Campton & Chicksands Parish Council Newsletter April 2020

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY………

Campton & Chicksands Wednesday Parish Council Meeting 7.45pm 1st April (to include Annual Campton Village Hall Parish Meeting)

Friday Coffee & Chat CANCELLED 3rd April (with live music) UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Monday ‘Trugs & Trowels’ CANCELLED 6th April Gardening Club UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Campton Village Hall Wednesday Management Committee To be conducted ‘on-line’ 22nd April AGM Meeting

Sunday Musical Concert CANCELLED 26th April ‘The Arrival of Spring’ UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Welcome to the Campton & Chicksands Newsletter published by the Parish Council www.camptonandchicksands-pc.gov.uk If you have any news or views you wish to share please contact the Editor, Angela Baker – details on back page

‘TRUGS & TROWELS’ Gardening Club It is with great regret that due to the unprecedented situation at present around the coronavirus outbreak, our monthly meetings are now CANCELLED until further notice.

I would like to thank everyone for their understanding during this difficult time and hope you all stay well and virus free!

Could I also ask if you could kindly pass this message on to anyone who would normally attend the Gardening Club, but doesn’t receive this Newsletter - Thank You For more information, please contact… Maryika 01462 851729

Campton Village Hall Our next meeting will be our AGM on Wednesday, 22nd April, but due to the exceptional circumstances surrounding the coronavirus outbreak, it has been decided by the Committee not to hold this meeting face to face, but instead it will be carried out ‘on-line’. This meeting involves reporting working activities over the past year and the re-election of a new Management Committee to serve for the coming year. Usually the doors are open to the public to attend, providing the ideal time for much needed new members to join the committee to help play a part in keeping your Village Hall alive. If anyone was intending to come along to the AGM for any reason, please feel free to contact the Committee via the mobile number or email below. REGRETTABLY, BUT ACTING ON THE LATEST ADVICE FROM THE COMMUNITY BUILDINGS ADVISOR FOR , THE CVHMC TOOK THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE HALL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON FRIDAY 20TH MARCH 2020 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE; THE EXCEPTION WILL BE PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS AND MEETINGS DEALING WITH ISSUES ARISING FROM THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK.

For more information regarding the Hall please call 07950 458940 or email: [email protected]

MARCH WINNERS: 1st (£35) No. 28 M. Burnside 2nd (£20) No. 44 D. Maggs 3rd (£15) No. 25 L. Savoury

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PLEASE NOTE………

It has been decided to suspend Wanderbus services until the end of April 2020, at which time the situation will be reviewed.

-3- Campton & Chicksands Parish Council

The Parish Council held their most recent meeting on 4th March 2020. Also present at the meeting was CBC Ward Councillor Tony Brown.

Cllr Brown reported that the Local Plan is progressing, with an anticipated decision late this year. Luton Council have instigated a review into the legality of CBC making the decision to go ahead with the M1-A6 link road. This legal challenge will add some six weeks to the process.

Due to the planned housing growth in by 2023, 4 additional CBC Ward councillors will be required; this is based on the requirement for one councillor per 3,600 voting residents. After attending 3 meetings to discuss this Cllr Brown reported that he had been unable to convince CBC that Campton and Chicksands should stay in the Shefford Ward. Whilst the Boundary Commission will make the final decision CBC have proposed that Campton & Chicksands will fall into a ward alongside Haynes, and .

The planned resurfacing of Greenway is still in the CBC programme for the next financial year. Preparatory patching has now been completed.

A follow up P3 (People, Projects & Partnership) meeting had been arranged with Steve Halton CBC Senior Countryside Officer and Christopher Dorow, CBC Rights of Way Officer also attending, to talk to interested volunteers. However, the escalating situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak has resulted in the cancellation of this meeting.

Works have now been completed in the Recreation Ground trimming back the hedges at the entrance and fixing the perimeter fence. The play area has also recently been professionally inspected.

Groundworks have continued at the Cemetery and both Francesca (Clerk to Shefford Town Council) and I have received some very positive feedback. We have applied for a Ward Councillors grant as a contribution towards a new notice board and bin, so hopefully they will be replaced in the coming weeks.

Grant Palmer who run the local No. 200 bus service have issued an updated timetable which I have displayed on the Village Hall & Chicksands notice boards. This new timetable applies from 30th March. Please note that services may now have been changed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Please check the Grant Palmer website before travelling.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will include the Annual Parish Meeting, the Councillors will provide updates on the work of the Parish Council and changes that

-4- have been made over the last year. It will take place on Wednesday 1st April at 7.45pm in Campton Village Hall. As this newsletter goes to print, we still expect that this statutory meeting will go ahead.

In recent days the Parish Council have been considering how best to support the community during the virus pandemic. Please see the back page of this newsletter for further details. Take care and stay safe. Clerk to the Parish Council - Tammy Medley Email: [email protected] Tel: 01908 505558 / 07955 521174

Campton & Chicksands Neighbourhood Plan Report

The draft Campton and Chicksands Neighbourhood Plan (NP) is now ready for the next stage of consultation, called Regulation 14 and the NP Steering Group expected to run this important consultation throughout April and closing in mid-May.

