ETTINGTON VILLAGE NEWS with Fulready OCTOBER 2019 There are various ways to keep up-to-date on community events. You can visit the village website (ettington.org), where you can view current and back issues of the newsletter, as well as keep updated on parish matters generally. You can ‘Like’ us on Facebook (Ettington & Fulready Village Newsletter) where each issue and regular updates are posted. You can email [email protected] and request to receive issues automatically (note – this is not the email to use for items for inclusion in the newsletter or general enquiries). For Ettington Community Centre bookings & enquiries, contact Eva Lowe on 07975 682775 or email [email protected]. The management committee meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm in the Community Centre lounge. www.ettingtoncommunitycentre.co.uk BARN STORED LOGS FOR SALE Contact Clive on 07973 850502 This month’s messy church is ‘Messy Thanks’ at 11.15am on Sunday 13th in the church. Come along & try this informal, creative way of doing church. Don’t miss the last chance this year for a delicious village breakfast. Saturday 12th between 8.15-10am in the Community Centre. This time raising funds for school. The next Parish Council meeting will be on Wednesday 9th October at 7.30pm in the Community Centre Lounge Deadline for items for inclusion in the NOVEMBER issue: WEDNESDAY 16TH OCTOBER Contact Editor, Jane Evans on 01789 740446 or [email protected] Newsletter Produced by: Ettington Parochial Church Council Newsletter Printed by: Parish Magazine Printing, 01288 341617 OCTOBER LETTER FROM REVD SHARON GOBLE It took a scarily small amount of effort to gather bags of non-recyclable plastics. Washing and hanging plastic packaging on the line to dry reminding me of the slightly perverse pleasure I used to get from washable nappies flapping. Stuffing the cut up packaging into plastic bottles to the right density to make ecobricks was admittedly much harder work, but there was surprising stress relief from ramming rubbish down with the end of a wooden spoon! That and the happy company of others doing the same, whether those I first made them alongside in Newbold and Tredington school, or together at the holiday clubs in the summer, made it all a fun venture. Now glued together, the ecobricks make a thought-provoking coffee table from what might have otherwise ended up in landfill. Come and take a look at it in Ettington church foyer. These efforts are just one of the projects that show how Stourdene Benefice churches are engaging with the vision of A Rocha (see ecochurch.arocha.org.uk) which is a Christian charity working for the protection and restoration of the natural world. Ecochurch is one of A Rocha’s projects which invites churches to survey how they care for creation as an integral part of loving their neighbours and following God faithfully. Congratulations to Newbold and Alderminster, who have both achieved bronze status as Ecochurches already! At harvest time we come with thankful hearts to gather and give thanks to God for all his goodness which we share and appreciate in this planet we are called to cherish. All our churches invite you to join to celebrate harvest time together with worship and food – see our service details posted on www.stourdene.org and by signing up to our Grapevine newsletter or elsewhere in this village newsletter. Visit our bug hotels in Ettington and Newbold churchyards and see how people’s ideas are already being creatively explored to encourage subtle and quiet engagement with the natural world in these special reflective spaces. Get involved with us and help us discern how we can better care for the natural world, make wise choices in our own lives, our shared lives and in our churches that respect, protect and celebrate creation. Happy Harvest! Reverend Sharon Goble, Rector of Stourdene Benefice, including the parishes of Ettington, Alderminster, Butlers Marston, Halford, Newbold-on-Stour and Pillertons. Tel: 01608 682282 Mobile: 07799 220407 Email: [email protected] For enquiries regarding weddings, funerals and baptisms please contact the Rector, Revd Sharon Goble on telephone 01608 682282 or email [email protected] It would be appreciated if you could try to avoid contacting Sharon on Saturdays. If you know anyone who is housebound, permanently or temporarily because of illness, and would like Holy Communion taking to them, please let Sharon know. For any enquiries relating to Ettington Church, contact the Churchwarden, Mr Andrew Harvey, on telephone 01789 740840. Parish Council News There were 4 Councillors, the District Councillor, the Clerk, the Community Centre Secretary and some 15 members of the public in attendance at the September meeting. The burning issues which attracted the majority were the proposed Skatepark and the District Council’s “site allocation plan” for extra housing should it be