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Barton-under-Needwood
Parish Council News

Page last update on 18 June 2010

Contents

PARISH COUNCIL NEWS JUNE 2010

Last month East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Planning Committee approved the greatly enlarged St George’s Park National Football Centre, hotel and housing developments at Rangemore.  Whilst welcoming this prestigious facility and the potential benefits for the area we, together with Parish Councils at Tatenhill and Dunstall, expressed serious concerns about some aspects of the development and their effect on our communities.

The three Parish Councils have formed an alliance and are pressing both the Borough and County Councils for specific measures to deter traffic from coming through our villages and prevent the laying of a major power cable disrupting our residents, businesses and schools.  In particular we are seeking a 20 mph speed restriction throughout the village, not just outside the schools, and speed cameras at strategic locations on Forest Road.

Five formal tenders were received for the new Youth of Barton and Playbuilder schemes on Collinson Park and contracts have been placed with UPM Tilhill, a national landscaping & forestry management company, for work to start this month with completion in the autumn.

We are particularly grateful to Aggregate Industries, who through their operations here at Newbold, Uttoxeter & Bardon are generously providing aggregates, rocks and landscaping subsoil at no materials cost to our project.

In the autumn the wooded area separating the Park from Collinson Road will receive attention.  This includes maintaining the high level screening, providing a stronger hedge barrier to stop children running onto the road and establishing ground cover planting under the wooded canopy.

When completed, the Park will have a village & National Forest information board with street and amenities map, similar to those at Gilmour Lane and Ashtree Road Pocket Park.

Also, working with PC Guy Jones & PCSO Steve Smith, we are hoping to improve the street lighting on the footpath at the cemetery end of Collinson Park.

Programme updates and progress reports will be placed on notice-boards and our village Website www.barton-under-needwood.org.uk

With the financial support of our Borough Council improvements have been made to the public footpath from Efflinch Lane to Barton Turns where it runs between Barton Brook and Holland Sports Club’s tug of war training area.

School time parking on Dunstall Road causes congestion and hazards for residents.  Working with the County Council we have agreed parking restrictions and the creation of passing areas between the Library and Smallmeadows Lane that should improve traffic flow and safety.  SCC will now make the necessary legal arrangements for the road markings to be installed later this year.  At the same time it is planned that parking restrictions can be installed to prevent obstruction at the ‘narrowing’ in Church Lane.

Following negotiations with the Junior School & the County’s Education Directorate, who are responsible for maintaining Gilmour Lane, the road gully ‘ponding’ is resolved and we now include the lane in our road sweeping schedule.

Allotment holders at our busy, productive, site in Efflinch Lane are being supported by our provision of a shed from which they can organise activities and possibly form an Association enabling grant applications for further improvements.

By next winter Holland Sports Club will have lighting to their car park thanks to a grant we have organised from the County’s Local Community Fund, through Cllr Tim Corbett.  That, together with additional funding from the Club, will extend Potters Way lighting to provide a more welcoming approach to the popular and successful sports club.

Adrian Wedgwood.  Chairman, Barton Parish Council

18 June 2010

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS MAY 2010

Whilst Britain and the Media were gripped in General Election fever many could be forgiven for failing to notice that at our Annual Meeting, held on 6^th May, your Parish Council was establishing its team for the busy year ahead.  Fortunately we have already an excellent, non political, coalition in place that delivers great results.

Organised into Committees most include lay members with specialist knowledge.  Each advises Council Members on the principal elements and efficient operation of our many interests each is led by a Councillor Chairman:

Finance: David Sherratt; Planning: Pauline Fisher; Transport & Environment: Ed Sharkey; Burial Ground: Tony Wood; Allotments: Pauline Fisher; Human Resources: Jeff Pattison; Fishpond: Adrian Wedgwood.

Vic Trigwell is Vice-Chairman and I am Chairman for the next twelve months.

Rangemore’s planned National Football Centre, though not in our Parish, has our support as a national centre of excellence for soccer but we are extremely concerned about some aspects of the proposed development that could have impact on Barton.

