Village Archive News
News 1st December 2008
County Council Mineral Core Strategy
As many of you will be aware the County Council are in the process of deciding on their aims and plans for the future regarding mineral extraction. They are now looking at the options of strategic sites which have been submitted by the mineral industry and landowners, Fisherwick being one of them! The Parish Council has been vigorously pursuing this issue and will be fighting and objecting to this site being considered and for this option to be dropped at this early stage of consultation. Should the development go ahead the size and potential scale of the possible extraction area would be extending over 100 hectares, removing upwards of 5 million tonnes over 15 years, straddling either side Fisherwick Road to the North and South, and East of the railway. The Parish Council find this totally unacceptable.
The consultation on this document closed officially on 24th November 2008, but some leeway for late comments is available. The PC feels that the notification was totally inadequate and will also be pursuing this issue with the County Council and demanding that the local community is more widely involved in issues that could potentially impact on their lifestyle for many years. If you have missed their deadline and would still like to make any comments about their consultation documents, please contact them on the following number: 01785 277275.
(Consultation Documents can be found by clicking here )
Village Post Office
Good news on the future of our village post office. After many discussions with the CEO ofTamworth Coop, the Continuation Manager for the West Midlands Region of the Post Office and our local sub postmaster, an offer has been made to purchase and run the post office. The offer is still dependent upon the business offer being sound and the post office’s acceptance of the competence and appropriate qualifications of the people wishing to purchase the business. So far it is looking good. However if the offer is not successful, we are informed by the sub postmaster that temporary cover will be available for a period during which other options can be explored. We are assured by the Post Office Continuation Manager that every effort will be made to keep our post office open and a long term option may be to move the counter to the Tamworth Coop.
Best Kept Village Competition 2009
For many years the Parish Council entered our village for the Best Kept Village Competition in Staffordshire. Two years ago after some apparent apathy from the community your Parish Council decided to abandon the competition and to plough their energies into other projects, some which have matured others are ongoing. We have again been invited to join the competition for the year 2009. Do we have any volunteers who with Parish Council help and support would be prepared to take on this project? We can brief on the requirements of the competition and guide on action and targets and provide some funds to meet costs. The competition focuses on the village environment, its standard of presentation and the level of involvement of the community. It can certainly develop a pride in our village and raise our profile.
Please contact your Parish Council chairman John Smith on 432848 if you are prepared to help.
Councillors’ Surgery
The next Council surgery will take place in the Village Hall on Saturday 13 December from 11 to 12 midday. This is an opportunity to meet with local councillors at Parish, District and County level to discuss local issues on a one to one level. This is the last of our trial period of surgeries after which we will assess the benefits of progressing the service into the new year. Of the four surgeries held since July of this year interest has not been fairly poor. It may be because our community is generally happy with the services provided by the various levels of council, or that there is already a platform at our monthly Parish Council meetings for the public to air their views. If so we will withdraw the surgery facility from the new year. Please give us your views.
Village Christmas Tree
The Village Christmas tree is now well installed in the centre of the village by the village hall. This year the tree was kindly donated by Mr Charlie Wylie, a local farmer. If you think it brightens up the community during these gloomy evenings and like the idea please tell your Parish Concillors. If it is a success we plan to plant a permanent tree for future years.
News 28th November 2008
Whittington Village Allotments
At last the Parish Council has received the lease for the allotment land in the village and plot holders are ready to move in and start to prepare their plots. At a recent meeting attended by nearly 40 interested parties the P. C. gave an overview of the situation to date, shared the draft terms and agreement conditions, discussed the forming of an allotment association committee and attempted to answer the many questions from the floor.
Following the meeting 20 volunteers turned up to help mark out the plots, a very successful morning’s work. We have also had a number people volunteer to form the allotment association management committee which will be responsible for the day to day running of the site. That committee will meet during this week to elect a chairman and amongst other things allocate plots to individuals. Plot holders will then receive a copy of the terms and conditions and when signed can then legally enter the allotment and commence work on the ground, a daunting task.
There will undoubtedly be teething problems and hopefully these will be overcome in time. We wish all plot holders a good, healthy growing season.
For the notes of the meeting click here.
For a recent press release from County Councillor Mathew Ellis click here.
