Newsletter April 2005
The Annual General Meeting and the
Parish Meeting
will be held at 7.30 and 8.00 p.m. respectively, on the 16th
May 2005.
If you have anything that you would
like to raise as
being of concern to the village the Annual Parish
Meeting is your
opportunity to do so.
The Council has undergone
considerable changes since
the last AGM, with a change of Chairman and Parish Clerk, and the
co-option of
new members. The present council is
Steve
Anderson: Two
Gates, Whitehole Hill --------- 01761 233433
Geoff
Casey:
Pitten House, Pitten Street ------------------------- 813380
Chris
Cudmore: 2
Oak Leaf Court ------------------------------- 813735
Graham
Harris: Dovecote
---------------------------------------- 812889
Paul
Moore:
11
Bellfield------------------------------------------- 812392
John
Wright:
The
Post House, Leigh Street -------------------- 812317
Jo
Anderson: Two
Gates, Whitehole Hill------------
01761 233433
Mary
Mears:
Brookfield,
The Old
Sawmills---------------- 812415
Cemetery. The management of the closed
churchyard is still
under discussion in Mendip District Council, and it is regretted that
we cannot
report any significant progress since last year. You will have noted
that the
District Council have arbitrarily imposed a Special Expenses Rate. We
have yet
to determine whether this takes into account the contribution made by
the
parish in separately funding the grass maintenance. The standard of
this
maintenance remains high and we are fortunate that David Jarvis has
again tendered
for this work.
Planning. A variety of applications have
been considered,
and duly listed in the Parish Council minutes. If there are any queries
on past
applications, the minutes can be reviewed by arrangement with the
parish clerk [or
click here]. It must be remembered that
the Parish Council has only an advisory role.
The survey of housing needs within
the village
shewed a requirement, and due application was made.
This was approved and some unacceptable designs were
offered by
the chosen Housing Association. The purchase of the required land from
Somerset
County Council ran into dilatory confusion, and since the funding is
only
available for a limited period, the achievement of the required housing
is by
no means certain. This is being pursued by the PC.
Web Site It is again time to remind everyone
that the website
is only viable if people use it. All events should be published,
together,
possibly, with post-event comment or appreciation.
Footpaths and Roads: The external roads are in
better state than previous years, but little progress has been made on
the
truly local roads. We continue to urge the repair of potholes as they
occur.
The footpaths are in reasonable
condition, and a
further three kissing gates have been erected. It is intended to
continue with
this programme, and replace stiles at three per year.
Parish Wardens The cost of the Parish Warden
Scheme to
participating parishes has settled at £300 per year. The
scheme has been
through several changes in the last year, and has finished up with the
wardens
renamed “ Police Community Support Officers”
(PCSO’s) and thinned down to one
officer – Paul Emery – covering five parishes. The
council have decided, on a
split vote, to continue membership for a further year.
Quarries.
Tarmac, at
Halecombe quarry, have reduced quarrying of stone to the minimum
necessary to
retain the option. This has reduced blasting noise and dust
distribution within
the village, thereby improving conditions.
Barns Close quarry has been
purchased and the new
owner proposes, over a period, to establish small trading units on the
level
area inside the gate, and utilise the lower levels for dry rubble and
topsoil
infill. The scheme is being monitored by SCC environmental and
conservation staff.
General. There
continues to be a fair amount of money available for good causes, from
a
variety of sources. The council is fortunate in having co-opted a
councillor
knowledgeable in this field, and any parishioner with an idea or
proposal of benefit
to the community, which requires some funding, should contact the
parish clerk.
I
would like
to thank the councillors for their (unpaid) enthusiasm and efforts,
additionally the parish clerk for her successful induction and
organisation, and
all those who work to keep the village organisations running smoothly.