18 Nov 2006 - PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
PARISH COUNCIL
The Parish Council meeting on November 8 was attended by five councillors, Clerk Colm Gibson and eleven members of the public.
In the initial Open Forum the Council was asked if a budget had been prepared relating to expenditure in the current year. Andrew Rockett reported that he had met with a representative of the official ?Better Way to School? scheme who wished to add a notice to the 30 mph sign on Rattlecombe Road to indicate that there are children walking to school on a road with no footpath ? the council agreed with the proposal and would like to see such notices attached to both sets of limits. It was pointed out how poor the street lighting is within the village and queried whether this could be a safety and highways issue in view of the unpaved roads. A further speaker complained of the unwarranted comments made by some members of the present Parish Council about the inaction of previous councils without having examined the relevant council minutes.
Gillian Crabb reported on a meeting with a Highways representative who agreed that a tree preservation order (TPO) on the roadside trees outside the property Long Acre prior to building work would protect them.
No details were available on finance but John Evans has kindly agreed to act as the independent Responsible Finance Officer (RFO).
Keith Adams presented a paper on communications within the parish. It was agreed to report twice a year via the Shenington Green, to use house-to-house circulars for urgent matters and to invite residents with e-mail capacity to register with the clerk so that they can receive Parish Council agendas and minutes if they so wish.
Chairman Keith Hainsworth outlined changes which he personally would like to see made in the two villages. These included working parties to tidy up the two churchyards and better maintenance of walls and verges in both Alkerton and Shenington. He would also like to move the flower trough and remove the stone verging currently protecting the edges of the Green, although he did acknowledge this should be a matter for open discussion.
In the closing Open Forum it was pointed out that the council minutes were not displayed fully on the Alkerton notice board, that the entry to Well Lane, Alkerton has been strewed with stones and other debris after recent rainstorms and that the Kart Club is now holding weekend meetings in August contrary to previous practice. Also the history of the Green was recalled and it is only in recent years that it has been mown regularly by volunteers. It was pointed out that moving the trough and removing the stone verging would cause controversy and considerable damage and it was suggested that there are more serious and less controversial matters for the council to consider.
The meeting closed about midnight and the next meeting will probably be on Wednesday, January 10 at 8.30 pm.
The Parish Council meeting on November 8 was attended by five councillors, Clerk Colm Gibson and eleven members of the public.
In the initial Open Forum the Council was asked if a budget had been prepared relating to expenditure in the current year. Andrew Rockett reported that he had met with a representative of the official ?Better Way to School? scheme who wished to add a notice to the 30 mph sign on Rattlecombe Road to indicate that there are children walking to school on a road with no footpath ? the council agreed with the proposal and would like to see such notices attached to both sets of limits. It was pointed out how poor the street lighting is within the village and queried whether this could be a safety and highways issue in view of the unpaved roads. A further speaker complained of the unwarranted comments made by some members of the present Parish Council about the inaction of previous councils without having examined the relevant council minutes.
Gillian Crabb reported on a meeting with a Highways representative who agreed that a tree preservation order (TPO) on the roadside trees outside the property Long Acre prior to building work would protect them.
No details were available on finance but John Evans has kindly agreed to act as the independent Responsible Finance Officer (RFO).
Keith Adams presented a paper on communications within the parish. It was agreed to report twice a year via the Shenington Green, to use house-to-house circulars for urgent matters and to invite residents with e-mail capacity to register with the clerk so that they can receive Parish Council agendas and minutes if they so wish.
Chairman Keith Hainsworth outlined changes which he personally would like to see made in the two villages. These included working parties to tidy up the two churchyards and better maintenance of walls and verges in both Alkerton and Shenington. He would also like to move the flower trough and remove the stone verging currently protecting the edges of the Green, although he did acknowledge this should be a matter for open discussion.
In the closing Open Forum it was pointed out that the council minutes were not displayed fully on the Alkerton notice board, that the entry to Well Lane, Alkerton has been strewed with stones and other debris after recent rainstorms and that the Kart Club is now holding weekend meetings in August contrary to previous practice. Also the history of the Green was recalled and it is only in recent years that it has been mown regularly by volunteers. It was pointed out that moving the trough and removing the stone verging would cause controversy and considerable damage and it was suggested that there are more serious and less controversial matters for the council to consider.
The meeting closed about midnight and the next meeting will probably be on Wednesday, January 10 at 8.30 pm.