The answer to this is “Quite a lot”!
For me the nicest part of my work was to see the new children’s play equipment installed in the Recreation Ground.
This came about as a result of the culmination of three years’ of deliberation and financial planning by the Recreation Committee Chairman, Mark Rollé and the Recreation Committee, which has now provided some very well used play equipment for the village children to enjoy.
The open day, combined with NFDC Recreation Roadshow, was well worth all the effort and showed that sometimes simple, uncomplicated events are the most enjoyed—the good weather helped too!
It has been a joy to see the Cemetery flourish in the caring hands of our Cemetery Committee Chairman, Paul Boyes and the Cemetery Committee.
The Parish Council do pay for maintenance work to be undertaken but Paul does such a lot of extra work as well.
The Chapel, too, looks cared for and it is gratifying when people thank us for all the efforts that have been made and the results are there for all to see.
The traffic problems in the village continue but the Parish Council continues to negotiate with the Highways Authority to try to find ways to alleviate both the congestion and pollution issues. Hopefully, you will have noticed that much of the street furniture has received an overhaul.
This will continue next year so that all the public seating and bus shelters are brought back to a good condition.
The bus shelter near the Police Station was demolished in a road traffic accident but is due to be replaced shortly with a wooden shelter that the Parish Council feel will be more in keeping with the area.
District and Parish Councillor Mrs Pat Wyeth has also been instrumental in a spruce up of the village litter bins.
Our Chairman, George Bisson, and I have attended meetings with regard to the New Forest National Park Authority Plan.
This plan has caused a great deal of consternation in the equine and canine worlds but little has been heard about the effect it could have on the four so-called “service villages” of Lyndhurst, Ashurst & Colbury, Sway and Brockenhurst.
To help safeguard the interests of our residents we have met with the Parish Councils of these four villages and sent a joint letter to the NPA.
I am pleased to say that Chairman and Clerks, together with respective District Councillors were invited to attend a meeting at the NPA offices. The meeting was chaired by the NPA Chairman, Clive Chatters, with relevant officers also attending.
We put forward our arguments and concerns and feel that they listened. We now await the outcome.
We have been very fortunate to welcome Ian Clark and Helen Palmer as our two new Councillors. They are settling in well and have so much to offer—and very importantly bringing fresh ideas with them.
I will be writing more in the next issue about the year 2008 and what is in store for 2009.
If you would like to draw my attention to any matter concerning the Parish Council my contact details are as follows:
Margaret Weston,
Clerk to the Council,
Woodlands,
Fritham,
Lyndhurst,
Hampshire
SO43 7HJ
Tel: 023 8081 3218
Email: lyndhurstpc@woodlands.mail1.co.uk.
If the matter is not urgent please try to ring between 8.30 am and 6.30 pm Monday to Friday. Thank you. |
