Parish Council

Parish Council Report – 4th March 2014

The Parish Council received a brief report from Dr Gordon Flint of Winchester Growers regarding his company’s proposal for the provision of poly tunnels at Nocton Fen.

We were given a short history on Winchester Growers which was both interesting and informative.  Although not likely to make a huge dent in the Dutch monopoly on bulbs, Winchester Growers produce far more daffodils, tulips and lilies than I think most of us appreciated.  The reason for the poly tunnels was to facilitate moving their operation from Pinchbeck to their site in Nocton, which was purpose built for the handling of bulbs.  By so doing, Winchester Growers hopefully could continue to grow its business.

The Parish Council has been invited to see some of the operation just prior to Mothers Day, a visit that we are looking forward to and will be definitely reporting back on.

Finally, Dr Flint also confirmed that following discussions with Highways, it was intended that appropriate signs would be erected on the B1202 to direct HGVs and other traffic to the site and minimise the number of times they missed the turning and entered the village.

Theft from Motor Vehicle
The Police reported that there had been one theft during the previous month – a catalytic converter was removed from a vehicle parked outside a property in The Green.  Other villages have also been subject to petty thefts from unlocked houses and cars – so once again please be vigilant and take care to secure your home and vehicles at all times.

Youth Worker
Despite extensive advertising, the response has been somewhat disappointing.  There are two possible applicants, however, and it was decided to see how they performed at a youth club already up and running, before inviting them for an interview.  Hopefully this process will be completed in April and we will be able to get the long awaited Youth Club off the ground.

Village Hall Management Committee
A new Committee working under its new constitution is now in place.  The Working Group to review the Terms and Conditions of Hire, etc will be continued, albeit it will now be reporting to the Management Committee rather than the Parish Council.

Village Hall Redevelopment Plan
A draft project plan outlining the key steps in securing the redevelopment of the Village Hall was presented by Councillor Goldsworthy.  The repairs to the structure of the Village Hall and subsequent remodelling of the building will be a costly project and will need to be closely managed every step of the way if we are to succeed in securing a modern Village Hall capable of meeting the needs of the village for at least the next 30 years.  Input from residents as to the facilities, etc they would like to see provided in a new Hall will be asked for at the Annual Parish Meeting on 15th April.  The VHMC was also asked to ensure that all affiliated groups were able to contribute to this process.

Welcome Pack for New Residents
Some suggested information for inclusion in the pack was noted and Councillors were asked to comment and/or contribute any additional material they felt might be of interest, etc to new residents.  Councillor Burr was compiling and coordinating the pack and it was hoped that it would be launched at the Annual Parish Meeting.

Village Hall Car Park
The Parish Council has been notified by the District Council’s legal advisers that the car park outside the village hall can be used by the public and that a covenant on the land restricting such parking to users of the Hall only was no longer enforceable.

Dates for your diary:
Tuesday 1 April – 7.00 pm Parish Council Meeting
Tuesday 15 April – 7.00 pm Annual Parish Meeting.  Have your say on the future of our Village Hall
Tuesday 6 May – 7.00 pm Parish Council Annual General Meeting and Ordinary Meeting

“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.”

Councillor MaryAnn Williams