Twenty-eight large new houses are proposed in the middle of the countryside, under the flight-path and almost at the end of Tatenhill airfield’s runway. We believe this development contravenes just about every local and national planning policy. If approved by the Borough Council’s Planning Committee it risks creating an extremely dangerous precedent for the urbanisation of our beautiful countryside.  We are calling for that development to be refused.

Accommodation plans for the Football Centre have changed from a 125 bed ‘living house’ solely for footballers to a 228 bedroom ‘super’ hotel and 400 plus capacity conference centre that will be open to and largely dependent on public use.  Whilst it would doubtless create some welcome jobs we are concerned that additional car traffic will further clog the centre of Barton at peak times. Although signs will direct visitors from the Branston A38 junction to Shobnall & then via Henhurst Hill to Rangemore we believe that anybody with a Satnav coming from the South or West will take the shortcut through Barton.

The new development will have a big demand for electricity.  We’ve heard that a new underground cable may be laid under roads from Barton Business Park right through the middle of this village and along Forest Road to Byrkley Park.  The potential for disruption of our village businesses, schools and community is considerable.

Barton Parish Council is calling for more consideration to be given to the impact of these issues on our community and solutions to our concerns. By the time you read this, decisions may have been made.

On a brighter note the Borough’s Neighbourhood Development team is planning an Action Day in Barton on 14^th July.  Many of the County and Borough services will come together to help promote services such as Neighbourhood Watch & Crime Prevention; Home Fire Risk checks; Health checks; Trading Standards test purchases; Household bulky waste collections; Dog Fouling and Gulley cleaning.  Council Members are prioritising the list of options.  Please watch for publicity for this LEAP day in Barton.

Speaking of elections, next May there’ll be elections for Parish & Borough Councillors.  I’m very keen that more people should come forward to join the Parish Council and it is one of my objectives for my final year as chairman to attract younger people and those with valuable skills who will stand for election next year.  If you’d like to see how we operate please come to a Council meeting – held at 7.15 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month in the Village Hall.

Adrian Wedgwood
Chairman, Barton Parish Council                                                            15 May 2010

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS APRIL 2010

There’s some fantastic news this month for our young people and those who look after them or lead their organisations.

Collinson Park playground is set for a full make-over following winning nearly £50,000 of Government Playbuilder funding aimed at providing 8 – 13 year olds with more adventurous play facilities.

Across Staffordshire twenty six schemes were proposed to Staffordshire County Council, local administrators of the Government’s Playbuilder grant scheme’s final year. Barton Parish Council’s exciting & innovative plan won through to the top five schemes of just eleven projects awarded grants.

When coupled with the previously announced Youth Capital Fund grant and local supporting funding for the Youth of Barton scheme for teenagers, over £90,000 will be invested in the Parish Council’s village centre playground this year.

Owned by Barton Parish Council since 1954, Collinson Road Recreation Park was bought as a playground by public subscription following HM Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Except for a popular play area for very young children installed in 2004 the playground has been largely under-utilised for some time

.Thanks to the dedication of our project team volunteers, particularly Cllr Vic Trigwell, project manager, & Cllr Ed Sharkey, landscape architect, and the generosity of our grant providers we will be creating a fantastic fun facility for village youngsters.

Designed to enhance the appearance of the park, provide healthy exercise opportunities, and give enjoyment to young and old, the scheme will be at little or no cost to Barton.

Now that funding contracts have been signed work will start on final design detail and tendering so that site works can begin this summer with everything completed by late autumn this year.

Staffordshire County Council has paid for a new soakaway in Gilmour Lane to stop the road ponding opposite the school swimming pool. Now it is installed we’ve finished the planting that’s started sprouting with Spring growth. Soon we’ll be installing a special aerator in the Fishpond to reduce the risk of algal bloom in the summer and putting in marginal plants to improve the habitat for pond life.

