COUNCILLOR GLORIA CAWOOD’S REPORT NOVEMBER 2009

CONTACTS : Gardener’s Cottage, East Cranmore, BA4 4SG

gmcawood@somerset.gov.uk  tel:01749-880404 mob: 07815181393 fax: 01749;880623

 

1.     I attended a meeting about the future of the Parish Lengthsman Scheme.  An evaluation of it showed it to be a great success, but with my Councillor’s Community Budget the MAWP grant being almost spent, there will need to be funding raised from August next year.  Stratton, Stoke, Kilmersdon, Holcombe and Coleford will be considering their contributions for next year.  Stoke and Coleford Parish Councils have already agreed to double their contribution and those present at the meeting hope all the Parishes in the scheme will follow.  Chris Perkins has done a great job in the Parishes and everyone is keen for him to continue.

 

A letter has been received by Parishes from Highways, offering them the regular service and the opportunity for to collect some extra 20kg bags of de-icing material.  All Parishes wanting to take advantage of this were welcome to collect it on November 14th. between 9am and 1pm from the Highways Dept at Manor Furlong in Frome, BA11 4RH.  Parish Councils with  a Lengthsman can still arrange for larger deliveries of bagged de-icing material to their own premises.  We are told this is an offer for one year only – so make the most of it.   ACTION NEEDED BY PARISHES IF YOU EXPERIENCED ANY DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS LET ME KNOW – the weather was appalling on Saturday and I think new arrangements need to made if all Parishes who wish to do so can benefit.

 

2.     Downside Abbey in Stratton has agreed to lease land for the Community Garden.  Stratton has no play area, but now can start to draw down grants and make this long-awaited project a reality.  I have already offered £2,000 from my Councillor’s Budget, it being one of the schemes the Parishes agreed to support before the Local Initiatives Budget was cut.  It has taken a long time to negotiate the lease, but at last it looks like it will go ahead, using funding from the Government, Mendip, Somerset and other grant funders.

 

3.     I attended the opening of the new Pond and Environmental area at Leigh-on-Mendip First School, part funded by a grant for £2,500 from SALFS.  I was delighted to be invited to cut the ribbon and enjoyed meeting the children, staff and Governors, as well as remarkable people from the local community who all did so much to make the project happen.

 

4.     I also went to a remarkable meeting hosted by Wanstrow Parish Council.  The village has been working really hard on its Parish Plan, which has been produced in CD and as a book – and is available too on the internet.  Well done all.

 

5.     On a personal level, the twins arrived on November 5th. Peter (6lb 8oz) and Nancy(3lb 8oz). Both are doing well, though Nancy is still in the unit.  She’s still got a lot of growing to do and to learn to feed properly.  Martha(age 2) is helping mum and dad look after Peter at home!

 

6.     I have had a number of inquiries about the whether there is any funding left in my Councillor’s budget pot.  There is, but it was halved this year and it’s going fast.  I would like to have all bids in to me by the end of December.  Meanwhile, I will be submitting all the bids I have so far, which should be with everyone very soon.  Please send requests directly to me, not County Hall.

 

7.     Many of you have asked about SALSF.  I am continuing to ask County to resurrect the fund, as I did at Full Council again.  Anthony Trolloppe-Bellew, the Cabinet member responsible for the Environment, has not yet responded to our request for the funds to be reinstated.  A number of Parishes have written to him and I know others are considering the matter this month. I have not yet had the ultimate list of projects supported from the last £26,000, but understand it is likely that Stoke St. Michael Village Hall and the Nunney Quarry Bike Scheme will get something in what might be the final round.