The purpose of the Parish Plan, which has been called "Stoke St. Mary - a 2020 Vision" is to allow residents to help shape the future of the Parish by making their views known on a wide range of local issues. Stoke St. Mary - a 2020 Vision, gives local residents the opportunity to help create a healthy, sustainable and blossoming place for all who live, work and regularly use the Parish.

In its final form the initiative will will be an influential document that will help inform and advise local councils and Government agencies about the issues that matter to the people of Stoke St. Mary and about the ways they want the Parish to develop in the future. Taunton Deane have already confirmed that "...we would be keen to ensure that once completed the Parish Plan feeds into our broader community planning process for your area". It will also provide a better opportunity of attracting grants for improvements that may be considered necessary.

The next step in the process is to collect views of local residents about the issues that matter. A Questionnaire was designed to do just that and distributed to residents during late January and February 2005.
It was thought important that everyone contributed to the Plan and the Questionnaire provided for views from each member of each household however young or old. Views really mattered and the Parish needed them to define the residents preferred way forward in the future.

A meeting was held in the Village Hall on Saturday 5th February 2005 where discussions were shared and help provided in the completion of the Questionnaire.