Aggregate Industries tell us they’ll be starting work this summer on their Tucklesholme quarry, on the north side of Walton Lane. Excavated gravel being moved by lorry from the quarry to the existing processing plant at Newbold pit will mean lots of extra traffic at the roundabouts at Barton Turns. You have been warned!

 Adrian Wedgwood
Chairman, Barton Parish Council                                                            14 April 2010

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS MARCH 2010

Some rather ‘heavy’ but important news this month!

Government forecasts for housing demand for the next fifteen or twenty years are requiring Local Authorities such as East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire to allocate sites for new housing developments.  Present targets suggest around thirteen thousand new homes in East Staffordshire plus twelve thousand in South Derbyshire. It is thought that, although the forthcoming General Election may see some policy changes, there is believed to be a long term demand that needs to be satisfied.

Across the border in South Derbyshire the plan for the East Midlands region is that the new developments should mainly support the regeneration of Swadlincote.

However, Roger Bullivant Ltd, owners of a large site between Stapenhill & the former Drakelow power station site, has submitted a Planning Application for some two thousand five hundred houses at ‘Drakelow Park’. Planning consent exists already for a new gas fired power station nearby and the generating company are seeking to double its size.  All this is linked to an agreed privately funded new bridge over the River Trent and a bypass for Walton on Trent.

Although there will be a major impact on Stapenhill & Burton we believe that these developments will have also a significant influence on the volume of traffic using the B5016/A38 junction at Barton Turns and coming through our village. Can they cope?

Your Council has lodged a formal objection to the ‘Drakelow Park’ housing proposals and is now urging South Derbyshire and East Staffordshire to work together to ensure that there is a comprehensive review of strategic housing sites in Burton & Swadlincote.  This needs to ensure that, amongst others, roads, public transport and education facilities can deal with the extra load.

Meanwhile, in the West Midlands, most of the potential developments in East Staffordshire are expected to take place in Burton & Uttoxeter but there is possibly a need to site some new housing in the larger villages.

East Staffordshire Borough Council’s (ESBC) recent review of rural communities suggests which villages have sufficient amenities to support additional housing development.  This ‘settlement hierarchy’ can be found on www.eaststaffordshirebc.gov.uk and demonstrates that Barton, as the largest village in East Staffordshire, ranks with Tutbury & Rocester as capable of being expanded.

Landowners and developers are suggesting to ESBC parcels of land that might be suitable for future housing development.  In Barton these are between Station Road & Dunstall Road, at Barton Green by the ‘Royal Oak’ and off Efflinch Lane between Mill Lane & Barton Marina. 

It is early days for all these proposals and your Council is keeping a close watch on this.  We will be working to limit any negative impact whilst seeking to gain substantial benefits for our community from any future development that ESBC might permit.

Adrian Wedgwood
Chairman, Barton Parish Council

10 March 2010

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February Parish Council News

Winter’s grip took hold of our Fishpond last month resulting in it freezing over from bank to bank.  We hear so many instances of people drowning when they fall through the ice that it is difficult to understand the behaviour of vandals that threw our life-ring onto the ice and fools that walked across the frozen pond.

Loss of the life-saving ring in this way happened twice. Please tell our Clerk or PCSO Steve Smith if you know who was responsible. Walking on frozen ponds and rivers is fraught with danger – I know, my grandfather drowned when skating on a frozen river!

Following their theft we have reinstated the ‘please don’t feed the ducks’ notices around the fishpond. These contain clear reasons for not feeding the wild birds as bread is of no nutritional value to water birds and waste food encourages an infestation of rats.

Community Speedwatch volunteers have been trained, potential monitoring sites are being assessed and our equipment is on order.  Ian Gilbey (713961) will be pleased to hear from more volunteers for this valuable initiative designed to reduce speeding and make our village safer for pedestrians and cyclists.  New recruits and those who missed the first training event will be accommodated on a follow up session. We plan to ‘go live’ in early March. Any bets on who will be the first motorist we catch?

Following complaints from residents in Wales Lane we have encouraged Staffordshire County Council to install designated bus stop areas that should ease congestion and make it safer for residents to get in & out of their driveways. It is hoped that these will be in place in March.

