BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL

PARISH COUNCIL NEWS: DECEMBER 2004

Council Tax Precept

Bishampton Play Area

PACT Remaining Funds

Sewerage & Drains

Council Tax Precept
The element of the Council Tax taken by the Parish Council is to remain the same. At the annual budget meeting, parish councillors decided to fix the precept at £14,000 for the second year running. It was £14,165 the year before.

Bishampton Play Area
The parish council has agreed to take responsibility for the new play area, when it is built, at the Villages Hall in Bishampton. A steering group made up of members from the Villages Hall committee and the Parish Council has been consulting widely on what parishioners want for the children and young people in the village. The group will also try to raise grants and funds to pay for the develop ment. A number of comments have been received which are being considered.

Wychavon's Planning Department is expected to examine any scheme in detail before construction goes ahead.

PACT Future of Funds
A fighting fund of £2,600 is to be kept ready in case Throckmorton airfield is threatened again. The money was originally raised by PACT, the Protest at the Asylum Centre at Throckmorton campaign group in 2002. The cash came largely from people in the four affected parishes, Bishampton and Throckmorton, Wyre Piddle, Lower Moor and Pinvin, as well as from Pershore, Evesham and elsewhere. Although the battle was won, parish councillors and local politicians have been warned there is nothing to stop the Home Office trying again.

The PACT committee - made up of local parish chairmen and district and county councillors - decided to keep the money as part of the community's war chest for at least five years in case there is another attempt to exploit the airfield. PACT'S constitution will be amended to ensure the money can be used only for the defence of the airfield against nwarranted development.

Going Down the Drain
Parish and District Councillor Malcolm Argyle has been going down the drain recently checking on the drainage pipes and ditches around Bishampton. With the help of a lot of equipment from District he's managed to dig up a number of gardens and says the work was mucky but it needed doing.

Rupert Segar