BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL

PARISH COUNCIL NEWS: APRIL 2007

Junior Play Area

Lengthsman

Policing Issues

Litter Picking

Post Office Closures

Daffodils

Next Meetings

Junior Play Area
The council, while gathering grants for funding, has agreed to proceed with Phase One of the Junior Play Area project – to level and prepare the land, ready for equipment to be installed in the future. In the meantime, children and parents are warned to stay off the ground at the site behind the village hall, which could prove dangerous.

Lengthsman
The council is keen to develop a Parish Lengthsman Scheme, where it would be given a grant to pay for its own minor highways work, like pruning, ditch clearing, sign cleaning etc. Anyone who may be interested in the work – or who would like more information - can contact the clerk. Training will be provided.

Policing issues
The area beat officer, PC Pete Davey, is leading a new PACT group (Partners and Community Together) which involves representatives of local parishes looking at local policing issues. Officers carried out a door-to-door survey in Bishampton and discovered that people’s main concerns were 1) speeding, 2) dog fouling and 3) the phone mast issue. As a result, there have been speed patrols locally and councillors are monitoring the dog fouling situation. Cllrs Beryl Lammas and Jon Morrison represent this parish. Contact the clerk if there are any local issues you feel they could raise.

Litter Picking
The Parish Council is once again applying for a grant to undertake a local litter clean of the hedgerows and village streets. This raised about £500 last year and helped keep down local taxes but we do need more volunteers so that there is less distance per person to clean. No date has been set yet but if you feel you could help please contact the clerk (below).

Post Office Closures
The council is keeping a close watch to see if Bishampton is on the list of Post Office branches planned for closure under a reorganisation of the service. About 2,500 will be earmarked for closure in the next few weeks.

Daffodils
The council is grateful to members of the Bishampton Gardening Club for the extra displays of daffodils around the village this year. The council funded the project and the green-fingered villagers took it on with great results.

Next meetings
April saw the last meeting of the current parish council before the elections on May 3rd .
The next council meeting will be the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council, the council’s own AGM, when it elects its chairman and sets out its structure and policy for the year ahead. This is scheduled for Monday, May 14th at 7.30pm, at the Villages Hall and will be followed by the usual monthly meeting.
Before that, however, parishioners can have their say at the Annual Parish Meetings. The Throckmorton meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 8th, at the Parish Room and the Bishampton meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9th, at the Villages Hall (7.30pm). The parish council will give its annual report and village groups will be invited to let the parish know their activities throughout the year. There will also be the opportunity to raise any issues for the council to consider – or ideas to take on board for the benefit of the community in the year ahead. (See notice boards for details nearer the time)

All parish council meetings begin with an open forum session for people to raise issues for consideration by the council. Alternatively, contact parish clerk Carolyn Morris on 01386 554058 - email fimor@aol.com