Parish Council News

At the Parish Council meeting on Wednesday August 7^th 2013 members of the public expressed their concern that the special Parish Council meeting held on July 18^th had been closed to the public. The Council’s answer was that the subject under consideration was finance and included payments to the Clerk. It was said from the floor that the finances of the council and the terms and conditions of the Clerk were in the public domain, and in the absence of information, misinformation, gossip and rumour had circulated in the Parish, which was undesirable.

The council agreed to consider the matter, and in closed session at the end of the August 7^th meeting it was agreed that the minutes of the July 18^th meeting should be made public.

The meeting had been called following receipt of an unexpectedly high bill of almost £1,000 for the Parish Council election, which together with other calls on funds threatened to put the Council in an unsatisfactory financial position. As a consequence of a decision made by the previous council in April, projected payments to the Clerk equalled 70% of the council’s budget for 2013. It had been agreed that urgent action was required. Read more

 Minutes of the meeting held in the Village Hall
Wednesday, 5^th June 2013

Present:  Cllr Coy, Cllr Harper, Cllr Kirkby, Cllr Nott-Bower, Cllr Shearer, Cllr Thomas.

Absent:  Cllr Malone

Parish Clerk:  Mrs C Wilson.

Also Present:  CC Chris Batters + 5 members of the public.

The meeting began at 7.15 when the Chairman welcomed all and invited the public to address the meeting.

OPEN  SESSION

J Pentland:  Why has the council spent such a high percentage of its precept during its first two months?  Cllr Kirkby said that it would be explained in the Finance section of the meeting. Read more

Withiel Parish Council Meeting rescheduled for 7.15pm on Wednesday 9th January 2013.

At the beginning of the Withiel Parish Council meeting on Wednesday 2nd January, at which all seven Parish Councillors were present, Mr Richard Thomas advised the meeting that it was being held illegally as one of the Councillors had not received his copy of the Agenda three clear days before the meeting. The Chairman immediately stopped the meeting and the Councillors unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting to be re-held in a weeks’ time. The Clerk apologised for the oversight regarding the issue of the meeting agenda and the Chairman then declared the meeting cancelled. A revised Agenda with the change of date will be posted on the village notice board, the Withiel Parish website, and will be provided to all Councillors so that they have it within the required period.

Please see the 9th January Agenda.

We look forward to seeing you then, and apologise to the Parish for any inconvenience this postponement may have caused.

Mrs C Wilson
Withiel Parish Clerk

(from the Withiel News & Views Mar ’05)

Copies of the Parish plan are available; we will place copies in the Village Hall and display a copy in die notice board in the village. We cannot give everyone a copy because of the cost of producing them (you will understand why when you see the quality of the final document.) If you would like a copy please contact any member of the Parish Plan Steering Committee.

Parish Plan Actions

The Parish Plan was divided into eight sections. They were Housing, Employment, Transport and Highways, Education, Local services. Environmental Issues, Sport and Recreation, and Information and Local Government.

The information which was contained in the questionnaires was analysed and from the information available we identified the issues that most people would like to see addressed. Those that required immediate action are as follows:-

Housing – Provision and development of additional for local people
That we should seek clarification on the criteria for the development of low cost housing to rent or buy. We should obtain independent assessment of die need for low cost housing within die Parish.

Employment -Telecommunications
Continue to lobby BT and Act now to provide die necessary upgrade to the local infrastructure to allow the provision of Broadband to home and businesses in the Parish. This has in the main been achieved, not by use but in an upgrade in the technology. If you didn’t know contact BT and they will advise you about the provision of Broadband.

Employment- Provision of Shop/ Post Office / Licensed Premises
Because of the overwhelming support for these facilities we should explore die availability of grants to obtain or establish such premises.

Transport and Highways – Community Transport Schemes
We should publicise details of those willing to take part in a community vehicle sharing scheme in the Parish Magazine.

Transport and Highways- Provision of Local Bus Services
Provide and publish more readily available and up to date information on bus services in the local area in the Parish Magazine.

Transport and highways – Roads
The Parish Magazine should include regular reminders of the landowners responsibility to cut roadside hedges. The magazine should publish a telephone number to report dangerous road surfaces and overgrown hedges, banks and trees.
We should investigate schemes for reducing accidents on small and narrow lanes. The County Highways Department should be asked to regularly maintain and clear the drains and to make the necessary repairs in good time.

