The Parish Council has a vacancy for a Village Hall Caretaker to be based at the Orpen Memorial Hall. This is a permanent, part-time, position with a minimum of 8 hours per week. Salary is from £15.08 per hour (FTE £29,093) and benefits from a pension scheme and, of course, holiday entitlement.
For further information on the role please read the job summary
Closing date for applications: 30th April 2025
To apply, please submit a CV or letter, please to:
This month’s news starts with Revd Anne’s (farewell) themed on the call for good luck – “Touch Wood”. Following this, you can find out about events including:
“April showers bring May flowers” 🥀 is a saying we may have heard, and it is usually true. The wet, dreary weather we tend to experience in early spring gives way to a beautiful array of flowers in vibrant colours as time passes. The flowers bloom, or vegetables and trees bear fruit later in the season, because of the rain that falls on them – or in very dry periods the water that we give them.
The West Bergholt Volunteer of the Year 2024/25 Award!
Do you know a volunteer who deserves to be celebrated for their outstanding contribution to West Bergholt?
Whether they’ve
spearheaded a local community project,
organised impactful events,
raised charitable funds, or
been a supportive mentor through their volunteer work,
… we want to hear about them.
Nominees must reside in West Bergholt or have carried out their volunteer work within the community. Age is no barrier – we welcome nominations for volunteers of all ages! Form & details are below.
Last Years’ Winner
Announcing the result at the Annual Parish Meeting, Cllr Butcher noted that having had a number of nominations to be the recipients for this year’s award one person stood out:
Meeting on 17th March 2025, the Planning & Development Committee first agreed the minutes from the previous meeting. The committee then discussed four Planning Applications including one for 61 dwellings off Colchester Road, another for 7 off Valley Crescent with others in Newbridge Hill and Braiswick.
Read the official minutes below.
Minutes of the Planning and Development Committee Meeting
Held on Monday 17th March 2025 at 7.30pm in the John Lampon Hall
It is the aim of the Parish Council to seek a high standard of design for all new developments and extensions in the Village.
The Parish Council will take into account the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan, Government National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and CBC Planning Policies when commenting on individual applications.
Chair:
Cllr Bob Tyrell
Parish Councillors:
Cllrs Brian Butcher, Andrew Savage, Paul Chamberlain, Veronique Tyler
Also in attendance:
Clerk Assistant – and 12 members of the public
Agenda items:
1. Welcome & Apologies for absence:
None
2. Declarations of interest:
None
3. Minutes & actions from previous meeting
Minutes agreed, no actions.
4. Public participation and to receive any pre-application representations.
None
5. Planning Applications, and Appeals:
250273 Land Adjacent To 32, Colchester Road, West Bergholt Essex CO6 3JG
Planning Application: Full application for 61 dwellings and associated roads, hardstanding, fencing, outbuildings, drainage, pump station and electrical sub station.
As the days are drawing out, and there is a sense that spring in the air, it seems to awaken the need to do a bit of a spring clean, even in the Rectory. Don’t get me wrong, I am not particularly house proud, and any cleaning would be a bonus most of the time, but in the spring, I seem to suddenly find myself wanting to organise even the most disorganised cupboards.
Meeting on 17th February 2025, the Planning & Development Committee first agreed the minutes from the previous meeting. The committee then discussed CCC’s Preferred Option Strategy for the Local Plan. They also reviewed an application from a property in Bradbrook Cottages.
Read the official minutes below.
Minutes of the Planning and Development Committee Meeting
Held on Monday 17th February 2025 at 7.30pm in the John Lampon Hall
It is the aim of the Parish Council to seek a high standard of design for all new developments and extensions in the Village.
The Parish Council will take into account the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan, Government National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and CCC Planning Policies when commenting on individual applications.
Chair:
Cllr Bob Tyrell
Parish Councillors:
Cllrs Brian Butcher, Andrew Savage, Paul Chamberlain
The Climate Working Party is organising organising a Community Energy Event in the Orpen Hall on the 12th March. This is to help others in the village start out on the road the Parish Council has been treading with the Orpen Memorial Hall Complex. You can read more about this on our Climate Emergency best practice webpage.
The event will start at 7pm when you can mingle and pick up refreshments before the presentations begin at 7.30pm. Cllr. Andrew Savage, chair of the Climate Working Party, will open the meeting and we then expect each speaker to talk for about 20 minutes. With a Q&A opportunity afterwards, we expect the event to finish round 9pm.
Speakers
Alex Templeton (Community Infrastructure Group) to discuss the Essex Pay As You Go energy scheme which involves solar & battery projects.
Darran Ford, Carbon Reduction Director at Simcott Renewables, on installing solar PV on your roof with a Pay As You Go scheme.
Ben Plummer, CCC Climate Emergency Officer, on local government grants & initiatives available.
Christopher Blomeley from Community Energy Colchester on home energy assessments (see image to the right). He has also produced a number of self-help YouTube videos.
Also, attending and manning an advice table will be Kerry Hackett – Session Supervisor and Energy Adviser from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. Money-saving leaflets from Anglian Water will also be available.