An irresponsible minority of dog owners who allow their pets to foul footpaths and public parks have obliged the Borough Council to plan to adopt Dog Control Orders throughout the Borough. Your Parish Council constantly receives complaints about dog fouling and therefore we are asking the Borough Council to expand legislation and enforcement arrangements to encourage owners to ‘pick up’ after their pets on our community land at Collinson Park , the Cemetery, Ashtree Road Pocket Park and at Gilmour Lane and the Fishpond.

After discussions with our liaison group of residents and users we are now expecting to hear by the end of March if our bid for the Government’s ‘Playbuilder’ funds to provide play equipment for 8 – 13 year olds on Collinson Park is successful.  Meanwhile we are very grateful to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust that has pledged £6,000 to expand the Youth of Barton scheme for the cemetery end of that playground.

Barton Trade & Tourism Association’s Website has gone ‘live’ with much to attract visitors to our village and the surrounding area.  www.thebartonbiz.net is well worth a look and joins www.barton-under-needwood.org.uk where there are regular reports on Parish Council activities.

Since they were built the roundabouts at Barton Turns have been an unattractive welcome to our historic and vibrant community. For some time our ambition has been to landscape these to better herald our rural community.  Now agreement has been reached with Staffordshire County Council that Ed Sharkey Associates, village based Landscape Architects, may design a scheme that will be funded by East Staffordshire Borough Council from money they hold from the developers of Barton Business Park.  Unfortunately the small roundabout next to the railway bridge is presently unsuitable for this initiative. The plan is to be out to tender for the construction & landscaping of the two big roundabouts before the summer and, to minimise disruption, for most of the work to be taking place in the school summer holidays.

Thursday April 1^st. at 6.30 p.m. in the Robert Douglas Room at Barton Village Hall is the date for our Annual Open Meeting at which we’ll be showcasing progress on the Conservation Area Management Plan, reporting on our many initiatives and providing information on our financial affairs.  Everyone is welcome. Please put it in your diary.

Adrian Wedgwood
Chairman.

11 February 2010

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LORD & LIEUTENANT MAKE BARTON’S BIG DAY SPECIAL

Big crowds from the local community & village schools greeted Robin Neilson, Lord of the Manor of Barton and Mrs Katie Neilson, Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire when  they unveiled a village information board and memorial plaque declaring open the landscaping and Fishpond improvements at Barton-under-Needwood’s £34,000 Gilmour Lane ‘gateway’ to the attractive village centre.

 Designed by local landscape architects, Ed Sharkey Associates, Barton Parish Council’s Gilmour Lane landscaping & fishpond improvements project is 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, John Taylor High School Council, the Tree Council together with in-kind support from Ed Sharkey Associates, and Bardon Aggregates.

Work started last August with bramble & scrub cleared ready for planting by Vernon Wright, village based landscape contractor. Hedging, fencing and picnic benches are now in and new paths laid for a village and National Forest visitor information board making Gilmour Lane an attractive pedestrian gateway between the new Marina development and the historic village centre with its splendid range of shops and local amenities.

Granted in 1628 by Charles I to the City of London, having previously been owned by the Crown and the Earl of Lancaster,  the ancient title and Manor of Barton under Needwood has changed hands many times, including to the Lovett’s of Wychnor, before passing to the Horton family of Catton Hall, now home to Mr & Mrs Neilson.

Robin Neilson, lord of the Manor of Barton under Needwood, said “Originally mine was a powerful role in the community with the control of fishing, hunting and the pannage of swine but now there are no Manorial responsibilities and I’m delighted that my very first duty is to unveil this village and National Forest Information board that’s packed with information & will encourage and inform villagers and visitors alike”

Barton’s popular fishpond, teeming with carp, rudd, tench and gudgeon, has had 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.