Traffic Issues
Vice chairman John Cannon met recently with Helen Portman from Staffordshire County Highways Lichfield Division to walk around the village and look at the traffic issues, particularly the "hotspots" of Fisherwick road Approach/Dog crossroads, Church Street and Main Street/Burton Road bend. For more details of what was agreed click here to see notes from their meeting.
New News 3rd October 08
New Vicar
The Revd Fiona Haskett has been appointed as the new incumbent (vicar) of the benefice of Whittington, Weeford and Hints. Fiona is marred to Graham and they have four virtually grown up children.
The Induction Service for Fiona will take place on Wed 14 Jan 09 at 7.30pm in the Parish Church of St. Giles. The Bishop of Lichfield will officiate.
School Catchment Areas
The rumour that the county council was in an advanced stage of re organising local school catchment areas was brought to the Parish Council’s notice some weeks ago and thoroughly investigated. Following conversations with County Councillor Matthew Ellis, and his briefing by a senior member of the County Education Authority, it is believed the rumour to be spurious and nonsense and the wrong end of the stick picked up. Both believe the information had been misinterpreted, and there is absolutely no truth in the rumour. This information was communicated to those concerned some weeks ago.
WFEG Commended
Whittington and Fisherwick's Low Carbon Initiative was commended in the Low Carbon Initiative section of the Southern Staffordshire Regeneration Awards which were announced on Tuesday at the Moat House, Acton Trussell. WFEG were presented with a trophy and certificate, by Tom Fanning (CE of MEL Ltd the M6 Toll operators and Chair of the Southern Staffordshire Partnership). The winner was Staffordshire Business Environment Network. WFEG were delighted to even get this far.
Also WFEG have had around 60 enquiries from the parish re the insulation campaign (and quite a few more from outside). If you want further details please visit their website at www.wfeg.org.uk.
You may be interested to have a look at this recent publication of Staffordshire County Magazine which names Whititngton and Fisherwick as some of the greenest villages on the planet! Click here to view the article.
New Parish Councillors
Christine Jones and Peter Jackson have been co-opted to fill the recent Parish Council vacancies.
Recycle Unwanted items
Give away your unwanted goods to people who would find them very useful rather than add to fast diminishing and costly landfill sites. Visit 2recycle.co.uk.
You can also use www.freecycle.org which is run in a slightly different way from 2recycle - folk have to join a local group via Yahoo groups (Lichfield has over 2000 members)and then they can post stuff they want to give away and ask for stuff too. Similar principle but more local (and hence hopefully less transportation involved!)
9th July 08
Opportunity to meet and talk to your Councillors. Council surgeries Sat 2 Aug
Disappointingly, the interest at our first council surgery held early June was not overwhelming, however we agreed to trial the project for a period of 6 months so offer our next surgery in the village hall committee room on Sat 2 Aug 08 between 11.00 and midday. The surgery provides an opportunity for members of the public to present questions or queries to councillors at both Parish, District and County level. County Cllr Matthew Ellis, Lichfield District Cllrs Colin Ablitt and Alan White and your Parish Chairman will be available to take questions and listen to your views.
A further surgery is planned early October.
New Parish Councillors
Gareth Hyde and John Fenner have been co-opted to fill the recent Parish Council vacancies. Gareth, a retired police inspector from the West Midlands Division is married with two groups of grown up children. During his time in the force he worked extensively within the community and has been involved in many community projects. He moved to Whittington in 2006 with his partner (now wife) and has since become totally involved in village life. He joined the Over 60s, now Whittington Wednesday Club and after a period of time serving on the committee was elected as chairman. Garry is also an active member of the Village Hall committee, the Whittington Social Club and a keen member of the Crown Bowling Club.
John Fenner who only narrowly failed to be elected in the May 07 local elections, is married with an family of three young children and moved to Whittington 5 years ago. Since then he and his wife have made many good friends and already feel Whittington is the place where they belong. John is a qualified accountant and has worked as a practising accountant and registered auditor for 25 years. He has recently accepted a post at Birmingham University as senior lecturer in taxation and financial accounting.
The Council look forward to working with Garry and John over the coming years and hope both get real satisfaction and fulfilment in their new roles.