However, this consultation can only be successful if it offers equal opportunities for everyone to read, query and comment on the plan.... we now think that with the growing public uncertainty and concern given the expectation of escalating infections and restrictions associated with the coronavirus outbreak, this would be difficult to achieve.

As a result, the NP Steering Group have decided to delay any announcement of the start of this period of consultation, initially for a month, but potentially for longer depending on national and local policy regarding management of this outbreak.

Please be assured that the Steering Group will move forward with this consultation as soon as it is sensible and appropriate. In the meantime, we wish everyone well through this difficult time.

Updates will continue to be published in the Parish Council Newsletter and on the Parish Council Website. News from the Tower At the moment there are major concerns relating to the public health crisis and coronavirus in particular. Therefore, there will be no ringing at Campton for Sunday morning services or on Tuesday nights until further notice.

Come and join us If you fancy trying an activity that involves both physical activity and mental stimulation for all ages, come along to All Saints, Campton on a Tuesday evening 7.30-9pm to check it out, or call me (John Loveless 07803 206161) to find out more. Ringing is a very sociable hobby and Campton is THE place to learn to ring in this area. Look forward to seeing you. -5-

CANCELLED

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

THIS NEWSLETTER NEEDS A NEW EDITOR

COULD THIS BE YOU?

Regrettably I will be stepping down as Editor of the Campton & Chicksands Newsletter later this year; the August/September issue will be my last one.

If you think this is something you would like to take on, then please contact me to find out more. (Angela Baker – email: [email protected])

-6- Covid-19 Support from the Church of Events are moving quickly and it is important that we keep closely in touch with one another as we respond to them. We are hugely grateful for all that you are already doing in the village and we are working with the parish council to try to coordinate a response to enable our parishioners to be as safe as possible. Our church services and events have had to be cancelled until further notice and we are guided and updated by our Bishop in line with the Church of England guidance. However, Campton Church will be open daily for private prayer between 10.30-4.30pm daily. If anyone wishes to have a quiet time, for private prayer, please observe the 2m distance advice.

Please contact us if you have any specific query and we will do our best to help and support.

The Bishop of St Albans and his team have produced a sheet 'Five actions we can all take to continue Living God's Love during the COVID-19 outbreak' which we feel may support you.

Audrey Brand and Beth Sullivan Ash (Church Wardens)

Five actions we can all take to continue Living God's Love during the COVID-19 outbreak. With so much doom and gloom in the media, we need to think about the things we can do: 1. Be creative: Although we have had to suspend public worship for a time, we can still find new ways to pray, to worship and to serve with ‘generosity and joy, imagination and courage’. It’s great to hear how many people have already taken initiatives. 2. Pray: Across our diocese, we can pray for our families, our neighbours, our local health workers and for all those charged with making difficult decisions at this challenging time. The Lord’s Prayer asks God to meet our daily needs and to protect us from evil. Why not pray it every time we wash our hands? 3. Keep your churches unlocked and provide prayer materials: Even if it is for a limited period each day, advertise that the church is open and encourage people to come and pray. Provide prayer materials that people can use and then take away with them. 4. Clergy, Readers and Lay Leaders of Worship can still be in church at the usual time each Sunday so that the worship of God doesn’t stop: Each Sunday, though we are apart, everyone is encouraged to set aside the time they would usually be in church to join together to pray. We are asking clergy, Readers and Lay Leaders of Worship to lead worship in churches, even though it’s not possible for others physically to be there. Churches are working on ways to enable those at home to join in local worship, including streaming via Facebook and other internet platforms. Service sheets are being put online so everyone can be included. This coming Sunday, churches of all denominations across the country will be joining remotely in a National Day of Prayer and Action. Everyone is encouraged to light a candle and place it in the front window of their house at 7.00pm this and every Sunday. 5. Love your neighbour as yourself: We are humbled by the extraordinary response of so many people and churches to love their neighbours at this time. Church members, along with people across the community, are contacting the isolated, picking up shopping and calming fears. Please tell us what you are doing so that we can share the stories and learn from each other. Send them to Arun Kataria, our Director of Communications: [email protected] We remain ready to help with advice or support as and when needed. Don’t hesitate to get in touch. Bishops Alan, Richard and Michael, Dean Jeffrey, Archdeacons Janet, Dave and Jane and Canon Susan Pope -7- Your Parish and Coronavirus

It has been heartening to see the numerous offers for help from neighbour to neighbour as we enter the next phase of managing the spread of Coronavirus. Inevitably there will be those who find themselves isolated despite local networks. For this reason a group of parishioners, based largely on the recently dormant Good Neighbour Group, have volunteered to form a support backstop. Our heartfelt thanks go out to them for this public-spirited action.

SHOULD YOU BECOME ISOLATED AND NEED HELP OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND DO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF SOMEONE YOU KNOW, PLEASE PHONE EITHER: -

07488 543946 OR 07782 809633

Your need will be passed to the group, which will work out the best way of helping you. You should never hand over money, credit or debit cards or bank details. We should be extra vigilant at this time of those who wish to take advantage of the vulnerable, and if you suspect someone is trying to do so you should immediately phone the police.

The Parish Council

Items for the next Newsletter must be submitted to the Editor, Angela Baker no later than 15th April 2020 Email: [email protected] Tel: 01462 851733