needed over and above the 15,000 already identified in its Core Strategy. The principal concern regarding the skatepark was the potential noise disturbance to the nearest residents and the Council was asked to explain why a noise survey/report had not been commissioned prior to submission of the planning application. The Youth Project Team advised that a report relating to a similar project at Cherry Hinton submitted to them by the providers gave sufficient assurances in relation to ambient noise for them to consider such a survey unnecessary, and that in any case the Planning Office will insist on this course of action if they, via the Environmental Health Department, also have such misgivings. Councillors refuted the contention that the facility would have only 3 or 4 users and advised that the surfaces, whilst not totally graffiti-proof, could relatively easily be cleaned and maintained. There is widespread alarm at the prospect of a further 75 houses being imposed on the village during the lifespan of the current District Council Core Strategy 2011-2031 as suggested by its recently broadcast “site allocation plan” (SAP). The Parish Council pledged to object to the inclusion of Ettington in the list of potential sites on the grounds that it already has a ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plan with a ‘strategic reserve site’ and so this would be contrary to SAP criteria and the Core Strategy. Reasons for objection to the individual sites will also be stated even though strictly speaking they should not be necessary. It was resolved that the Clerk would convey the text of the Parish Council’s objection to a worthy band of villagers who would canvas as many residents as possible to sign their names to a collective individuals’ representation conveying the strength of feeling around the village. On planning matters, the parish council resolved to follow up its original objection to the various revisions to the application previously granted for the development off Banbury accessed via a demolished No 81 on the grounds that the revisions do not address the issues raised. Obstructive vegetation on public footpaths featured again in the Open Forum and the meeting resolved that henceforth Cllrs Collins and Henry will monitor and speak to residents if applicable or report to the Clerk for onward transmission where a local agency is at fault. The Hockley Lane/Hillman Way path was mentioned in particular. The meeting deferred discussion on the ‘earmarked financial reserves account’ and a forward plan for commitments until October when the July request for more toddler play facilities will be considered. The Parish Council approved the engagement of contractors to refurbish and smarten the old play equipment, and also a firm to carry out the recommendations of the recent tree survey. Parishioners are reminded that if they observe blatant speeding infringements or excessively noisy vehicles 101 is the number to call for the incident to be logged. NEXT MEETING WEDNESDAY 9TH OCTOBER AT 7.30PM IN COMMUNITY CENTRE LOUNGE Community Centre News THERE WAS A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING The team consigned the relaxation of a meeting free August to the mists of memory and assembled on 2nd September to help guide the village’s most valuable asset forwards. The quest for a new cleaner had been successful and Lauren Brown is now in post. Regular readers of this journal and the community Facebook page will be aware that Argos personnel will, by the time of publication, have redecorated large parts of the centre. All hail to Caffeine and Machine who made a sizeable donation towards the materials costs, the stalwarts who carried out the preparatory works, the pledgers of cakes for refreshments, and Steve and Tony for masterminding the whole operation. The meeting received a second helping of its governance manual on the subject of health and safety and risk assessments, kindly compiled and presented by Sarah. This was duly adopted and a programme of checks will be set in place. This prompted a discussion about the stairs leading to the upper floor and concerns surrounding their safety and fitness for purpose. It was decided that they should be replaced and that a case (see below) should be made to the Parish Council for funding assistance. An application from a puppy trainer for hiring the main hall was considered but in the light of experience, the management committee resolved that the presence of animals (except those accompanying people with sight or hearing impediments) on the premises is inappropriate. Signage to this effect will be acquired. SHALL WE OR SHAN’T WE? The issue of whether the hitherto unused (except for equipment access and storage) upper floor of the centre should be developed and brought into use, and for what purpose, has been exercising the management committee for some years now.