Mrs Katie Neilson, deputy lieutenant of Staffordshire, when unveiling the plaque commemorating the completion of the scheme, said “One of my roles as Deputy Lieutenant is to celebrate and encourage volunteering in the community and it is great to see that so many organisations have supported the creation of this attractive area and improved the splendid fishpond in Barton that will be of great benefit to this vibrant village”

Commenting on the scheme, Adrian Wedgwood, chairman of Barton Parish Council, said “We thank our many sponsors for their generosity that’s made the whole area more interesting for visitors and an attractive community recreation area with fine views over our popular Fishpond and Holland Sports Club”.

More information: Adrian Wedgwood 07939 136937.

18^th.December 2009

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS NOVEMBER 2009

Walkers on the increasingly popular path between Gilmour Lane and Barton Marina will soon be enjoying the completed planting of the open spaces between the Thomas Russell Junior School and Holland Sports Club. Wednesday 16^th December is set to be red letter day with the official opening at 11 a.m. of the Gilmour Lane & Fishpond Landscaping project by Mrs Katie Neilson, Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire, & Mr Robin Neilson, Lord of the Manor of Barton under Needwood.  Please come to the celebration and give a big Barton welcome and thanks to our sponsors and those who have helped with this major project.

Meanwhile, on Monday 30^th November, commemorative trees will be planted in Gilmour Lane.  The late John Popple’s life will be celebrated with a Hornbeam planted at a private ceremony and at 12 noon Barton Women’s Institute will be welcoming everyone to the planting of an Oak tree to record their 90^th. anniversary.

Wednesday 2^nd. December will see students from John Taylor High School completing the avenue of Rowan trees that they’ve supported with donations from a ‘non-uniform’ day and Thomas Russell Junior School’s ‘eco-warriors’ helping with shrub planting opposite their school entrance.

Vic Trigwell, our vice-chairman, has been working hard to find out what our young people would like to see in Collinson Park Recreation Ground that’s been a village play area since the 1950’s.  We’re delighted to report that Youth of Barton, a group of young people supported by PCSO Steve Smith & your Parish Council, have been awarded £31,500 grant funding by Staffordshire County Council to build new play facilities.  Work will start next year.

Next, and following a well attended public exhibition of possible schemes in the Village Hall, we’re making a bid to the Government’s Playbuilder scheme for equipment and attractions that our 8 to 13 year olds have told us they’d like to see at Collinson Park.  We’ve taken on board the concerns of some neighbours and will be aiming to repeat the success of our popular ‘kiddies’ play area. We may have a decision in December.

Lots of people have commented on the badly faded village map in our Main Street Noticeboard. In December we’ll be replacing the map with a bright new information panel complete with detailed street map showing our village amenities, a wider area map to help visitors find their way round and pictures of some of the village events that make Barton such a vibrant community.

Community Speedwatch volunteers are rolling in and more will be welcome. Having set ourselves a target of at least twelve committed volunteers to get the scheme off the ground Ian Gilbey (01283 713961) & his team can now get started on identifying the speeding ‘hot spots’ for risk assessment and organising training for our volunteers ready for the arrival of our equipment.

Publicity in the Burton Mail for the improvements to our village Fishpond funded by the Barton & Dunstall Key trust have seen Bob & Adam Spurrier, our enthusiastic bailiffs, inundated with calls from anglers wanting to fish and even book competitions next year.  It is good to see the pond being used especially by our young enthusiasts.  Residents of Barton & Dunstall can use the pond, that’s teeming with fish, free of charge.

At our December meeting your Council will be deciding our budget that we’ll be recommending to the Borough for the year starting in April 2010.  When the General Election is called we’ll be transferring to the Lichfield & Burntwood Parliamentary Constituency to decide on our MP whilst remaining with East Staffordshire as our Local Authority.  Barton Parish Council, founded in 1895, will continue going from strength to strength serving our historic, growing and vibrant community.

May I, on behalf of all our Members, staff & volunteers, wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a healthy, successful, New Year.

