Happy New Year to you all from your Parish Councillors and myself. We look forward to hearing from you in 2011 and perhaps we will be able to welcome you to one of our meetings during the year.
Our December meeting proved to be very well attended both by members of the public and invited guests and thanks to Chairman Mark Rollé we were able to offer seasonal refreshments after the meeting.
Thanks must also go to John and Margaret Charlesworth and Jo Rollé for the preparation work.
This was an excellent opportunity to say "thank you" to the "unsung heroes" who do so much to assist the work of the Parish Council throughout the year.
Now to the future …. The Parish Council financial year does not commence until 1st April 2011 and the process of deciding on the budget for the new financial year commences with the setting of budgets by each Committee, as well as the Clerk putting forward ideas as to how much the anticipated expenditure for administration, etc is likely to cost.
Budgets are then brought before the Finance and General Purposes Committee in November and at that meeting it was decided to hold the budget at the same level as the previous year for the financial year commencing 1st April 2011.
Your Councillors are hopeful that there will be no reduction in the service we offer to our residents, although the grant allocation for the forthcoming year has had to be reduced.
Both allotment and cemetery fees have risen during the current financial year but they still offer very good value for money, especially when compared with some other areas. Without the unstinting efforts of Cemetery Committee Chairman, Paul Boyes, who works so many hours to keep our Cemetery to such a high standard, fees could not be kept as low as they are at the present time.
Thanks must also go to our "allotment boys" who have also done so much voluntary work this year.
Thanks to Hampshire County Council grit bins have now been placed in Church Lane (near the Doctors' Surgery), Knightwood Avenue, The Meadows, Cedar Mount and on the road to Emery Down.
We have asked for further bins to be placed in Beechen Lane, Emery Down and Bank but if you know of anywhere else where a grit bin is necessary please let me know.
Certain criteria has to be met such as the area must be on a steep slope or hill and must not be on a major road route that would be gritted in inclement weather.
We have also been allocated four snow spades so I will be collecting them later this month.
If anyone notices that a grit bin has become empty can you please let me know so that I can arrange for it to be replenished.
Please also be aware that the grit is only for use on the highway. It should not be taken for use on private driveways and Hampshire County Council have warned that if this is seen to take place they will remove the bin permanently.
I apologise if I seem to have devoted a lot of space to this subject but with the bad weather in December I seem to have been living and breathing grit bins.
Hopefully, if the weather is milder in January I can return to normal! However, before doing so I would like to say a word or two about the refuse collection service during the bad weather.
Over the Christmas holidays I spoke to several people from different parts of the country, many of whom had not had a collection for four weeks and none of whom seemed to have such a good service as ours.
So thank you NFDC.
At our December meeting District and Parish Councillor Pat Wyeth reported that the conditions for development at Stag Yard had now been met and it is hoped to see some movement regarding building work by the Spring.
A planning application had been lodged with NF NPA for the former Hill House Nursing Home.
The NF NPA Core Strategy has now been adopted and planning/training events are to take place shortly.
The Parish Council has been invited to send three representatives.
George Bisson reported, at the December meeting, that the Lights Committee had again put on an exceptionally good display of Christmas lights this year.
It was noted that the Chamber of Trade had organised the fundraising and the Lights Committee had erected the actual Christmas lighting display.
Councillors thoroughly agreed with Councillor Bisson's remarks and I am sure residents and visitors to our village are all very appreciative of the Christmas lights display, which is envied by many larger towns and villages.
Councillor Angela Trend has reported that the Parish Plan Health Check is under way and this item will be added to the January Parish Council Agenda.
Grant applications were discussed at the December meeting and it was resolved to give grants to 1st New Forest North Lyndhurst Scout Group (£2,000) and Lyndhurst Youth and Community Club (£1,000).
This means that £5,000 has now been allocated in the current financial year and sees the end of grant allocations until April 2011 when a much smaller amount will be available.
The Parish Council meet again on Tuesday, 11 January at 7.15 pm in Lyndhurst Community Centre. Members of the public are very welcome to attend and there is an opportunity to raise matters during public participation.
I will end Clerk's Corner on a high note because I am able to report that two of our Councillors have had new arrivals to their families in the last few weeks.
Councillor Helen Klaassen and husband Chris had a baby girl and Councillor Mark Böckle and wife Emma welcomed a son to their family.
Margaret Weston,
Clerk to the Council,
Woodlands,
Fritham,
Lyndhurst,
Hampshire
SO43 7HJ
Tel: 023 8081 3218
Email: lyndhurstpc@woodlands.mail1.co.uk.
Please note that it would be appreciated if telephone calls could be kept to office hours as much as possible. |
