October 2009
October report from Wymeswold Parish Council
School safety signs The new 20 mph signs near the school have been delayed as the county council are looking at a different design from the standard to be used in conservation areas.
Salt bins The two salt bins (one on Wysall Lane and one at the bottom of Burton Lane ) should be installed by the beginning of November. The bins will be paid for by Parish Council but the County Council will be responsible for installation and filling.
Post box The new larger post box to replace the one outside the old Post Office is finally in place near the bus stop on The Stockwell.
Airfield noise CBC has been in discussions with Everyman following recent comments on noise levels. Everyman have made some modifications since the beginning of the year, and the monitoring equipment has shown that they are now working within the limits set by the conditions of the planning permission. They have again confirmed that should anyone wish to visit to observe what measures have been put in place they are happy to arrange a meeting and they are also happy for residents to contact them directly should they have any concerns on the day the activities are taking place so that any action necessary can be taken immediately.
HGVs in Wymeswold The Parish Council is aware of the problems of HGVs using weight restricted routes within the village. The council met with LCC Highways and the police and established that, providing the HGVs are accessing a site within the weight-restricted areas (such as Wymeswold Industrial Park ), they are legally entitled to use the restricted routes. This has led to problems in the village, particularly on Clay Street and Church Street . The Parish Council is to meet again with the LCC Highways to look at HGV signage within the village.
Should parishioners witness an HGV using a restricted street in the village as a ‘short cut’ (ie not loading or delivering within the area) then this is a police matter. Vehicle registration details, together with the company name, time and date should be forwarded to weight.restricted@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk, or reported on 0116 222 2222.
Rural housing survey This survey (details of which were in the September issue of the Link) will be distributed at the end of October. It is intended to discover the number of families in the village which have either young or old members who have had to move from the village because of the high cost of properties, or have been unable to move here to be close to family. Results will be independently analysed and if there is sufficient need the next step will be to look at possible sites for housing which could be made available for rent or part purchase.
Washdyke update A variety of equipment has now been ordered for the Washdyke and should be in place by the end of the year. The Association is looking for new volunteers to be involved in this project. The AGM will be held in November with the date advertised in advance and anyone interested is invited to attend and get involved.
September 2009
September report from Wymeswold Parish Council
Police report PC Gilbertson explained there have been a number of incidents of damage to property. Anyone seeing such incidents should report them on 0116 222 2222, including details of any relevant vehicle registration numbers.
Outstanding work on Wysall Lane Work on this, including the ponds and arrangements for new play equipment, has begun.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service consultation Comments have been requested on the Integrated Risk Management Plan, which includes a proposal to discontinue the retained fire appliance at Loughborough, with funds used for improving the service at Melton Mowbray. There is concern that this would reduce the cover available to the village, as the supplementary services from Shepshed and Melton were a considerable distance away and these comments will be sent to the Fire Authority.
Telephone kiosk – potential adoption A letter has been received from BT indicating their intention to decommission the kiosk, and offering it for adoption by the Parish Council. As this is a listed structure this would require a considerable commitment on behalf of the Parish Council and it is unclear what its future would be otherwise. The clerk has sought clarification on the options available.
Church clock A routine inspection of the bells has revealed that work is required on the bell which chimes the quarter hours. This had been disabled and the damaged part removed and sent for repair. It is hoped the clock will be back in action by the end of September.
Washdyke update Some play equipment will be ordered following the receipt of the grant from CBC. It has been agreed to arrange for the hedge at the bottom of the Washdyke to be cut back to aid visibility on Hoton Road .
Airfield noise The noise from the airfield appears to have increased, and also to be continuing into the evening. The clerk has contacted CBC who are investigating possible breaches in operating conditions.
Willows on Brook Street A meeting had been held with staff from LCC regarding the willows on Brook Street . Extensive work on these will be done in the Autumn to reduce the height and spread.
July 2009
Report of the July meeting of Wymeswold Parish Council
Outstanding work on Wysall Lane This had been discussed at a meeting of representative from Charnwood Borough Council and Wimpey and a list of outstanding work had been drawn up. Some of this will need to be done later in the year due to growing conditions. The Borough Council cannot take over the maintenance of these areas until the work has been completed.
Proposed rural housing survey Following a presentation given by Jonathan Turner, Development and Enabling Officer from Charnwood Borough Council, and Richard Windley, Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Housing Enabler, on affordable rural housing the Parish Council has agreed to a housing needs survey to be conducted in the village later in the year.
Church yard update The work on the church yard has been completed and the three replacement trees will be planted in the autumn.
