Walford Parish Summer Issue 2011 Newsletter N0 2 Your New Council Wye Valley AONB Rights of Way Lengthsman Recreational Field Walford Links Project Village Warden Scheme Coughton Marsh from Howle Hill Broadband Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch Village Halls Parish Churches Planning – The Mill Race Pub Our new Community Officer ‘Know your Parish’ Quiz View up Deep Dean Community First - drivers appeal Website: www.walford-pc.org.uk Parish Clerk: [email protected] Chairman: Frank Myers MBE Front cover photos courtesy1 of Bridget Vine Vice Chairman: Philip Heath Clerk: Catherine Murray Disclaimer: Some of the information contained in this newsletter has been supplied by individual Councillors to give an overview and, therefore, does not necessarily reflect the view of the Parish Council as a whole. An introduction from the Chairman Elections took place in May and I extend a warm welcome to the newly elected Councillors Dave Berry, Cheryl Carpenter, John Daniels, George Jones and Terry Snow. They join Philip Heath, Sandra Cole, Simeon Cole, Eric Drummond, Heather Evans, Luke Freeman, Marc Thomas and myself who were all re-elected. Congratulations go to all of them and thanks in advance for devoting their time to the community in this way. Full details of each of your councillors are given later in this newsletter. Councillor Frank Myers Our appreciation should be placed on public record to those who served on the last council and either retired or were not re-elected. Derek Allen, Michael Downey, Geoffrey Symonds, Bridget Vine and Alan Whitlock all deserve our thanks. Once again Catherine has put in considerable effort to make this newsletter interesting and informative. In it you will find many invitations to become involved, either actively or by sharing your views with us. You elect us to represent your interests, please help us by engaging in dialogue with us as we attempt to shape the future in the interests of all who live in the Parish. Councillor Frank Myers MBE – Chairman Parish of Walford Election – Your New Council The combined Council Elections were held on Thursday 5th May, when the Public voted for their new Parish Councillors and Ward Councillor at Walford Village Hall. Your Ward Councillor and Parish Councillors stood for office in order to represent you and to work on your behalf, for the benefit of the Parish and as such, they are accessible and ready to listen. Please take the opportunity to come to the Parish Council meetings, which are held once a month – usually on the second Wednesday of each month at either Walford or Bishopswood Village Hall. Our new Community Officer is also organising quarterly ‘Meet the Councillors’ sessions; the dates and locations for these will be published in this and subsequent Newsletters. Notices of meetings are always posted on the 8 Parish notice boards 3 clear working days before each meeting and a list of meeting dates, times and locations is included at the end of this newsletter. 2 Meet Your New Council for 2011 - 2015 Walford Parish Council consider it important that you know who your New Councillors are and that you are able to put a name to a face, so here is an introduction to the people who you elected to represent you, please have a look at who won seats in the election and see if you recognise any of these local faces. : *(Some Councillors did not wish to have their photos displayed) CHAIRMAN Frank Myers MBE Kerne Bridge working group & Finance committee Wythall ,Bulls Hill, HR9 5SD T: 01989 562688 Mob: 07785 252273 [email protected] VICE CHAIRMAN Philip Heath Project leader – Walford Links cycleway & footpath project) The Coach House ,Bishopswood , HR9 5QY T: 01594 860935 [email protected] COUNCILLOR Dave Berry Recreational ground working group & Finance committee The Old Soundings Walford HR9 5Qs T: 01989 564005 Mob: 07706 660002 [email protected] COUNCILLOR Cheryl Carpenter HALC Representative, Recreational ground working group - Chair Howle Green Lodge ,Howle Hill, HR9 5SN T: 01989 565000 [email protected] 3 COUNCILLOR Sandra Cole , Orchard House, Coughton , HR9 5SF. T: 01989 567274 COUNCILLOR Simeon Cole * Kerne Bridge working group , Recreational ground working group, Finance committee & emergency co-ordinator Orchard House ,Coughton, HR9 5SF T: 01989 567274 Mob: 07931 161641 COUNCILLOR * John Daniels Kerne Bridge working group Parish Council Community Officer 3 Oxlet Cottages, Bishopswood , HR9 5QX T: 01594 860181 [email protected] COUNCILLOR Eric Drummond Trustee Walford relief in need charity The Homme, Hom Green, HR9 7TF T: 01989 764328 Mob: 07968 514615 [email protected] COUNCILLOR Heather Evans Rights of Way Officer & Finance committee Springfield, Kiln Green, HR9 5RB COUNCILLOR Luke Freeman Lengthsman Co-ordinator, Kerne Bridge working group, Recreational ground working group. La