Community, Parish Council & Village
Hopefully you will have seen the recent news item and/or the presentation given at last month’s Parish Council meeting. There are a number of possible options available to the village for Better Broadband from a range of service providers. Of these County Broadband and Voneus are already actively looking to engage the village with their proposed plans by both direct mailing and local meetings.
The following dates listing services and events up to the end of June, have been advised to us by St Mary’s, note italicised services are not in the village. Don’t forget – the collection on a Sunday morning is now being taken during the service just before communion. Continue reading “St Mary’s Update – 10th May”
Essex Challenge launches with a Families Included PrizeEssex County Council are launching a new initiative called Essex Challenge Prize on 12th May. The Families Included Prize is the first in a series of Challenge Prizes. Challenge Prizes are a tried and tested method of generating a broader range of original ideas to solve difficult problems. Over the next few years ECC intend to run a series of prizes to address the diverse issues facing Essex. Along the way they will offer a range of support to nurture and develop the ideas of individuals, communities and organisations, as well as awarding a prize for the winning solution.
We are looking for great ideas, projects and solutions from Essex that involve local families with young children in opportunities that enrich their lives. Ideas can relate to any aspect of life including personal and social experiences. They can look to address the problem across Essex or focus on a local community. All we ask is that solutions come from people or organisations in Essex and will make a positive difference to Essex families.
Entry will be open between 12 May and 14 July 2016. After this a team of assessors and judges will choose the most promising ideas to go forward to receive further support to test and progress their solution. The winner will receive a prize of £10,000 to help them take this forward. We don’t know what the winning idea will look like. It might be a product, a service or a clever bit of tech. It could be completely new or an adapted way of doing things.
Bluebells & Dawn Chorus Guided WalksGuided walks at Hillhouse Wood are a regular feature of the calendar, Steve Hallam reports on the two Spring walks deciding that 2016 is a year of ‘firsts’:
Each Spring the Friends of Hillhouse Wood organise two guided walks – one to look at the Bluebells, and a Dawn Chorus one. These are normally 2-3 weeks apart, to match each one to when its subjects are at their best. However this year things were different, and for the first time ever we ran both walks on the same weekend. Continue reading “Guided Walks at Hillhouse”
Great Interest in Better BroadbandLast week’s Parish Council meeting saw more than 40 residents attending in order to hear Aaron Williams’ presentation on the options available for better broadband delivery to West Bergholt. His presentation set out the options available to the village, comprising improved connectivity via Continue reading “Great Interest in Better Broadband”
Hillhouse Wood for Nightingales & moreIf you miss out on the guided Bluebell walk today, why not come to the Dawn Chorus walk tomorrow morning? Led by Steve Hallam, this walk offers the chance to see nightingales and many other brilliant choristers. Previous years’ walks have seen and/or heard over 20 species, for example, in 2013 the following list was collected:
The walk will start from the Old Church at 3:45am on Sunday 8th May. You should bring warm clothing, stout footwear, a flask of hot drink and a torch – please note that the walk will only go ahead weather permitting.
If you haven’t been on one of these walks before you will find it a rewarding and delightful experience at a very special time for the wood’s varied wildlife; if you would like to know more then check out this report from the 2013 dawn chorus walk.
Other useful links are:
Local Knitting Club, Knit One Down One, who regularly meet in the White Hart, were the featured knitting club in the recent edition of Simply Knitting. One of the founders, Julie Bennett, was already running an after-school sewing club (Sewcool) when she had the idea of an adults knitting club, another member, Kate Cornes, joked: Continue reading “Knit One Down One Featured”
St Mary’s Update – 2nd MayThe following dates have been advised to us from St Mary’s, note italicised services are not at St Mary’s. Continue reading “St Mary’s Update – 2nd May”
The Friends of Hillhouse Wood, in conjunction with Woodland Trust, invite you to join Join Steve Hallam for their annual Bluebell Open Day and Spring Nature Walk.