Washdyke update Strimming has been completed around the trees, a new entrance has been created, and the gate will be installed over the summer. The “Washstock” music event attracted over 400 villagers, and had been enjoyed by those attending. Joan Hubbard as vice chair of the Parish Council thanked Nick Shaw for all his hard work in ensuring the day was a success.
June 2009
Report of the meeting of Wymeswold Parish Council held on 1st June 2009
Speeding traffic in the village The police have recently monitored traffic speeds in the village, and will continue to do so. Traffic coming into the village along Wysall Lane and Burton Lane is a particular problem as the 30mph signs are close to the junctions. These are areas where there are likely to be a number of pedestrians either walking to the school and village amenities, or using the Scout Hut and sports field. The Parish Council will contact Highways again highlighting concerns.
Outstanding work on Wysall Lane Charnwood Borough Council staff are meeting representatives from Wimpeys to discuss outstanding issues which include the children’s play area, work on both ponds, planting and maintenance.
Proposed rural housing survey The last housing needs survey was done in 2004, and is valid for 5 years. It is proposed to conduct another survey which would look at the local demand for affordable housing in the village and the Leicestershire and Rutland Housing Enabler will attend the July meeting to provide further information.
Cemetery and churchyard update Work on the church yard trees will be done during June. Professional advice on the mole activity in the cemetery has been obtained and confirmation received that the rural location of the cemetery makes this problem inevitable. It has been agreed to monitor the situation, to see if levels of activity throughout the cemetery become unacceptable.
Washdyke update All the benches and picnic tables have been installed. New goal posts have been delivered, and will be installed later in the summer. The result of the application to CBC for money for play equipment should be known by the end of the month.
Mowing around the Memorial Hall There have been some problems with mowing around the Memorial Hall, but following a meeting with the contractors it is hoped that this problem has been resolved.
May 2009
Report of the meeting of Wymeswold Parish Council held on 11th May 2009.
Salt bins Final locations for these on Burton Lane and Wysall Lane have been decided and sent to LCC Highways for approval. Installation will then be arranged.
Wysall Lane A response from Wimpeys is still awaited by Charnwood Borough Council on the outstanding work on the landscaping, fencing and ponds.
Relocation of Post Box The post box outside the old Post Office will be replaced by one which can accommodate larger letters. The proposed location is by the bus stop on The Stockwell, and assuming this is acceptable to the authorities it should be installed in next three months.
Tenders for churchyard improvements Agreement has been received from the church authorities so the work can go ahead.
Washdyke update Two benches have been installed and the next projects are the installation of a finger post, and gate from Burton Lane. The gate on Hoton Road has been repaired and more pruning is scheduled. Another combined maintenance session and litter pick is planned for the summer.
April 2009
Report of the meeting of Wymeswold Parish Council held on 6th April 2009
Village websites Richard Thomas provided the background to the Wymeswold village website www.wymeswold.com which supplemented http://wymeswold.leicestershireparishcouncils.org/ the Parish Council’s website andhttp://www.leicestershirevillages.com/wymeswold/ provided by the County Council. It is hoped to develop this site to include pages for village clubs and societies and there is potential to include bulletin boards and surveys.
Police report It seems that a number of incidents of antisocial behaviour in the village are going unreported. Anyone witnessing such occurrences should report them to the police via 0116 222 2222 with as much information as possible including any car registration numbers An incident number should be requested
Clay Street A meeting has been held with LCC Highways and some work will be done to improve drainage which is contributing to a deterioration of the road surface.
Lorries using village roads A survey of heavy traffic in both Burton and Wymeswold will be done in the coming months.. Lorries using village roads persistently (and not for local deliveries) should be reported to the police viaWeight.restricted@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk , or to the Parish Clerk with relevant details of ownership, registration details and times to enable her to pass this info rmation to the police via this email.
Prestwold Estates premises application licence This application has been granted. Conditions include a requirement that Parish Councils should be provided with details of timescales and dates of events and a telephone number to be used in case of disturbance. No amplified sound should be played after 11pm.
A6006/Wysall Lane junction update Parish Councillors are concerned about the safety of pedestrians in this area and have raised the issue with LCC Highways. A pedestrian survey will be carries out in early summer in this area.
Wysall Lane Staff from Charnwood Borough Council have been in contact with Wimpeys to obtain a timetable for the implementation of the landscape works at this site. The damage to the timber fence near Mill Hill Leys has also been reported, and urgent repairs requested.
Washdyke update Benches and picnic have been delivered and a plan has been drawn up for where they would be sited.