Adrian Wedgwood.  Chairman.                                                         9^th. November 2009

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TRUST FIXES NEW SEATS FOR BARTON YOUNGSTERS

Barton under Needwood’s popular Gilmour Lane community green space is now more people friendly thanks to a grant from the Burton Breweries Charitable Trust and funding underwriting from East Staffordshire Borough Council that’s ‘fixed’ new seating and a picnicking table attracting youngsters and parents delivering their children to the Thomas Russell Junior School nearby.

Barton Parish Council is busy establishing a £34,000 recreation area with new pathways, tree planting and improvements to the village Fishpond in Gilmour Lane, making the whole area more attractive to villagers and visitors heading from Barton Marina into the historic village centre.

Vic Trigwell, vice chairman of Barton Parish Council, said “We’re very grateful to the Burton Breweries Charitable Trust for their £2,500 grant that’s helped us create a splendid new seating area looking out over our fascinating Fishpond and the fine amenities of Holland Sports Club and to the Borough of East Staffordshire for their very substantial support that’s making our whole scheme possible”.

“Gilmour Lane is now a major route for visitors from Barton Marina and walkers from the village and we’re delighted to be supporting Barton Parish Council in their major scheme making the whole area more accessible and interesting to people of all ages” commented Cllr Julia Jessel, Communities & Deputy Leader of East Staffordshire Borough Council. “It’s a wonderful amenity for our vibrant community” she added.

Brian Keates, secretary of the Burton Breweries Charitable Trust, said “As the leading charity supporting the development of young people’s talent and citizenship skills in our East Staffordshire & South Derbyshire area we’re pleased to have fixed Barton’s new seating and are keen to support more organisations working with young people who can apply for grants of up to £2,500 by first looking us up at www.burtonbctrust.co.uk where they’ll find all the information they need”  

23 October 2009                    

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BARTON’S  TEEMING FISHPOND NETS £5,000 IMPROVEMENTS

Anglers casting their lines into Barton under Needwood’s fishpond are benefiting from a £5,000 scheme improving fishing pegs and disabled access to the well stocked fishery set in the heart of this attractive village mid-way between Burton & Lichfield.

Popular with local anglers for many years, this underused very large pond is teeming with carp, rudd, tench and gudgeon and is now sporting many new level pitches across its four sides all with easy access with on-site off road free parking. Special facilities exist for disabled & wheelchair based anglers who have direct access from dedicated parking bays.  The pond is even served by frequent bus services with Arriva 112 (Burton to Birmingham) & 7 (Lichfield to Burton) stopping close by.

Funded by a £5,000 grant from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust new pegs have been installed, trees trimmed and seats installed for spectators at the Parish Council owned pond on Efflinch Lane between Gilmour Lane & Potters Way.

Managed now by bailiffs Robert & Adam Spurrier of Barton’s ‘Shoulder of Mutton’ pub the fishpond is open all year round and adult day tickets, obtainable from the pub before fishing, cost £5 (concessions £2.50). Annual tickets are available at £30 (concessions £15).  There’s free fishing for residents of Barton under Needwood and Dunstall.

“Thanks to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trusts £5,000 grant we’ve been able to make the pond very attractive with excellent facilities and sport for the increasing number of locals and visitors who are discovering this hidden gem in our historic village” said Bob Spurrier.

“We’re delighted to support Barton Parish Council’s work to make this valuable community resource more fishing friendly and are particularly pleased to see youngsters learning the sport and enjoying the tranquil surroundings of our fishpond” commented Margaret Fitchett, trustee of the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust. “In a recent competition one youngster was thrilled to bits to net over 10lbs of fish” she added.

More competitions are planned and water management work this winter will improve further the excellent fishing to be had, aimed at making it one of the best fisheries in the area.  Match fishing is available by arrangement and full information on Barton village fishpond is available from Bob Spurrier at the ‘Shoulder of Mutton’ on Burton 712568.

28 October 2009

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2009

Work on most of the landscaping of Gilmour Lane and improvements to ‘pegs’ on our village Fishpond is nearly complete and already there are many positive comments on the attractive features involved.