Taking place next Saturday (7th May), Continue reading “Bluebell Spring Nature Walk”
The Premises & Recreation Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 4th April when, among other items, they discussed health & safety, licences, lighting, Poors Land, bollards, MUGA, Orpen Hall toilets, storage and BHYFC.
| Councillors present | Brian Butcher (Chair), Murray Harlow (Vice chair), Jenny Church, Rosemary James, Harry Stone, Bob Tyrrell. |
| Apologies |
Also in attendance Victoria Beckwith-Cole (Hall Administrator)
2. |
Matters from Last Meeting |
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2.1
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Orpen Hall SignageBB enquired to why this matter was put on hold at the previous meeting in his absence. Reasons being (1) the new storage/garage was proposed to go where the sign was being erected, (2) double sided sign would cost approx. £2,000 – looking at single sided and to be placed by cycle rack, this point will be revisited later on in the year. |
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2.1 |
Health and Safety QuestionnaireBB has now been provided with a copy of the Asbestos Report. |
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| VBC is looking into a fire extinguisher handling session to be undertaken at the Hall, potentially to be extended to Parish Councillors, and heads of various groups. | VBC
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3. |
Clerks & Administrator’s Report |
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3.1
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Bar Licence –LW to check with Social Club as a priority as to the current position. |
LW |
3.2 |
Lighting inside and out at Hall – updateThis has been in hand since the last meeting with our electrician Simon from EKB Contracts. Parts have had to be ordered hence the delay. |
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3.3 |
TablesMore research/investigation into cost/storage/quantity will be sought by VBC for next meeting. |
VBC |
3.4
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Draft T&C for one-off hirersin progress will update at next meeting. |
VBC |
3.5
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Bollardsin progress, will update at next meeting. |
LW |
3.6
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Scouts – Asbestos Surveyin progress, will update at next meeting. |
LW |
4. |
Provision of ‘MUGA Spectator’ benches |
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| Following BB’s introduction, HS spoke on behalf of BYG who had come forward with an idea to place two wooden benches along the side of the ‘MUGA’ to enable spectators to watch either the tennis or the football. BYG had offered to contribute to the cost with surplus money from their tuck shop on 21st April towards the benches. The PC may also ask the West Bergholt Football Club if they wish to contribute. It was agreed that they would be wooden, with no backs, bolted into the ground. It was agreed to get quotes from the handyman in the village. Approx. size to be 8ft long x 1ft wide. BYG would advise their suggested location and a plaque to be placed to record BYG’s contribution. | VBC/HS | |
5. |
Bergholt Heath Youth Football Club |
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| T&C were amended and agreed. David Bowden is compiling a list of Managers and VBC suggested that as there could be as many as 6 managers that they each have a unique code rather than a fob so that we can easily manage any misuse. VBC waiting for list and will then arrange training of the alarm system. There was mention that their Committee Members had changed – VBC to check. | VBC | |
6. |
Refurbishment of Orpen Hall Toilets |
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| A meeting was being held with Steve McLean of Esposito McLean on 5th April with BT to discuss details. It was suggested to enquire if STC, Ponders and Tamarisk Buildings would be interested in tending for the works and LW to deal with this, so that the works can be completed during the Summer Holiday. | BT/BB/LW | |
7. |
Storage Units |
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| A discussion ensued about various options of extending the current garages to store equipment from the CBC garage which will no longer be rented by the Parish Council and the PC’s mower. Prior to the meeting BB/VBC had a meeting with the Orpen Players, and informed them that the Parish Council will no longer be renting the CBC garage but that they will not get any more space, however they, will need to look at what they store at present and see if they can declutter – HS/BB and Roger will meet at the garages to discuss further. Likewise a meeting with Bluebells – to see what their storage needs are. This matter will be discussed further at the next meeting once the outcome from discussions with the Orpen Players and Bluebells have taken place. | BB/HS | |
8. |
AOB |
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| 1) Servery – it was agreed that this room will need to be refurbished sooner rather than later. | ALL | |
| 2) Social Club – following the monthly litter pick JC brought to our attention the number of cigarette ends on the ground around the Social Club’s entrance – it was suggested that LW approach the Social Club to bring this to their attention and for them to clean up on a daily basis or put a bucket of sand outside. | LW | |
| Meeting closed at 8.34pm | ||
9. |
Date of next meeting |
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| 2nd May 2016 – 7.30pm John Lampon Hall |