June 2016 Hartford News Volume 43 Number 8 Official Newsletter of Hartford Parish Council since 1973 Yes: 1,436 votes You say yes! No: Hartford voters adopt Neighbourhood Plan 87 votes Rita Hollens favour is outstanding. To achieve a Chair of Hartford Neighbourhood turnout of 34% in a poll on a local Turnout: Plan Working Group issue is also very pleasing. It is a tangible demonstration of the fact 34.4% FTER A LONG JOURNEY, that many residents care greatly we finally achieved a 94% about the future of Hartford. YES vote for the Hartford It all started in 2011, following the Neighbourhood Plan in introduction of the Government’s May. The outcome of the Localism Act, which set out to give Areferendum could hardly have been communities the opportunity to have more conclusive. Even by the a say in how they wanted their village standards of such referenda else- to develop in the future. where in England, a 94% vote in Things changed for (to page three) Thorn Wood page 2 Twinning Pioneer page 3 Queen’s 90th birthday party page 5 Hartford Bridge (the “Blue Bridge”) pictured in October 2015 Hartford News P age 2 Parish Clerk: Jo O’Donoghue 01606 41862; [email protected] hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk In Memoriam and Weaverham Parish Councils and Creating a new orchard at Thorn Wood Co-operative Funeralcare, for their donations. We particularly wish to Tina Johnson plant pocket orchards of Wareham thank the many individuals who have Chairman, WCMO Russet apple trees locally in case sponsored trees and given up their disease should strike the orchard. We valuable time to work in the orchard. he Woodland Trust has granted are very grateful to CWaC councillors If you wish to sponsor a tree, make a us the lease of almost an acre of Charles Fifield, Paul Williams, Harry donation – however small – or T land in Thorn Wood in which to Tonge, Susan Kaur and Patricia Parkes, volunteer in any way, please contact us. create Weaverham Community who awarded us part of their local We would like to be able to plant more Memorial Orchard, in memory of all grant, and also to Saltscape, Hartford trees and purchase picnic tables, a those who fought in two World Wars notice board and an interpretation and in more recent conflicts. We aim to board. commemorate the centenary of the We will be holding a service of First World War and to save a local dedication and remembrance at the apple tree, the Wareham Russet, from orchard on Monday 12 September at the brink of extinction. We will also 2:00 pm. We would like as many plant other Cheshire heritage fruit trees villagers as possible, from Hartford and including the Hazel Pear, associated Weaverham, to come along. The with Acton Bridge, which, like some Memorial Orchard is in Thorn Wood, on other pear varieties, was used to dye Northwich Road between Hartford and uniforms khaki in the First World War. Weaverham. We wish to provide an amenity for The Weaverham Community Hartford, Weaverham and Memorial Orchard is a registered neighbouring communities. We will charity. This is YOUR orchard, which facilitate educational visits and we hope you will enjoy! organise social events such as Apple orchard.weaverham.org.uk; Days and wassailing. We also wish to [email protected]. Tree planting at the new orchard Volunteers at Weaverham Community Memorial Orchard. You too could get involved – contact details appear above Official newsletter of Hartford Parish Council facebook.com/hartfordnews twitter.com/Hartford_News [email protected] Page 3 Neighbourhood Plan Referendum (from page one) Hartford during December 2012, with granting of planning permission for large devel- opments at Grange Farm and Hollies Farm. However, the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group re-grouped and went ahead with a new approach, endeavouring to protect the green areas that surround the village and support sustainable development within the settlement boundary. Whilst housing development is essential in any Neighbourhood Plan, there is a lot more to the document, including the promotion of economic growth and social activities, and protection of the environment. The Neighbourhood Plan had to The hanging on the be compatible with Cheshire West east wall of Hartford Methodist Church and Chester Council’s Local Plan, and meet the requirements of the Nat- scheme’s biennial visits, she always ional Planning Policy Framework. It Tribute to Gwen retained a keen interest. She made is now a statutory document in many friends in Mornant, who kept in planning law, which must be Knight, Mornant touch with her for the rest of her life. considered in all planning proposals. She was Chair of Hartford Parish As Chair of the Working Group, I Twinning Pioneer Council in 1985, when the initial sincerely thank those members of approaches were made for the two Hartford Parish Council and Hartford Ann Loader communities to twin. She