Parish Council Vacancy
There is now a further vacancy on the Parish Council. Any one interested in joining the council should apply in writing to the Clerk, Mrs Janine Arm (details on reverse of newsletter). If you require information on the role and what it involves please give the Chairman ring on Tel. 432848
Curborough Eco Town Proposals
Although recent press coverage has advised us that this proposal has now been withdrawn, the Council have written to register their observations. They were are follows:
In responding earlier in the year to the Consultation document relating to the Local Draft Framework Plan the Parish Council commented at some length on each of the four alternatives under consideration, including the Fradley (now Curborough) option. Its major interest then was to register opposition to variants envisaging substantial expansion in rural areas (the so called “dispersed options”), which in Whittington’s case would have almost certainly eroded Green Belt land surrounding the village.
On the basis of information provided then, that response also raised concerns about the possibility of undue pressure being put on the local road network around the village by the “Fradley” option, particularly if the transport hub mooted therein went ahead. It also suggested that consideration be given to redesignating Greenfield land north of the West Coast Main Line as Green Belt to ensure a green corridor was maintained between Lichfield and the Curborough settlement, should that be the favoured option.
Since then more information has emerged which simply adds to the Council’s fears. Firstly, the “green” credentials being used to justify this expansion appear, to put it mildly, dubious. Secondly, once established – as conceded in the consultation document – there will be substantial pressure for further expansion on commercial and economic grounds. Thirdly, the associated current proposal for the Renewable Energy Park – if taken forward – would place totally unacceptable pressures on our rural environment in terms of noise, smell, visual degradation and traffic movements.
Whittington and Fisherwick Parish Councillors are heartened to see that Lichfield District Council, as an elected body, has voted to object to the current proposals. The local campaign group FACT (Fradley Against Curborough Town) has also put forward detailed and cogent arguments against them proceeding, with which the Council broadly agrees. I have therefore, in the interests of the residents of Whittington and Fisherwick, been directed to register formally the Parish Council’s support for the stance taken by both organisations, its serious reservations over the current “eco town” proposals, and in particular to record its unqualified opposition to the recently publicised Renewable Energy (Incinerator) Park proposals.
For a recent news article about the withdrawal of the proposal please click here.
Opportunity to meet and talk to your Councillors.
Any member of the community wishing to formally present a question to your parish council has the opportunity during the public session of the monthly council meeting normally held on the first Monday of the month. The meeting of the Council is adjourned for 15 minutes to enable the public to address the Council on any issue they wish to raise with the Council. The public session is a non agenda item and is programmed near the start of the meeting.
There are obviously times when members of the public are unable to attend these meetings and would like to discuss a question or a problem of a more personal nature, possibly on a one to one basis. To offer this facility the council is proposing to trial a series of ‘surgeries’ where members of the public can present their questions to councillors at both Parish, District and County level.
County Cllr Matthew Ellis, Lichfield District Cllrs Colin Ablitt and Alan White and your Parish Chairman will be available to take questions in the Village Hall starting Saturday 7 June 08 from 11.00 to 12.00. Surgeries will take place at two monthly intervals on the first Saturday of the month (details in newsletter, web site and parish notice board). We offer this facility for a trial period though if well supported would undoubtedly consider developing the idea. Our thanks to Cllrs Ellis, Ablitt and White for giving of their time.
Parish Council A.G.M.
At the Parish Council annual general meeting the elections of new appointments and committee members took place. Your new Chairman is Cllr John Smith who has served on the council for over five years the last three as vice chairman. Cllr John Cannon accepted the role as vice chairman. John has also served on the council for a number of years and been involved in many issues including environment and planning. In accepting the appointment the new chairman spoke about the busy schedule ahead and highlighted some of the major issues including the purchase and the development of the Glebe land, the negotiations with Sandwell District Council over the leasing of further land for recreational purposes and the allotments project.
Thanks to the outgoing Chairman
Some forty or so Parish Councillors, Ex Councillors and their partners met to say thank you to our retiring chairman, Frank Bartlett and his wife Isobel. During the evening in which a buffet and drinks were provided a presentation was made to Frank and a bouquet of flowers to Isobel. The evening which was a great success concluding some five years of dedicated and committed chairmanship by Frank. As the new chairman said in his vote of thanks, ‘ a very hard act to follow.’
