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Stockton | | The Parish Council | | Agendas and Minutes | | AGM 20th April 2009 |
Other pages in this section:
Minutes of AGM 20th April 2009 | | Annual Parish Meeting 20th April 2009 |
We have held 12 normal Parish Council meetings with an extra meeting to decide on the grass mowing contract. The average attendance of Councillors was 79% and the police were represented at 9 of the normal meetings.
We have been making steady progress with the project to build affordable homes in the village. A survey showed that people favoured the site at Glebe Close rather than at the allotments next to the Nelson Club and this was followed by a consultation event at the Village Hall at which detailed designs were on display. The general comment has been in favour of the scheme and at present the legal details about sale of the land are being finalised. A planning application should be submitted later this year.
On the other hand little progress has been seen on the proposals by Cemex to build a plant at the Long Itchington works to manufacture fuel from household waste. This appears to have been held up by responses from Stratford and Rugby Councils to the planning applications that Cemex have submitted for both the Long Itchington works and at Malpass Farm next to the Rugby works. It seems likely that these will not be considered by Warwickshire County Council until the summer of this year. The Parish Council has submitted its view that whilst it supported the principle of producing fuel from waste, in view of the lack of landfill capacity, it would be much more sustainable to site the plant at Malpass Farm to reduce the transportation of material between Long Itchington and Rugby. It would also make proper use of the new western relief road to transport the waste, rather than have another 260 HGV vehicle movements per day through nearby villages.
Warwickshire County Council are also currently consulting the public on their Minerals Core Strategy (jargon for a Minerals Plan) and Cemex have introduced proposals to extend the quarry at Spiers Farm towards Stockton Fields Farm and Greaves Cottages and to extend the quarry at Griffins Farm towards Laurel Drive and Tuckwell Close. These proposals basically bring back all the land that Cemex gave up in 2005 when they got permission to extend Spiers Farm – it even takes in more land than they originally proposed in 2005. The Parish Council has sent its strongest objections to the County Council and has told Cemex that this is a retrograde step.
A considerable amount of work has been carried out at the playing field in the past year. Following a safety inspection essential repairs were carried out to the play equipment and one of the rubber tiled safety surfaces was replaced with a “softpour” surface. The path from St. Michael's Crescent that for many years was always very muddy in wet weather has been resurfaced with road planings and is much better. The footpath from Post Office Lane to The Crown car park has also been resurfaced.
The Parish Council was extremely disappointed that a 50 mph speed limit was not introduced on the A426 towards Rugby following Warwickshire County Council's review of speed limits. We had said to the County that in view of the poor accident record on this road, including collisions at our crossroads, and the piecemeal treatment at most junctions on the way to Rugby, a more integrated approach was needed. The fact that they ignored our views was made worse by their introduction of 50 mph limits on the road to Banbury and the road between Southam and Long Itchington and Southam and Deppers Bridge. The County did agree to review their decision in 12 months and the Parish Council will continue to press for a speed limit.
Fortunately crime levels in the parish seems to have fallen in the past year and is mostly confined to thefts from vehicles, for example handbags, computers, phones and satnavs. To a great extent this is within peoples own control and I would advise people not to leave such items on display. The cost of repair and the inconvenience usually outways the loss of the stolen items.
The Parish Council is pleased that the relaunch of Stockton's News has been successful and we would like to thank Wendy Rumsey, Marion Stringer and Steve Kittendorf for the excellent work they have done. As I mentioned earlier the Parish Council met to consider its grass mowing contract for the next three years and it decided to award the contract to Philip Cook Maintenance Ltd. Dave Stanley has done a sterling job for several years and the Parish Council would like to thank him also.
The Parish Council's new website was also launched last year and I would like to thank John Emberton for all the work he has put into this.
The Parish Council has decided that it will not increase its precept for the next year in view of the difficult financial circumstances that some people might find themselves in. This is the equivalent of our Council Tax.
Finally I would like to pay my usual tribute to the support that I have been given by my fellow Councillors and the Parish Clerk during the last year. The Councillors all give of their time unstintingly for absolutely no financial reward and this makes an interesting contrast to the recent revelations of some other elected representatives.
Howard Collerson
Chairman