Up To Full Strength
With the co-option of Julia Walker the Parish Council is up to full
strength with seven members.
www.wickhambrook
The Parish Council has accepted an offer from Maria
Sumner, an internet site designer, to set-up a site for
the Parish Council and to maintain it for the first year. A very valuable
offer considering that site set-up costs usually run into three or
four figures depending on the size and facilities provided on the
site - and that is without the cost of keeping the site up to date.
Although the site will be sponsored by the Parish Council to carry
Parish Council information,
contact names, minutes
of past meetings, dates and agendas of forthcoming meetings,
etc., it will also provide space for other village organisations and
clubs to publicise themselves
and their events. In addition the site will provide general information
about the village,
details of the services available, links to other sites of interest,
and space for local business
advertising. Maria hopes to have the site up and running before the
end of the year so will be contacting clubs and individuals for their
input. An internet site should be attractive to look at, easy for
users to find their way around, provide as much information as possible
and be up-to-date. The first two can be safely left to Maria but she
will have to rely on others to provide information and regular updates.
Risks
With the increasing tendency, encouraged by 'no win no fee' advertising,
to seek financial redress for the sort of accident that used to be
treated as just that, an accident, insurers are insisting on more
and more inspections and risk assessments. As a consequence the Parish
Council has to carry out regular and increasingly frequent inspections
of the areas for which it is responsible,
the cemetery, playground,
six acres and village greens. No matter how frequently such inspections
are carried out they cannot foresee what will happen an hour afterwards
- perhaps a dog or rabbit digging a hole for someone to trip in -
but for which the Parish Council may be held responsible. The Parish
Council is of course insured against claims for injury or damage but
such claims, even if they fail, cost the insurers money, which inevitably
leads to increased insurance premiums and increased Council Tax. None
of us want to pay more Council Tax than is really necessary so if
you see something which could be a potential hazard, a hole in the
ground, a loose gravestone, a low hanging branch, or whatever please
let a Councillor or the Clerk know so that action can be taken before
an accident occurs.
Planning Applications
Understandably someone can feel aggrieved if their planning application,
apparently approved by the Parish Council, is ultimately refused.
The Parish Council is only one of a number of bodies that may consider
the application. Even if the Parish Council approves of an application,
or objects to it, this is only one of a number of views considered
by the Planning Officer and the Planning Committee of the Borough
Council. Parish Councillors use their local knowledge in considering
the impact of the application, for an extension let's say, on the
local community. Other agencies will consider whether the design of
the extension is safe, whether it can be supported by the main building,
whether it fits in with the Borough and County Council development
policies, etc., etc. Notice of the planning application has to be
displayed to allow any interested parties to comment and immediate
neighbours have to be given a copy of the notice. The notice will
only show that an application has been made, it will not provide details
of the proposed size, position, design, etc. For that information
a visit to the Borough offices is required. This is not always convenient
or even possible but there is an alternative. The Parish Council gets
a copy of the plans and the Clerk can make them available, not necessarily
immediately, but in time for any comments to be notified to the Planning
Officer.
Register of Interests
All Parish Councillors are required by law to provide details of any
interests which might be seen as influencing them in Parish Council
decisions. This could be in ownership of land in the village, financial
interests in a business, or even membership of a club committee. They
must also declare interests their immediate family may have as these
might also be seen as influential in decision making. Councillors
are also required to declare their personal interests in items on
the agenda of Parish Council meetings or on any other issues as they
arise. Depending on the nature of the interest the Councillor may
be required to take no part in the discussion or, if it is felt that
his or her presence could be seen as influencing the discussion, to
retire from the meeting while the matter is discussed. Interests declared
at meetings are minuted and the Register of Interests is a public
document which can be viewed by application to the Borough Council
or to the Parish Clerk.
Overhanging Branches and Obstructed Ditches
Hedges or trees that overhang the road, obscure the view at road junctions
or impede footways must be kept cut back. In some cases this may be
the responsibility of the Highways Department but more usually it
is the landowner or tenant who is responsible. However Highways can
issue a notice requiring the hedge or tree to be cut back within a
set period of time otherwise a contract for the work will be issued
and the property owner/tenant charged with the cost. Much the same
applies to ditches which are partly or wholly blocked preventing proper
drainage and causing water to flow onto the roads.
Parish
Council Meetings
They are open to the public. You can have your say. Agendas and minutes
are displayed on the Parish Notice Board at Thorns Corner and further
information can always be obtained from the Clerk who can also be
asked to include a particular matter on the agenda. So why not come
along? You may or may not enjoy it but you should find it interesting
and at least it will keep the Councillors, your representatives, on
their toes.
Peter Miller - Parish Clerk
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