Free to the residents of Snitterfield ISSUE 39 SUMMER 2015 Pulling together at the village fete: Full story page 4 his election campaign (also a Liberal MP, for Bury). Mark (who held the A brief history of purse strings of the family) objected to this relationship, as he thought him rather pompous with few prospects. Little did he know that George was to village benefactors inherit enormous wealth and estates in Northumberland. They, however, enjoyed ‘If you don’t know history, then you interests into other areas including a loving marriage and had a family of don’t know anything. You are a leaf Warwickshire. Both men in their time three sons, Charles, Robert and George). that doesn’t know it is part of a tree’ worked tirelessly with philanthropic Thus, the families Philips and Trevelyan Michael Crichton deeds in our village; buying and were united. improving village properties, providing Members of Garden Club [see Over the land and building the school as well as Mark Philips on his death bequeathed Garden Wall page 7] were enjoying a building their own estates (Park House, a great portion of his wealth and the social evening at The Hill Cottage on and Welcombe Lodge) as featured in King’s Lane and could not help admiring issue 9 of Snipe. Both men worked the evening sun shining on the obelisk, a tirelessly with focal point on the Welcombe Hills. Mark lived at Park House, moving later to Welcombe when the house philanthropic deeds It is prominent for miles around and was rebuilt. Mark never married but for the residents of King’s Lane is an Caroline his niece, (daughter of Robert Welcombe estate to his brother Robert amazing feature. It was raised in 1876 Needham Philips) often stayed at Park Needham Philips. On his death in 1890 by Robert Needham Philips in honour House. Caroline married George Otto Welcombe was left to Caroline. Mark of his brother Mark Philips and also his Trevelyan in 1869. He was a Liberal had built several houses in Snitterfield, father Robert, wealthy industrialists from MP, and Caroline fell in love with him Manchester who expanded their business while George was helping her father in Continued on page 3 News from your News from your District Councillor County Councillor A new budget was presented by the It seems like a long time ago now but in May Chancellor in July and it had much lower we experienced one of the biggest elections public sector savings targets than had been in recent memory with all seats at national, expected. However, the County still has to district and parish councils up for grabs. deliver 60 per cent of the 2014-2018 target of £92 million in Even the polls couldn’t predict the outcome the next two years. A major impact on costs will be the new and I think it came as a welcome surprise to the Conservative living wage requirement. Although the Council has few staff Party, who managed to take full control at national level by on the current minimum wage, suppliers, particularly in social gaining 24 seats and similarly locally taking 31 of the 36 seats care provision, will see a significant increase in costs and these available. It was a resounding majority that demonstrates will need to be covered by the Council if a reasonable standard a real confidence in the party. With that comes great of care is to be provided and bankruptcies be avoided. responsibility and already locally we are taking steps to ensure the district is developed in the right way for its residents. Another item is the Regionalism agenda and the idea of Combined Authorities (CA). As things stand, councils can Core Strategy combine but only bring those powers they currently enjoy to The biggest and most important document being developed at the table. The Government then seems to offer more powers the moment is the Core Strategy which sets out policies and but not in any consistent way judging by the combinations plans for development in the district between now and 2031. that have been announced so far. There is a lot of public In January this year the full document was presented to a pressure from Coventry for Warwickshire to join the Greater planning inspector who, after a month of public examination, Birmingham CA, but it is not clear that Warwickshire would presented a report to us in March with further work to do. gain anything. It is possible for a District Council to join Birmingham in its own right but it could only surrender That work has now largely been undertaken and implemented things like town and county planning and environmental and at our most recent full council meeting on 22 June we health. Stratford DC joining Birmingham would not mean that collectively voted on and approved the interim adoption of the Warwickshire gives up its duties for education, highways, majority of our Core Strategy which included amendments trading standards and fire and rescue for the Stratford area to suggested by the planning inspector. Birmingham, but Stratford could surrender its planning duties to the combined authority. Although the Birmingham CA Having now adopted these policies they do hold weight in our group has issued a prospectus it only covers governance and decision making process and it now leaves just the housing does not say what the CA would actually do. It is likely that supply numbers open for debate, including the strategic sites Warwickshire will have to hold a special Council meeting in which will likely consist of GLH and Long Marston Airfield. August to approve a response to the Birmingham consultation. We anticipate these to be voted on and approved at the July council meeting allowing a second round of consultation Other combinations involving Warwickshire other than with through August and September before the final document Birmingham that could occur are the County and the Districts is submitted to the inspector in October. These are all very in Warwickshire merging and forming a unitary: the Districts positive steps and we hope to have the plan fully adopted early staying independent and Warwickshire joining with adjacent next year. Counties or combinations of either. One issue would appear to be the requirement for a directly elected regional leader rather Between now and then, if you have any questions or concerns than a constituency-based model as we are used to in the UK. on development that may affect you in the ward, please do not It is reasonable for an urban area like Greater Birmingham hesitate to contact me. I am happy to help. to have an elected mayor, but for larger areas such as combinations of counties this might not be appropriate. Peter Richards [email protected] John Horner Mobile: 07912 410375 [email protected], Tel: 01926 842068 A brief history, continued from page 2 Trevelyan, attended by villagers and dignitaries, who were entertained with including the property now known as The the production of ‘The Butterfly Queen’, Gables on Smith’s Lane, and one of her performed by school children. first benevolent deeds was to turn it into an Institute for the use of the people in The Village Hall has served us well, Snitterfield, to be used as a News and situated in the hub of the village. It has Reading Room, Library, Billiards Room staged cinema shows from early days to and a larger room for whist drives, this present day. During the War, Home concerts, chess and even a non-alcoholic Guards practised their drill and made bar. camouflage nets suspended from the beams. The WI made jam and had first The Trevelyans were very generous aid lectures. It was an emergency rest patrons, giving land for the cemetery, centre, with a cooking trench built on the war memorial and Wesleyan church. the waste ground and was also used as Lady Caroline took a great deal of a refuge centre for homeless refugees interest in the school, buying books from Birmingham. and awarding scholarships to pupils. She died in January 1928 followed by Over the years it has been the Sir George in the following August. Sir venue for Coronation parties, Royal George bequeathed to his eldest son Weddings, Jubilee parties, Harvest Robert the village of Snitterfield. suppers, Christmas concerts, the Poppy Parties, not counting family events Robert offered the Institute to the Parish and numerous village clubs. It is a real Council but it was decided that, as a village hall and if walls could talk would village hall was needed, they could not tell of many memories which would fill a warrant the expense of the upkeep. So book. it was sold, with the furniture, and from Margaret Tweed the proceeds £500 was given to the building funds of the Village Hall with Related articles on the village proviso of £50 to be ‘devoted to the website: Snipe issue 11 Love beyond provision of a bowling green and tennis the tomb; Snipe issue 12 Grave matters; court’. On 21 January 1932, the Village Snipe issue 14 Potted history of The Hall was formally opened by Mrs Robert Gables. The Philips memorial on Then and now at the Village Hall: Coronation celebrations in 1937; the Welcombe Hills royal wedding festivities in the same spot in 2011. • The room at the rear of the hall is no longer fit for Updating the Village Hall purpose and needs to be knocked down and rebuilt. The Management Committee are keen to bring the building In 1931 the Parish Council was gifted the money to purchase up to date and are suggesting that a new toilet block be built the plot of land, on which the hall now stands, and to build a on the site of the existing chair store.