Serving The Burton Joyce Community:

Burton Joyce Parish Council

Burton Joyce Parish Council

Serving The Burton Joyce Community:

Burton Joyce Parish Council

Wind turbine worries or comments contact us on

           windturbines@

burtonjoyceparishcouncil.org.uk     

Sept2010 –Burton Joyce Strategic Plans .The BJPC begins its 3 year strategic planning for the village early November. After feedback from the village plan and other sources the BJPC wants to set targets for  areas of improvements within the village:  Suggestions so far have been:

1. Village Centre facelift including new surface , furniture an lighting to the area around the Post office.

2. Christmas tree lighting up ceremony in the village as community event

3. BJPC to take over verge cutting from NCC in an attempt to have neater more frequently cut grass areas

4. New pathway and verges to wasteland next to Nelson Car park and access to Trent

5. Additional Parking pull-ins to service estate agent shopping area and village hall.

6. Additional revenue stream for the Poplars to get closer to self sufficiency of income—with an all weather pitch.

7. Closer consultation with NCC and GBC department to ensure Burton Joyce and its residents are cared for and its environment and if it can deliver any additional  services such as verge cutting or local repairs more cost effectively than the larger agencies.

8. Community Power scheme development. Using either Photovoltaic panels(  large scale) or Low Head Turbines on the Trent.

These are just some of the ideas being considered and prioritised by the BJPC and then adopted into a formal strategic policy for the next few years,

 

May 2011  Village Gala at The grove this Year  Bank Hoilday Monday  May 2nd 2011. The BJPC working with the Three Village Gala has agreed to let the Grove be used  again this year for the annual gala. A successful , well received  more intimate event at the Grove, there will be more arena events, maypole dancing , bands and  children rides this year together with BBQ , beer tent and Bob Rose Memorial; Trophy football match. Due to cut back t he BJPC will not be contributing this year and the event costs will be borne by the Three Villages Gala committee. It is hope there will be no entry fee again this year

March2011-  Public Toilets set to close. The public toilets at The Robert Recreation playground operated by Gedling Borough are set to close due to funding cutbacks. GBC informed us is costs around £10k to clean, repair, paint and supply us a year. The BJPC felt that although this was excessive it felt that it could not take over the running as no funds were being offered. The building structure is notably poor and there are significant youth issues around it a night and incidents of undesirable activity in the male toilets occasionally. The BJPC feel that a although many playground do not have toilets it is an important part of the playground visit. It has therefore being proposed that some funds from the £200k refit will be spent on building a single unisex disabled toilet , coin operated  facility . This would mean that for a period the playground would be without a facility but as GBC demolish the toilets but hopefully the new scheme would be running some times after that.... Watch this space!!

March 2011-  Burton Joyce Library Hours to halve.  Nott's County council  have announced significant funding cuts to our local library. At a local meeting they announced the opening hours would be cut in half due to funding cut-backs. Discussions indicated that the two paid librarians could be split up and paired with  local volunteers to double the opening hours. The volunteers would need training by NCC and CRB checked etc, but if you think you could spare 3 hrs per week or more and would like to assist the library service the BJPC has been asked to collect and forward names to the Library service — please contact  clerk@burtonjoyceparishcouncil.org.uk   Tel:  01159 314084 . The BJPC also considering a option of moving the Parish Office to the library and donating the savings made to buy more library opening time . This is a complex issue involving  right s of tenure etc , demolition of existing office and movement of services , but  three councillors have been tasked to look at its viability.

March 2011-  Roberts Recreation Ground funding applications begin. Has appointed Groundworks to design and manage the new £200k playground scheme . A not for profit organisation with large experience in playground design. The BJPC hope to access £150k of funds itself and is assisting a local group made up of residents and parent called Friends of the Roberts Recreation Group apply for a Community Grant for £50k to put towards the venture. If you wish to join the group and help change the Playground and assist in its concept and design then please contact Nicola at friendsofrrg@hotmail.co.uk.  Part of the work will hopefully be started later on in 2011.