When the weather is right, with the help of the Junior School’s ‘eco-warriors’ we’ll be planting the land opposite their school entrance, putting in a village & National Forest information board and planting a hedge along the Holland Sports Club’s boundary.  There’ll also be a 90^th anniversary tree planted by Barton’s Women’s Institute, a memorial tree to the late John Popple, for many years one of our fishpond bailiffs, and completion of the ‘avenue’ of attractive native trees by students at John Taylor High School.

Collinson Park, our village centre playground, is plagued by poor drainage making much of the area unusable in the Winter.  Over twenty years ago we invested in a drainage system that now seems to have stopped working.  Specialists will soon be digging holes to find the existing drains and see where the problems may be so that a solution to the Park ‘ponding’ can be found. If it’s not too expensive we’ll consider fixing this before the Winter.

Meanwhile Vic Trigwell is busy finding out what play facilities our young people would like on Collinson Park, and seeking advice from equipment manufacturers. He has also been touring the County looking at examples of successful Playbuilder grant schemes so that we can make an application early in November. We’ll be holding a public consultation in the Village Hall in the morning of Saturday 3^rd.October showing a variety of draft proposals so that everyone can comment before a grant scheme is finalised.

E-on’s ‘walkabout’ with Councillors, led by Ed Sharkey, looking at ideas for the new street lighting schemes for Main Street & Station Road is set for 23^rd September. Later this year it’ll be followed by an exhibition, so that everyone can see what is proposed and have their say.

Ed is also on the lookout for volunteers to gather information for the Conservation Area Management Plan that’s being developed & for which there’ll be a Workshop & Exhibition in the Catholic Church Hall on Saturday 17 October.

Houses in Radhurst Farm’s redevelopment are now for sale & we understand that by agreement between the developers, Royal Mail & East Staffordshire Borough Council the new road will be called Peel Place. We’re disappointed that our suggestion commemorating village benefactor the late Sir Robert Douglas was not accepted.

Despite regular reporting of road potholes by Terry Taylor, our village ‘lengthsman’, these keep appearing and everyone is reminded that road and pavement defects should be reported directly to Staffordshire County Council by using the ‘Clarence’ free phone at 0800 232 323. There your observations will be recorded and a reference number provided to monitor speed of service.

Gilmour Lane, leading to the Thomas Russell Junior School, is on land owned by Barton Parish Council but is the responsibility of Staffordshire County Council’s education department.  Following considerable pressure from your Parish Council we’re delighted to see that the many unsafe potholes have been patched, we’re told that the drains will be cleared and that a proper maintenance plan will be put in place.

Who said the Parish Council never did anything?

Adrian Wedgwood.  Chairman.
10^th September 2009

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS AUGUST 2009

Lots of good news this month!

Following our success in raising grants the £34,000 scheme to improve the village Fishpond and Gilmour Lane pedestrian ‘gateway to Barton’ is set to start this month. Vernon Wright, local landscape contractor, will be clearing brambles, creating shrub and tree planted spaces, installing new pathways, fences, anti-parking measures, a picnicking area, better fishing ‘pegs’ with facilities for the disabled and a village/National Forest information point. Weather permitting most of the heavy work will be completed during the school holidays with some planting postponed until the Autumn. Click on the plan of the scheme to see an enlarged version.

As an active Council working for all our community we’ve just launched a project aimed at providing new & improved play facilities, particularly for 8 – 13 year olds, at Collinson Park.  Vic Trigwell is leading a small group that’ll be consulting young people’s organisations to see what they would like so that we can bid in November for a grant from the Government’s ‘Playbuilder’ programme. If we are successful work could start next April.  Similar projects are happening in Burton, Yoxall & Rolleston. If you’d like to help or comment on the scheme please contact Vic via the Parish Council office.

Efflinch Lane allotments will soon see some improvements that’ll increase car parking spaces.  Please contact our Clerk if you’d like to be on the waiting list for these popular plots. Holland Sports Club’s Planning Application for new changing rooms is supported by your Parish Council and the Club has made a first stage funding bid to Sport England.