Residencia, Bishopswood, HR9 5QU. T: 01600 891491 (H) T: 01594 542485 (W) [email protected] 4 COUNCILLOR George Jones Recreational ground working group, Forest Green working group. Great Howle Farm, Howle Hill, HR9 5SL. T: 01989 762131 Mob: 07836 243533 COUNCILLOR Terry Snow Finance committee, Recreational ground working group, Walford Village Hall representative The Willows, Walford, HR9 5SA T: 01989 567639 [email protected] COUNCILLOR Marc Thomas Chairman of Finance committee, Kerne Bridge working group Walford Court, Walford, HR9 5QP T: 01989 566234 WARD COUNCILLOR John Jarvis Portland House , Whitchurch, HR9 6DB T: 01600 891133 Mob: 07973 673866 [email protected] CLERK Catherine Murray (Hours available: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm) Rose Cottage, Coughton, HR9 5SF T: 01989 562476 [email protected] Contacting your Councillors The Chairman can be contacted using the information above, as can the Ward Councillor. If you wish to contact any of the other Councillors, please do so via the Clerk in the first instance. The Clerk will then pass your message on to the Councillor in order that they can respond to your query. 5 The Wye Valley AONB AONB Staff and Volunteers dressed for the recent 40th birthday Around 75% of Walford parish lies Georgian event in Ross within the boundary of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The area was designated in 1971 and so this year is the 40th anniversary of its establishment. During this 40th birthday year a special series of 4 free celebration events has been arranged focussing on the themes of hidden industry, viewpoints, river connections and hill 'Lord Nelson and his entourage On the Way to the Wye' forts. Events at Tintern and Symonds Yat took place in April and May and the 3rd event, ‘On the Way to the Wye’, was recently held in Ross, the only town within the WVAONB area. This celebrated the Georgian era during which Ross-on-Wye emerged as the gateway to the Wye Valley and the Wye Tour became an important tourist attraction. Many visitors, including artists, poets and writers, came to the town and surrounding area and the Picturesque movement began. The final event in the series entitled ‘Mediaeval Mayhem’ will be held at Chepstow Castle on 18th September The Wye Valley AONB unit in Monmouth is responsible for the administration of the AONB and it arranges events and walks in the AONB area which are advertised in its ‘Wye So Special’ leaflet and ‘Picturesque’ Newsletter. In addition publications are regularly issued giving information about the attractions and self guided walks within the area. The most recently published, ‘Walk this Wye’, describes a selection of 12 walks accessible by public transport If you’re interested you can volunteer to help the unit with the conservation tasks or events and activities regularly held each year throughout the AONB area Further information about the WVAONB, the events, activities and volunteering can be obtained by contacting the WVAONB Administration Officer on: Tel: 01600 713977 Or on the Website: www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk Bridget Vine – Wye Valley AONB Representative for WPC Woodland Catherine Murray 6 A report from our new Rights of Way officer As the newly appointed Rights of Way Officer for Walford, I would firstly like to thank Mike Downey for his years of hard work on the never ending cycle of maintenance and clearance. I have held this post in the past, and was happy to take up the reins again when Michael stood down, as I have a working knowledge of much of the network within the Parish. However, I have a full time job and have limited time available to check our Rights of Way, especially footpaths on the 'flatlands' and Chase Hill, between our 'southern hills' and the Ross town network. Within Walford we have approximately 25.7 miles of Rights of Way. With such an extensive network I would be very grateful for any help that is on offer.. If you walk or ride in our Parish, & feel that a path or track is becoming overgrown or blocked, PLEASE report it, either directly to me, or through our Parish Clerk. If it is a definitive Right of Way, then it is our duty to keep it open. However, if you are willing, it would be very much appreciated if individuals trim the occasional overhanging bramble, or suchlike, as they pass. It all helps. Presently we have ongoing funding to help with maintenance from Hereford Council, in an agreement called The Parish Paths Partnership. This money is not meant to be used to cut hedges that overhang Rights of Way - this is the landowner's responsibility in most cases, and the co-operation of landowners within the Parish is essential and much appreciated. Hedges grow outwards very quickly! A good proportion of our parish is within the WVAONB, with the Wye Valley Walk route passing through as well.