COUNCILLOR GLORIA CAWOOD’S REPORT – JUNE 2010

gmcawood@somerset.co.uk   Tel: 01749-880404 Mobile:07815-181393

The Gardener’s Cottage, East Cranmore, BA4 4SG

 

Now the General Election is over, Councils are trying to understand what the cuts might mean for our areas.  So far it’s like crawling through mud, but we now have details of the anticipated £1.165 billion cuts in grants to Local Government.  For Mendip it has been announced as £26,000 and £3m for the County Council. 

 

QUARRY MATTERS

Cookswood Quarry is likely to go to Planning some time in July.  This is likely to be a Special Meeting to discuss this item only.  There will have to be a site meeting for members of Mendip District Council’s Planning Committee.  Every affected Parish Council will be able to have a representative to speak. Although details have to be agreed, many more members of the public and organisations than usual will be able to speak at the meeting.

 

Torr Works – the consultation period is coming to a close.  Once again, a number of people have contacted me about this.  The plan is to deepen the quarry to around sea level and increase production by 2m tonnes per annum.  It is thought that the application will go to the Regulation Committee before the end of this year.   

 

Somerset Aggregates – Minerals Core Strategy – this is out for consultation.  We are told it will be further developed through Mendip’s Parish Forum, with two possible dates being considered for the next step – 25th. October and 31st. January.

 

RECYCLING OF PAPER AND CARD POSTPONED  We were all surprised to hear that this will not be not be implemented by September, but is to be rolled out gradually during the year, with some areas not receiving their bins until April next year.  I am seeking more detail.

 

COUNTY FARMS TO BE SOLD OFF  I have been contacted by a number of people re. a proposal going to the Cabinet on June 21st.  The recommendation is ‘to approve a farm by farm review of the County Farms Estate, changing existing policy so that all farms will be considered for disposal.  The Review is to be considered by the Member Steering Group and for individual decision to be made by the Cabinet Member for Resources.’  This Cabinet Member is David Huxtable.  Some of you will recall that this was the policy of the last Conservative administration at County Hall (1989-93.)  The Liberal Democrats are opposing this change in policy, as they have done in the past, but what do you think?  The Tenant Farmers and NFU have both expressed concern that this will reduce opportunities for young people to enter farming.

 

RED ROUTES AND BROWN AND WHITE TOURISM SIGNS  Following the consultation exercise, with an exhibition at Nunney as well as reports from Parish Councils bordering the A361, we are now told that the Red Routes are to be abandoned and signs taken down.  I am pressing the County Council to take note of the comments made at that time to make the A361 safer.

 

There has been a review of brown and white signs.  Trudoxhill’s call for a brown sign to their pub\Macmillan Way featured.   We await the report, which could mean brown signs being removed.