Council Vacancies
Another reminder that there are two vacancies to be filled on the parish council. Details of application are on the parish notice boards or further information can be obtained from your Chairman tel.432848, the clerk Mrs Janine Arm Tel.450181 or other councillors. If if you wish to contribute and serve your community we need your support, why not apply.
Council Awards Grants in excess of £10,000 to local Community Groups
At a meeting held on 18 February the Parish Council considered the grant applications received from Community Groups seeking funding from proceeds raised through the 2007 Countryside Fair held last September.
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The Council were pleased to be able to award grants to all community groups whose applications met the criteria. Each Group were invited to send a representative to receive their grant at the March Parish Council meeting.
The Parish Council congratulates all grant award winners and looks forward to further funds being made available for new applications through the 2008 Countryside Fair to be held this September.
Grants were awarded to:
Whittington Bowling Club;
Whittington Cricket Club ;
1ST Whittington Scout Troop;
Whittington Over 60'S Club;
Whittington History Society;
The Bell Ringers of St Giles;
Management Committee of Thomas Spencer Hall;
Harlequin Amateur Theatrical Society;
Whittington Villlage Hall;
Whittington FC – FA Community Club;
Whittington Community First Responder Group;
Lichfield District Council - Summer Play Scheme;
Whittington & Fisherwick Environment Group – WFEG;
Whittington United FC;
St Giles Pram Service;
Whittington Craft Club.
If your group would like to apply for a grant, please visit Grants section for more details.
Parish Council set standstill Council Tax for fifth consecutive year
Residents will soon be receiving their Council Tax bill for 2008/9. Part of this will be the Parish Precept set by the Parish Council to provide our very local services. Oddly the Parish Council has an unlimited legal right to raise tax and must use this power wisely. It is very conscious that any increase greater than income inflation makes people poorer but also that the community has a right to expect a high standard of service. To achieve an appropriate balance requires very careful calculation and good financial management.
The Council again has decided that a standstill Parish Precept be set. This will be the fifth consecutive year that the Parish Precept has not increased, an achievement probably not equalled by any local authority in the country. What is particularly pleasing is that the five year standstill has been achieved against a background of improved services to the village, more financial support for village groups and an increase in reserves.
Please report any incident you experience using the form below. This information may be provided anonymously. These reports should be sent to the Clerk to the Council.
Download Anti social behaviour incident report form
Other actions you can take:
Whittington Barracks – update on developments
Whittington Barracks will cease training army recruits from the end of April 2008. In fact the final passing out parade will take place at the Barracks on 17th of that month. It is unlikely that the bulk of any major demolition or rebuild of the redesigned barracks will take place until 2009, though it is possible that some external construction on the new road off the A51 to the new entrance at the Keep will start earlier. The redevelopment of the Barracks will probably take up to 4 years. Though some of the married quarters will be vacated in April it is planned to re-house military personnel from outlying districts in these empty quarters. It is hoped to provide updates on developments and progress as appropriate.
Parish Council Chairman to Retire
When, in 2001, I was approached by a former Parish Council Chairman and invited to join the Council, I asked when the election was to be held. The reply was “We don’t have elections in Whittington”. What a lot has changed.
The Council has been fully elected on two occasions; we have achieved Quality Parish status which is national recognition of Council competence; the Country Fair has become a major annual event providing thousands of pounds for Parish voluntary organisations; play facilities have been improved at Noddington Lane, Council proceedings are more transparent with public participation at meetings, a quarterly newsletter delivered personally by Councillors to every home in the Parish and a Parish website published; negotiations are well advanced to provide land for further sports facilities and allotments; Whittington Community First Responder Group has been established; Council finances have been put on a sound footing with increased spending on the community and larger emergency reserves; and all the above has been achieved with a standstill Parish Council Tax for five consecutive years, unique anywhere in the Country.
I have been proud to represent the Community and play a part in these changes, but after five years in the Chair the task has grown to an almost full-time, albeit unpaid job, and I would rather like my life back. I will therefore be standing down as Chairman in April and leaving the Council as soon as practical after that.
I would like to thank my fellow Councillors for their unstinting support and Parish residents for their constructive advice and their many expressions of appreciation and over the years.
Frank Bartlett