March  2011-  Severn Trent announce fan Noise Reduction completed at Stoke Bardolph. Over the last 18 months a significant noise nuisance from Stoke Bardolph sewage Centrifuge pumps has been causing distress to man villager from the floodplain up to the top of Lambley Lane. The offending centrifuge pumps have now been enclosed giving a 10 db drop. This coupled with Chettle's Industrial Fans also being changed has given a notable reduction in the late night whine annoying to many. Thanks primarily go  to a local resident Ian Taylor for his persistent and accurate work.

Jan 2011-  Bus Plug reopens to public in experimental scheme A scheme to remove the bus plug between Gedling and Burton Joyce opened no HGV are allowed and a traffic light restrictor is in place. Early signs show the road outside Carlton le willows school is still relatively quiet The scheme will be assessed over the first 6 months and adjusted after 18 months.

March 2011  Wind Turbine application hits stormy weather. The BJPC wind turbine working group is still  continuing to work on further details for the turbine application. Latest indications confirm that  The Environment Agency has agreed with BJPC that the risk of groundwater contamination of the aquifer using concrete piles is too great and have issue a notice preventing their use.  Problems with the sound measurement to ETSU R97 have also been raised and  new evidence of none compliance has been submitted. Sport England have also voiced concerns over the impact and potential closure of the Poplars Sports ground. Daily Mail article questioning on onshore  efficiency here

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Annual Parish Council Meeting

The annual meeting of the Parish Council was held on Tuesday 17^th May. Cllr Chris Hutt was elected Chair and Cllr Steve Cluff was elected Vice Chair. It was agreed that committees for the following year would be Amenities, Planning, Finance & General Purposes and Poplars Sports Ground. Councillors also resolved to form a new committee which would look at a wider range of Community issues such as the reduced Library service, wind turbines and highways. Members of the public are welcome to attend any meetings of the Council.

Highways

The Parish Council continues to lobby Notts County Council Highways Department for improvements to the village’s roads and pavements and was pleased to see a positive response to its request to re-surface Main Street between Padley’s Lane and Woodside Close. Whilst not the full length of Main Street as hoped, the work undertaken has addressed the main problem area.

June2011-  Wind Turbine Application Decision Delayed until further notice:  Cllr Cluff from The Wind Turbine Group confirms the application has ground to a halt. GBC Planning is waiting for a response from TNEI (Seven Trent Agents) in relation to queries raised in various objections. Sport England have issued a holding objection in relation to impact on the Poplars Sports Ground. Notably– Red Boundary  Application errors, Noise assessment errors, Flood risk assessment concerns relating to change in foundations. Dual Flicker at Carlton le Willows school. Martin Russell of GBC planning stated that until further information was received there could be no decisions could be made in the foreseeable future. BJPC has written to GBC planning to express concern over the delays and the impact to the village life and uncertainty over house moves

Change of Chair & Vice Chair. Cllr Chris Hutt becomes Chairman and Cllr Steve Cluff becomes Vice Chairman.

Internal Audit Report

Each year Parish Councils are currently required to undergo a rigorous audit process. The internal audit, conducted by an independent firm of auditors, tested thoroughly all of the financial systems and found them to be robust.

Annual Accounts 2010/11

At the June meeting, the Parish Council approved the annual accounts for the year 2010/11 – these will shortly be made available on the Parish Council website and on request from the Parish Office. The overall income for the year amounted to just under £137K, an increase over last year of £8k, with the expenditure being just under £129K an increase of £10k, leaving a modest annual surplus of £8k. Our reserves, which are recommended to be 1/3 of our annual expenditure stood at approximately £44k (32%). Income for the Poplars Sports Ground during the past year rose from £12,619 to £14,724 – an increase of over 15% whilst the expenditure fell from £21,320 to £20,439 – a decrease of almost 6%.