Annual Parish meeting The next meeting on Monday 11th May will include the Annual Parish Meeting which will include a review of the past year, and provide an opportunity for parishioners to meet their Parish Councillors and discuss any issues. The meeting starts at 7pm and all parishioners are welcome to attend.
March 2009
Report of the meeting of Wymeswold Parish Council held on 2nd March 2009
School 20 mph signs Although it was agreed that additional signage is not welcomed in a conservation area, it was agreed that revised signs with grey backgrounds, rather than yellow are acceptable in the interests of safety for children attending the village school. The Parish Council has agreed to support this proposal.
Mantle Croft junction improvement Work to improve the visibility of the junction has been completed by Davidsons, which should help pedestrians crossing the road here.
Request for salt bin on Burton Lane Following the recent accident when a vehicle skidded at the bottom of Burton Lane into the Brook a request has been received for a salt bin near this junction, and it has been agreed that the Parish Council will fund this.
Washdyke update Some picnic benches and tables will shortly be ordered for the Washdyke. These have been kindly purchased by the Wymeswold Garden Walkabout Committee, and also by Wymeswold Parochial Charities in memory of Phyllis and Terry Hubbard and to mark the work of villagers who had served as feoffees of the Charities.
February 2009
Report of the meeting of Wymeswold Parish Council held on 2nd February 2009
Damage to Queen’s Park Conservation style kerbing has been installed at the top of Queen’s Park by the developers, Davidsons, who have paid for this work. This is the style of kerbing approved for conservation areas in Charnwood. The bottom two corners will not be kerbed, but all three areas will be resoiled and reseeded in the Spring.
Churchyard improvement project A scheme to improve the church yard has been drawn up with advice from tree experts from Charnwood Borough Council. The proposals involve: the removal of the 12 lime stools and the grinding out of the bases to prevent further growth; the planting of two Acer campestre Queen Elizabeth on the east side of the edge of church yard to frame the stained glass window; the removal and replacement of the sorbus (with an acer) to the left of the lych gate which is a poor specimen; the removal of elder bushes; and the removal of basal shoots, ivy and where possible the guards from the bases of the trees. No work will be done until there have been full consultations with the church authorities, but the Parish Council has agreed to request tenders for this work, while accepting that it might have to be staggered across two financial years depending on cost.
Wymeswold Conservation Appraisal A presentation from Charnwood’s Built Heritage section has recently been held which was attended by many parishioners and comments are invited. The Parish Council supports any possible measures to safeguard Tudor Thatch on East Road .
Request for salt/grit bin on Mill Hill Leys/Wysall Lane The recent bad weather has highlighted the problems in this area. The Parish Council has agreed to fund a bin in this location, and also asked if Wysall Lane can be added to the county salting routes.
Washdyke update The new parking area adjacent to the Scout Hut entrance are nearing completion and the new pedestrian entrance off Burton Lane is being arranged.
Mantle Croft Brook Street junction The realignment of this junction has caused visibility problems for pedestrians. Davidsons the developers have agreed to adjust the entrance to this road and also move the fencing panels back slightly to improve the sight lines.
January 2009
Report of the Parish Council meeting held on 5th January 2009
Damage to Queen’s Park In the light of further damage to the park at the bottom of the Stockwell, David sons (the developer building near the area) installed temporary no parking signs around the edge of the park. They have also agreed to pay for the kerbing at the top of the triangle, as well as the reinstatement of the soil and reseeding the damaged areas.
Prestwold Hall licence application An information gathering meeting with representatives from the Prestwold Estate and all the parish councils in the area will be held in January. The hearing for the premises licence is scheduled for February.
20 mph school zone signs The Council had concerns over the nature of the proposed signs in the conservation area and after communicating these concerns to LCC Highways, the authority has agreed to review the scheme with a further consultation later in the year.
Crossing on Far Street / East Road The junction of Wysall Lane and East Road is difficult to cross at peak periods, and this is becoming a greater problem as more families move into the new Wimpey estate. The Parish Council agreed to ask County Highways for a review of the criteria regarding pedestrian crossings in case there was a possibility of having one in this area.
Annual precept The Council agreed the budget for the coming financial year and set the annual precept at £18,700. Amounts have been budgeted to carry out further repairs & maintenance on the cemetery, tree work on the churchyard, and a level of support for the Memorial Hall to maintain the children’s play area.
Washdyke update A litter pick and strimming session was held in early December and one pruning session has also occurred which will be repeated to complete this work. A £900 grant had been received from the Duck Race Committee towards activity equipment. Work on the parking area (a requirement of the planning approval) is due to start mid January.