Transport and Highways – Road Signs
A request should be made to the Highways Authority to identify locations where existing signs need repair, replacement and cleaning and where additional signs may be needed- Whitehay Hill was considered to be an urgent case.

Local Services – Neighbourhood Watch
Consultation should take place with the existing coordinator to ascertain the current level of coverage of the scheme.

Local Services- The need for a Community Post Office
We should investigate the need for a Post office and determine the reaction of the community toward linking it to a retail outlet and a licensed premises for social and recreational gatherings.

Environmental Issues – Footpaths
Review all footpaths running through the Parish and identify those that need maintenance, removal of obstructions and erection of signs. We should liase with die Parish council to ensure that die necessary work is carried out without delay. This work has been carried out with the support of the Parish council and we are hoping to produce maps of the paths very soon.

Information and Local Government – Parish Council
The Parish Council should publish its minutes within 14 days of the meeting.
The Parish Magazine should include a report of the Parish Council meetings.
A proper financial base should be established to support die provision of die Parish Magazine and to ensure that it can continue providing necessary local information.
All the items referring to The Council have been carried out.

Information and Local Government-Planning
The Parish Magazine should include brief details of planning applications and die Parish Councils response to them.
That we run a workshop by the planning department to appraise people the planning rules and criteria.

This list only represents those actions which were considered to be urgent. There were many more which were for short, medium or long term action. Those will be addressed in due course. What we need now is a cross section of the community to join the Steering Group to help action the whole plan. If you are interested please contact any members of the Steering Group or the editor of the Parish Magazine. This is a plan for the future so young people will be very welcome.

Withiel Parish Plan – Update

On Monday 10th May a public meeting to discuss the results of the recent questionnaire took place. Well over seventy people attended this very positive meeting which was: chaired by Anna Hoyle and opened by Iain Thomson. We were fortunate to have representatives from Highways, Adult & Link Learning and the Post Office, although no one from Police or Planning were able to attend.

Everyone was given the chance to express their views and, in general, it was agreed that the questionnaire results reflected the views of the Parish. The next stage is to compile and publish the Plan, copies of which go to all involved in decision-making that affects Withiel.

Thank you all for your support.

Sue Kirkby

(from the Withiel News & Views Jul ’04)

Parish Plan

The questionnaires have now been collected, the response was brilliant! 109 of the 130 that were delivered were returned which is, according to past parish surveys, a high response. So well done everybody for your time and effort. Now begins the task of analysing all the data which we expect to have completed in about 4 weeks. Then a meeting will be announced where you can see the results and discuss the issues raised. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Sue Kirkby
Withiel Parish Survey Steering Committee

(from the Withiel News & Views Mar ’04)

UPDATE ON THE WITHIEL PARISH PLAN

The steering committee has been meeting and now finalised the questionnaire. It will be ready during early January when it will be delivered to your homes. Remember, the purpose of the Parish Plan is to set out a vision of how the community as a whole wants our parish to develop during the next five to ten years and identify the actions necessary to achieve it. Therefore it is in every ones interest to complete it so that the end plan is truly representative.

The questionnaire will be clearly laid out in tick form with plenty of space for additional comments. The committee members will be only too happy to help those that need it to fill in their questionnaires.

The committee members are Mr. D. Lawrence, Mr. R. Thomas, Mrs. S. Kirkby, Mr. & Mrs. R. Renouf, Mr. B. Cole, Mr. D. Harris, Mrs. M. Lawrence, Mr. K. Horrell, Mr. M. Biddick and Mr. J. Piper.

Sue Kirkby

(from the Withiel News & Views Dec’03)

A Steering Committee has now been set up to produce a Parish Plan. The first stage will be a survey of everyone who lives in the Parish and this will be done in the first instance by issuing each household with a questionnaire. Your views are essential and we ask that everyone completes the survey. The questionnaires will be hand delivered during the next few months and when they are delivered we will arrange with even one to collect the completed survey on a mutually convenient date.

The preparation of the plan will also include public meetings and focus groups and details of these will be circulated in good time for everyone interested to attend. The Parish Plan will set out a vision of how the whole community wants the Parish to develop in the next five to ten years and will identify the actions necessary to achieve it.

Richard Thomas

(from the Withiel News & Views Nov ’03)