[ PC News ] [ PC Agenda ] [ PC minutes ] [ PC Annual Open ] [ Allotments ] [ Cemetery ] [ Finance ] [ Fishpond ] [ Planning ] [ Transport&Environment ] [ Outside Bodies ] [ other reports ] [ Human Resources H&S ]
Barton-under-Needwood
Parish Council
Fish Pond Committee
Page last update on 19 November 2009
Chairman Adrian Wedgwood
Fishpond Committee Members
|
Committee Members |
Cllr. Adrian Wedgwood | Cllr. Ian Gilbey | Cllr. Ed Sharkey |
| Co-opted | Mr Bob Spurrier | ||
| Bailiffs | Mr Bob Spurrier | Mr Adam Spurrier |
Meeting Dates
| 14 May 2009 | 14 January 2010 | |
| 13 July 2009 | April 2010 | |
| 15 October 2009 |
TERMS OF REFERENCE - Fishpond Committee
- Managing the fishpond and its banks, fishing pegs, fish stocks and pumping station.
- Appointing & managing bailiffs.
- Establishing and enforcing the rules for angling.
- Budgeting for operating & maintenance costs annually in October and working within these resources. Seeking additional funds from the Council in exceptional circumstances.
- Collecting & accounting for permit fees & remitting these quarterly to the Clerk.
- Promoting use of the facility particularly by young people.
- Implementing Environment Agency Fisheries Technical Officer’s recommendations for pond husbandry
WORK STARTS ON £34,000 VILLAGE ‘GATEWAY’ & FISHPOND SCHEME
Visitors to historic Barton under Needwood, between Burton and Lichfield, will see major environmental improvements now underway to the pedestrian ‘gateway’ to the village from Barton Turns Marina and more anglers will soon be able to fish the well-stocked village fishpond thanks to grants from local funders towards Barton Parish Council’s £34,000 community space scheme that’s just started.
Bramble & scrub is being cleared ready for planting by Vernon Wright, village based landscape contractor, hedging and fencing installed, new paths laid and ornamental trees planted to transform Gilmour Lane into an avenue with picnic benches and a village and National Forest visitor information board.
Barton’s popular fishpond, teeming with carp, rudd, tench and gudgeon, is set for a make-over with more fishing ‘pegs’, improvements to others, obstructions cleared and new facilities for disabled anglers including special parking spaces and ‘pegs’ for wheelchair users.
Designed by local landscape architects, Ed Sharkey Associates, the Barton Parish Council project is being funded by grants from East Staffordshire Borough Council, The National Forest, Barton and Dunstall Key Trust, Burton Breweries Charitable Trust & Staffordshire County Council’s Local Community Fund.
Aggregate Industries and Ed Sharkey Associates are making in-kind donations of materials and professional services and John Taylor High School students will be raising funds for tree planting.
Adrian Wedgwood, chairman of Barton Parish Council, said “Gilmour Lane is now a major pedestrian gateway between the new Marina development and our attractive village as well as being used by parents and children at the Thomas Russell Junior School and, thanks to our sponsors, we’re making the whole area more interesting and a community recreation area with fine views over our popular Fishpond and Holland Sports Club”
“We’ll be transforming a rather untidy entrance to our village into an attractive community leisure area where villagers and visitors can relax, enjoy the countryside and perhaps try casting a line into our popular Fishpond” commented Ed Sharkey, landscape architect and Barton Parish Councillor.
In the autumn youngsters from the Thomas Russell Junior School’s ‘eco-warriors’ will be planting native shrubs and Barton’s Women’s Institute will plant an oak tree to celebrate their 90th. anniversary.
 |
Picture shows: (l-r) Vernon Wright (landscape contractor); Ed
Sharkey (landscape architect) & Adrian Wedgwood (chairman Barton Parish
Council) at the start of work. More information: Adrian Wedgwood 01283 713125 or 07939 136937 |
20 August 2009
GILMOUR LANE & FISHPOND PROJECT REPORT NOVEMBER 2009
Work continues with the Fishpond elements almost complete and Gilmour Lane works largely await the season for lifting & planting of shrubs & trees. Ed Sharkey is supervising completion of the landscaping contract.
Staffordshire County Council have now laid the tarmac pathway from the Efflinch Lane footpath to our pathway on the North side of Gilmour Lane & re-sited the litter bin & ‘permissive’ path notice. They may also be arranging for the street lighting post to be moved.
Stumps & dropped kerbs, as part of the Safer Routes to School scheme, have been fitted by SCC to Gilmour Lane. Contractors working on those & other works at the school are using our ground for storage; the ground will be returned by them to planting condition.
Despite continued pressure, now involving Cllr Tim Corbett, there has been no progress with road gulley clearance or the draft licence proposed by SCC last March. We have now threatened to consider litigation and to do the work ourselves, charging SCC for the full cost plus our time & overheads spent from March 2009.
At SCC’s request we have obtained & sent them a quotation of £1,500 for the design & construction supervision of a properly engineered soakaway for the East end of Gilmour Lane. We await their acceptance following which we will ask Vernon Wright to quote for installation; that cost to be borne also by SCC.
