice needed to:

run a Placecheck
involve neighbours
form an action plan
feed information to local councillors and the local strategic plan process.

The first step is to introduce the idea of running a Placecheck to a few friends and to organise it together rather than on your own.

1. Plan your Placecheck

Are there any neighbours you can involve in planning our Placecheck? Invite them round for a chat.

Select the place you want to focus on. It could be your block, part of an estate, part of a street, a parade of shops, a local park, the area surrounding a school, or a playground.

Decide where and when to meet to carry out the Placecheck. Have a look at a typical Placecheck timetable.

Think about how to follow up the Placecheck. You will need to agree on a meeting date and a place, such as a local school or community centre.

2. Advertise the Placecheck

Produce some posters and postcards saying what the Placecheck will focus on, and where and when to meet.

Put posters in windows, or outside on walls, lamposts, etc.
Give the Placecheck Invitation Cards to your neighbours.
Tell your neighbours about the Placecheck.

3. Hold your Placecheck

Make sure you have some way of recording your views. You can download a ready–made form here: Placecheck form – MS Word format or Placecheck form – web format; or make your own

Walk down the street with your neighbours, answer the questions on the Placecheck form and write down your thoughts.

4. Create an action plan

You can use a ready–made form to help you create your action plan, Action plan form – MS Word format or Action plan form – web format; or make your own

Identify what you can do and when you can do it.
Identify what you can get others to do and by when.

Click here for further guidance

5. Establish a formal partnership with your neighbours

Are there any other organisations already in existence you could link into? Is there a local neighbourhood or trade association? Is there a civic society? Can your group join them?

Neighbourhood associations and other residents groups are often the best way of getting things moving. Less formal ways can work too – just a commitment from your neighbours to meet regularly and work together to make the changes can be enough. If you work as a partnership you will be eligible for a far wider range of funding.

6. Let people know about your partnership

Write to or phone your local councillor.
Tell more neighbours, tell your council, tell your local press.
Think about contacting your local strategic partnership.

The local strategic partnership comprises the local authority and other public sector organisations as well as the private, business, community and voluntary sectors. They are responsible for preparing a community strategy for your area. Send them your findings. Your local authority will be able to tell you how to contact the partnership.

7. Keep things going

Keep in regular contact by telephone or person–to–person.
Celebrate, have fun.
Hold regular, short meetings.
Keep people informed.
As time goes by try to involve more people.
Be successful – pick easy wins, as well as tough tasks.

To get the right answers ask the right questions