W&LPC Newsletter June 2008
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Keeping YOU Informed Welshampton and Lyneal Parish Council’s Local Newsletter Issue 1 - June 2008 Welcome…. to the first issue of “Keeping YOU Informed”, the newsletter from the Parish Council for the people of Colemere, Lyneal and Welshampton. One of the key points for action to arise from the Parish Plan was the requirement to provide for improved communication between the Council and the residents, and this newsletter is one of the ways we can achieve this objective. For this year we will publish three issues of “Keeping YOU Informed”, to be distributed in June, October and February, and we will review its success before deciding for future years. This first issue is double sized to enable you to be brought up to date with recent events and changes, what is happening in the Parish, and some useful contact details. Thereafter much of the content will be based on reports of progress on the Parish Plan action list. We are sure that residents will have suggestions for future editions of our newsletter, and we would like to hear them. Please pass these comments to the Parish Clerk or to any Councillor. I do hope you enjoy this newsletter and as a result of reading it, feel that you are being better informed about Parish Council matters. Chris Symes Chair of Welshampton and Lyneal Parish Council Annual Meeting Council Tax At the Annual Meeting of the Council on 1 May, You may have noticed that this year the Parish the Chair, Bob Daniels, stood down from that Council’s element of your Council Tax increased. position but remains a Councillor. “Bob has been a Chris Symes explains; “Residents have recently Councillor for ten years and Chair for four of them, received their council tax information and demands, but has decided that the day has come to hand over and will have noticed that the Parish Council Precept the Chair. On behalf of the other Councillors, and has increased by more than inflation, and therefore also, I am sure, on behalf of the residents of the need an explanation. Conscious of increased Parish, I would like to put on record our thanks to pressure on household expenditure, the Council’s Bob for his time as Chair. He has carried out the intention when setting the budget for next year was to responsibilities diligently and calmly, and has been a keep the total within inflation. However, one of the driving force for the Council during a period of much main issues to come out of the Parish Plan, and one change. He has always ensured that the Council acts which we can act upon promptly, is the need for for the Parish as a whole. I am delighted that Bob improved communication in the parish through remains a Councillor where all of us can continue to newsletters and the website. It is the additional cost benefit from his wise counsel. Thanks Bob.” said of this communication, in the main the printing and Chris Symes. distribution of newsletters, which has accounted for most of the precept increase. In an average (Band D) Officers for 2008/2009 Council Tax property, the Parish Council Precept Chair: Chris Symes works out at less than 40p per week, an increase of Vice Chair: Caroline Hamilton 7p per week per household over last year.” Planning Committee: Chris Symes, Caroline Hamilton, Margaret Evans, Richard Hall, Lawrence A detailed breakdown of this year’s Budget is Houghton and Sarah Jefferies. later in the newsletter. More Meetings Future Council Meetings It was agreed that progressing the action points Monday 9 June 7.15pm of the Parish Plan was important to all so the Council Wednesday 2 July 7.15pm will now meet monthly instead of bi-monthly. All meetings are held at Welshampton Parish Hall. Confirmed dates will be published on notice boards and the website: www.shrop.net/welshampton. Please do come along! Building Control Parish Plan Progress Report Manager presents to Since the Parish Plan was Informed’ will also satisfy a Council approved by the Council last number points raised from the January work to complete the original questionnaire. For North Shropshire District Council’s action points has been underway. example, what should residents Building Control Manager, Stuart In fact, some issues were do if a pothole appears in their Thomas, was invited to speak to the followed up immediately after the lane? How do you find out about Council at its May meeting. Public Meeting in November night flying of helicopters? 2007. Answers to these issues and Parish Council Involvement The action points actively many others are found in this Stuart explained that the being progressed at the moment newsletter.” District Council handles over 1,400 are: “However, to work correctly planning applications per year and • Better Communications on certain issues we need further that the role of the Parish Council in • Provision of cycle racks at the help and feedback from the planning process is key and he Parish Hall residents. Several comments encourages its involvement. He • Traffic Control were made about the problems also encourages developers to • Environmental Issues with mains water at Hampton contact Parish Councils at a very • Involvement with Local Police Wood. Is this still the case? early stage of any development in Please let us know. Also gully order to sound out local opinion. Pleasing Progress clearance was reported to be Lawrence Houghton was poor. If you live in an area which Village Design Statements on the Parish Plan steering is affected by this matter, again, Nowadays, the existing committee and, now as a Parish please contact us. We can then character and style of a village is a Councillor, is pleased to see what compile a report and liaise with key area when considering the progress has been made; “Not the Highways Department.” technical design of applications only has the Council started on “In the newsletter there are and Stuart confirmed that the several main projects, it hopes progress reports of specific Welshampton Village Design that the information contained in points and I’m sure, together, we Statement and views included in this first issue of ‘Keeping YOU can achieve all that was hoped.” the Parish Plan are referred to by Planning Officers. It is interesting to know that there are qualified The Parish Council’s Annual Budget architects working as Planning Officers within the Department and Each year at the January Budget Monitoring and Control their knowledge and experience is meeting the Parish Council sets At every Council meeting shared between Officers. its Annual Budget and Precept the Budget is monitored and (the amount raised through the explanations for any amounts The Decision Process Council Tax). In arriving at the under or over expectation are Stuart advised that every agreed Budget a number of documented. Also, expenditure application has a Planning Officer areas are considered: can only be approved at full allocated to it and that Officer will • the services provided, Council meetings. The Council’s make a personal visit to the • impact of inflation, finances are audited annually property or site to review the • the amount of time required of both internally (an independent details. Details of the application the Clerk to carry out her official nominated by the Council) are sent to close neighbours and duties, and externally (by auditors consultative bodies, like the • the needs within the appointed by the Government’s County’s Highways Department, community which the Council Audit Commission) Drainage Engineers and the Parish can influence. Councils. Nearly 90% of all Capital Reserves applications are decided on by the Budget Summary 2008/2009 You may be wondering why Development Control Department £ and how the Council has capital under the powers delegated to it by Expenditure 11,054 reserves. It is not always possible the District Council. However, if the Less Income 591 to fund large or long term application is complex or the Parish 10,643 projects from income of just one Council object to the application Made up from: year and therefore reserves are then it can be put to the District’s Transfer from Reserves 3,593 built up over time for these Planning Committee. Precept 6,870 projects. It is also considered 10,643 prudent to have contingency Bob Daniels thanked Stuart reserves to meet expenditure for his informative talk. The detailed Budget for caused by new legislation or by 2008/2009 is set out overleaf. emergencies. Local Policing and Partners And Communities Together The purpose of West often complex and require the help for police, partners and Mercia’s Local Policing strategy is of many different people and communities to agree what the local to put communities – their needs, organisations to resolve. Local policing priorities will be over the their issues and their priorities – at Policing Teams work as part of coming weeks and months. Dates, the centre of the local policing broader neighbourhood teams, times and locations of these service. including local councillors, meetings are advertised locally and Our parish is served by 2 neighbourhood managers and can also be found on the relevant Local Teams: Welshampton by housing managers, youth workers Local Policing Team page of the Ellesmere, and Lyneal and and local businesses as well as West Mercia Police website Colemere by Ellesmere Rural. community and voluntary PACT is intended to be The role of a Local Policing organisations. These broader simple, democratic and ongoing. Team is to: teams are known as Partners and Here are some ways how everyone • Understand and be accessible Communities Together (PACT). can get involved: to their local neighbourhood By working together the right PACT Surgeries – surgeries are • Engage communities and solution to a problem is found and when residents can drop in and partners to identify safety ensures action is taken.