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BLACK NOTLEY PARISH COUNCIL CHAIRMAN’S REPORT TO THE ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY 22nd APRIL 2008
ADMINISTRATION
The new Council year started with elections in May 2007, when seven councillors were elected to serve the parish. It was agreed at the May meeting to adopt the New Model Code of Conduct and all councillors signed up to this. Two further members were co-opted in June and joined the Council meeting in July.
The Administration and Management of the Council is undertaken by the Clerk Mrs. Helen Waterfield and on behalf of the Parish Council, I would like to give sincere thanks to her. Mrs. Waterfield continues to be a very committed and effective administrator for the Parish Council.
In February 2006, Black Notley Parish Council was awarded Quality Council status, following the Clerk gaining the CiLCA qualification. There are still only 542 Quality Councils in the country out of over 8500 parish councils, so Black Notley has done extremely well to attain the status. The Council strives to maintain the standard and the Clerk and councillors have all attended regular training sessions throughout the year, to ensure that the Council always has up to date information and expertise.
During the year, the Council has made representations on many issues including various district and regional planning matters, Post Office closures and Stansted Generation 2. Among the planning matters, the Council has commented on the Braintree Local Development Framework Core Strategy and Community Strategy, the East of England Plan and the Braintree Green Spaces Strategy.
Black Notley Parish Council continues to be featured on the village website, thanks to Mike Letch. Karen Adams has continued to produce the newsletter this year, which we know is appreciated by parishioners and our thanks go to her for her hard work. The Council is always looking for other options to encourage improved communication with our community and beyond.
The success of the public question time continues, with local residents positively welcomed. Comparatively few people feel the need to attend which suggests that the Council must be getting something right!
Playing Field, Footpaths and Open Spaces The Council’s thanks go to Tom Perkins who keeps the footpaths well cut and maintained to a very high standard. David Game continues to tend the War Memorial green and the play area on the Playing Field and Ken Bateman remains the Council’s litter picker.
Thanks must go to John Woolmore who maintains the playing field to such a high standard, which was again recognised as one of the best in Essex by the Essex Playing Fields Association. He has undertaken a great deal of training this year, following a review of health and safety. The Council thanks John for his commitment to the playing field.
Last year, the Council found out that the parish has a veteran Oak tree, which is approximately 400 years old. The Council has committed to a ten year plan of work for the tree and initial works were carried out during the year.
Last year, the Parish Council was awarded a grant of £2000 towards a new youth shelter. Unfortunately, the council was unable to find the rest of the monies needed and the grant lapsed.
Thanks go to Marian Martin, Jacky Smith and Juliet Walton who are the Playing Field representatives.
Grants
The Council has again provided help to a number of village organisations including the Black Notley Scouts and Guides, Notley Youth Football Club and the John Ray Millennium Green. This is a tradition of which the Council can be proud. In particular it is hoped that the grant to the Black Notley Scouts and Guides will help them their rebuilding project.
Coker’s Close Land
A generous donation from the Essex Environment Trust allowed the Council to make the original purchase of the land behind Coker’s Close. The Council also obtained a grant to help with the first stage of the work, which included clearing and fencing. Braintree District Council has agreed to fund a great deal of the trees to be planted and the Council is currently awaiting the outcome of an application for a grant under the Breathing Spaces scheme. All those who have helped over the last year must be thanked for their input but in particular thanks must go to John Cousins for the tremendous amount of work that he has put into the site and without whom the site would not be in the excellent state that it is today.
Partnerships and Representation
Looking back over the last year, the Parish Council has demonstrated that it continues to be very proactive and forward looking. The Council has particularly petitioned Braintree District Council, Essex County Council and the Local MP about the problems encountered with the development of the golf course on The Green.
Partnership working continues with a number of organisations including the Millennium Green Trust. The Parish Council has also maintained its street cleaning partnership with BDC.
Members of the Parish Council also represent the Parish on many outside bodies at local, district and county level. Marian Martin is the representative on the Village Hall Committee, Karen Adams on the BNCA Committee and John Cousins and Bruce Robertson represent the Council on the John Ray Millennium Green Trust. Peter West and Ann Wood are the representatives at the district cluster meetings and Ann Wood attends the Braintree Association of Local Councils. Ann Wood also represents the parishes of the Braintree District on the Local Government Committee at the Essex Association of Local Councils. Peter West is the Road Safety and Community Safety representative. John Cousins and Ann Wood have also attended the NAP meetings with the police.
Planning
The Parish Council’s Planning Committee are Jacky Smith, Alison Hunt, Bruce Robertson and John Cousins. They visit all properties where planning applications have been made and report their findings to the main council. They also represent the Council at meetings of the Planning Committee at Braintree Council and on appeals. Thanks must go to them for their continued work.
For the Future!
The Parish Council has been working with the neighbouring parishes of Cressing and White Notley & Faulkbourne to purchase a Speed Indicator Device for use in the three parishes. Although this has not happened yet, the Council is hopeful that it will happen during the next year. The Council has also been informed that a Vehicle Activated Speed Sign is to be installed near the Playing Field.
The Parish Council has agreed to fund a manned refuse vehicle for the parish and if a trial later in the year is successful, this may be extended.
After many years and previous false starts, the Parish Plan got underway in November. Thanks go to Karen Adams and Alison Hunt for organising this.
It only remains for me as Chairman to thank my Council colleagues Marian Martin, John Cousins, Jacky Smith, Bruce Robertson, Alison Hunt, Karen Adams, Peter West and Juliet Walton for their work through out the past year.
Ann C. Wood Chairman Black Notley Parish Council
April 2008 |
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