Also at SCC’s request we have quoted for sweeping Gilmour Lane gutters at least ten times a year, that being the minimum frequency at which we sweep those in Efflinch Lane. We await their decision.
Following the collapse of large rotten sections of the Dog Willow adjacent to the new seating area Vernon Wright will be removing this shrub and it will be replaced by Barton WI’s 90th. anniversary celebration oak tree.
A Tree Council grant of £304 from the Real Hedge Fund has been awarded to plant the boundary hedge between our land & Holland Sports Club. The first stage payment has been received.
The gap in the fence left for football recovery at the East end of Gilmour Lane has become a path for dog walkers. Fence rails will now be installed to discourage this with only the top rail missing. ‘No Path’ notices will be displayed both sides.
Design & content of the Information Board to be located opposite the Junior School entrance has been finalised, agreed by the National Forest, and ordered for installation early in December.
Sponsors the Burton Breweries Charitable Trust, ESBC & the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust have been recognised with positive Press coverage of presentations with photographs showing our Fishpond & new facilities to advantage.
The project sponsors ‘memorial’ will now be a plaque produced by Hardy Signs & fitted to the back of the life-ring board facing Gilmour Lane together with the two existing ‘memorials’ recognising sponsors of earlier works. Restoring the lettering on the stainless steel plaque is unfortunately not feasible and the £210 cost of a new one is not thought to be a reasonable expense.
Official opening of the completed project will take place at 11.00 on Wednesday 16th December 2009. Mrs Katie Neilson Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire & Mr Robin Neilson, Lord of the Manor of Barton under Needwood, will be our VIP’s. I will give advance notice of this next week to all sponsors and will arrange formal invitations at the end of November. That date can now be broadcast via our established communication systems throughout the village. News Releases & Photo Opportunities to the Press will follow together with invitations to the three schools. Our photographer will attend.
It is proposed that sponsors, VIP’s, Members & those who have assisted with the project should be invited to adjourn afterwards to the Shoulder of Mutton for refreshments. A budget of up to £200 should be allowed for this.
Council is asked to approve the actions & content of this Report.
Adrian Wedgwood 29th October 2009.
GILMOUR LANE VILLAGE & NATIONAL FOREST INTERPRETATION BOARD PROGRESS REPORT
Our objectives for this board are:
* attracting & welcoming tourists to Barton & showing them by map where to find the multitude of services & recreational activities that exist together with our historic buildings;
* providing some interesting snippets of history for this vibrant community;
* showing the relationship to the National Forest and pathway to Barton Marina;
* recognizing the seven other sponsors & Barton Parish Council in this community initiative.
The Board will follow the same format as the Barton Marina sample illustrated and will be constructed in the ‘Lectern’ style shown.
The National Forest, as a condition of their grant, must approve the style & content.
Main heading should be Barton under Needwood. The sub heading could be ‘An historic village & vibrant community’
The principal ‘attractor’ picture is envisaged as the iconic shot of the Parish Church tower, cedar tree & memorial taken from outside the Shoulder of Mutton. For the others an aerial picture of the village may be available together with a picture of anglers at the Fishpond and some of our listed buildings. Suggestions are welcome.
The map (draft shown) aims to assist visitors find key facilities & services in the village.
The bottom right section may be headed Barton under Needwood Parish Council with text:Gilmour Lane & Fishpond Community Greenspace Project 2009 supported by (logos of) East Staffordshire Borough Council, The National Forest, Barton & Dunstall Key Trust, Burton Breweries Charitable Trust, Staffordshire County Council Local Community Fund, Aggregate Industries, Ed Sharkey Associates, John Taylor High School.
See: www.barton-under-needwood.org.uk and noticeboards for Fishpond information.
The main body text needs to attract & inform readers encouraging them to walk round our community, visiting places of interest, patronizing our churches, traders and pubs and come back for more. Also we should engender civic pride, informing our ‘locals’ with ‘snippets’ of history. Steve Gardner is helping me write this section of c280 words.
I am aiming to assemble all the content within the next two weeks so that the National Forest design & woodworking contractors can have the panel ready for installation by the end of October 2009.
Any Member who would like to comment on the proposals and assist with this work should contact me by 7 September.
Council is asked to note this Report & Adopt its content.
Adrian Wedgwood September 2009
Straw remedy for algal bloom
I'm pleased to advise that our bailiffs have placed large nets of barley straw in the pond to help combat a growing problem with an algal bloom caused largely by the earlier hot weather. The floating nets will, with time, sink partially but they contain plastic bottles to act as floats to prevent total submergence.
I understand anglers are reporting big catches of fish - one report mentions a fish a minute!
If you have any questions - please speak to our bailiffs Bob or Adam Spurrier at the ‘Shoulder of Mutton'.
10 June 2009
FISHPOND COMMITTEE REPORT JUNE 2009
Maintenance Matters:
Following reports of a potential algal problem our Bailiffs are considering installing barley straw netted bags.
Quotations are being obtained for fishing pegs tree trimming alongside Potters Way and for the planting of marginal aquatic plants all as recommended in the EA report.
Good catches are being reported including Gudgeon & Tench, none of which was captured during the EA fish survey.
Council is asked to approve the actions stated and adopt this report.
Adrian Wedgwood
30 May 2009
Page last update on 19 November 2009