welcomed the first delegation from Mornant to wall-hanging, depicting aspects visit the village in July 1986. In October of an English country garden, of that year she was given the freedom A stitched by talented French of Mornant, and was made an honorary needlewomen in Hartford’s twin town citizen when she visited the town for of Mornant, now hangs in the Methodist the first time. Church in memory of former parish In 1987, Gwen and the Mayor of councillor, twinning pioneer and Mornant, Paul Delorme, took the church stalwart, Mrs Gwen Knight. twinning oath and signed the charter of Gwen died in early May 2015 and friendship. Earlier they had positioned almost exactly a year later, on Sunday, the twinning sign on School Lane. 1 May, the hanging was dedicated by Gwen was also a founder member of Reverend Chris Pritchard during a the Mornant-Kignan Link Group, which communion service at the church – arose out of the twinning. The group – some 29 years after Gwen personally regarded as an unofficial “triplet” sealed the twinning agreement project – was a registered charity between the two communities. through which people in Hartford and The beautifully crafted hanging, Mornant worked to help the village of created using various colourful media, Kignan in Mali, West Africa. predominantly embroidery, was The exquisite needlework in the Civic Society, and members of the presented as Mornant’s official gift to Methodist Church will now be a public public, who assisted with specialist Hartford, when 25 people from this tribute to Gwen’s dedication to the link skills in the research for, and form- area visited last summer to participate between Hartford and Mornant It will ation of, our Neighbourhood Plan. in an “English Week”. serve as a reminder of what Gwen Special thanks go to our Parish Gwen was always known called “a power for good” and “a deep Clerk, Jo O’Donoghue. When, at the affectionately to the Mornantais as “La and friendly understanding which end of the process, it was down to mère du jumelage” – “The mother of the unites our two communities”. specifics, Jo and I spent many hours twinning”. Long after ill-health forced Information about the twinning: at my kitchen table to ensure that the her to stop travelling to France, and [email protected] Neighbourhood Plan met all its legal curtailedher participation in the 01606 75847 requirements. Hartford News P age 4 Parish Clerk: Jo O’Donoghue 01606 41862; [email protected] hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk Hartford Parish Council Reports of m eetings held on Monday 9 May 2016 Annual Parish Meeting Presentations were given by Hartford Tennis Club, Hartford Village Hall Management The smartly appointed meeting room These are an Committee, Hartford Civic Society, Northwich at Hartford Village Hall abridged versions Neighbourhood Policing Unit and Cheshire West of the minutes of and Chester Councillors. Councillor Herbert the Annual Parish (outgoing Chairman) presented his Annual Hartford Village Hall Meeting and the Report and Jo O’Donoghue (Clerk) provided a Annual Parish financial report. Hartford Village Hall Meeting Room: Council Meeting. Maximize your meetings for only £5 an hour. Full minutes are Annual Parish Council Meeting Our meeting room can accommodate up to available from the twelve people, at a competitive hourly rate. Parish Clerk. Acceptance of Office Benefits include wi-fi, wipe board, It was unanimously agreed to appoint Councillor refreshment facilities and car park. Herbert as Chairman of the Council, and to Make a booking, via the Hartford Village Hall Views and opinions appoint Councillor Hollens as Vice Chairman of website: hartfordvillagehall.org.uk; expressed in the Council. Their Declarations of Acceptance of Adminstrator Vikki Herbert: 07714 908571 Hartford News may Office were received. not always reflect those of individual PCSO Minutes Past members of Hartford PCSO Ian Cosgrove attended the meeting and Parish Council. provided a report, which is appended to the A wealth of historical interest exists within the minutes and available on the website. past Minutes of Hartford Parish Council. From The editor and the time to time, space permitting, it is intended to Parish Clerk jointly CWaC Rights of Way Improvement Plan include snippets that reflect Hartford's recent determine which Consultation items are to be The Clerk and Councillor Bowden will make the included; their appropriate response, on behalf of the Parish decisions are final Council, to Cheshire West and Chester Council. Parking It was noted that there are issues with parking, particularly by parents of Grange School pupils, in the Grange Park car park, and also at the Village Hall. It was agreed to arrange a meeting with the Headmaster of The Grange School. CWaC Highways Officers are arranging a public meeting to discuss parking at Hartford Station, although no date has yet been confirmed.