Word in the village is that Midlands Co-op has bought the derelict garage site in Main Street. We understand they would like to do this but legal obstacles, none of which are connected with the Parish Council, are yet to be overcome and so, at the time of writing this report, the site is still in Budgen’s ownership. Meanwhile we’ve asked the Borough Council to repair potholes in the car park.

When completed we understand the houses on Radhurst Farm will, by agreement between Royal Mail and the developers, all have Peel Place addresses.

Our Transport & Environment Committee is set for a Main Street & Station Road ‘walk-about’ with E-on to discus detailed proposals for new & improved street lighting.  This will be followed by a public exhibition giving everyone the opportunity to comment before designs and locations are finalised.

Last year East Staffordshire Borough Council reviewed the Conservation Area for Barton and published their appraisal.  As there seems to be no plan to do anything more about this we are working on a potential management plan to help preserve the character of our historic village centre. One area of particular interest is a desire to remove signage clutter from our streets.

Due to pressure on the limited space available and long-term maintenance requirements we’ve agreed new rules for cremation memorials that, together with the first increase in general charges for three years, will take effect from 1^st. September. Our fees are still much lower than those in Burton.

We’re delighted to again be in the top three best kept villages in East Staffordshire. Much of this splendid achievement is due to the dedication of Terry and Sean, our street servicing and maintenance team.

Adrian Wedgwood. 

Chairman, Barton Parish Council. 

Office: 01283 716059 or bartonpc@btinternet.com

15 August 2009

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DOG FOULING – THEN HELP US TO HELP YOU

There is an ongoing problem with dog fouling in the Borough which cannot be addressed without YOUR HELP.

If you have answered yes to any of these questions

ARE YOU WILLING TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED FOR YOUR COMMUNITY?

Let us know who is committing these offences and we WILL take action. If you have any information, which would help us target an offender, perhaps prevent a serious incident and improve your environment please contact us. The details we need are description of the dog handler, (age, height, clothing etc) name and address, if possible, do they use this area regularly any information will be treated confidently

The Enforcement Team have recently received an unbelievable amount of complaints about dog fouling borough wide.

DID YOU KNOW

     So help us to achieve a cleaner, safer healthier happy environment.

All reports are treated as strictly confidential.

03 July 2009

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS JUNE 2009

Those of you with access to the Internet, at home, work or at Barton Library will soon be  keeping up to date with your Council’s news at www.barton-under-needwood.org.uk the popular Website that’s packed with information on events in our village. Clicking on ‘Present Day’ leads you to the Parish Council pages giving details of our contacts, meeting dates, agendas, meeting Minutes and activities. 

Photographs of our Councillors and Gerry Peck, our clerk, will help you recognise us whenever we meet. Unlike Members of other public bodies that have recently been in the media spotlight we are unpaid and non-political!

Agendas will still be displayed on village notice boards, our Minutes can be read at Barton Library and we’re always pleased to see members of the public at our busy meetings.

Supporting our elected Councillors is a growing number of specialists co-opted to our six committees and we are particularly pleased to have Roger Bell from our Transport & Environment Committee as your Council’s representative on the Drakelow Park Liaison Group dealing with issues raised by this huge housing and industrial development across in South Derbyshire proposed by Roger Bullivant Ltd.

Visitors coming into Barton from the A38 can hardly be impressed by the scruffily planted roundabouts heralding their arrival in our historic village. For some considerable time we have been proposing a scheme to make these islands more attractive and have been frustrated by the highway Agencies responsible. Cllr Julia Jessel, one of our Borough Councillors, is now putting this on her ‘Hot Spots’ agenda helping us to get some coordinated action.

Best Kept Village judging is in full swing.  Every year villages like ours are marked down because of fly-posting on lampposts and telegraph poles. Our staff are making sure we don’t fall foul of that illegal activity by removing any posters they see and we’re asking all organisations to use only permanent notice-boards to draw attention to their activities.

Next to our soon to be improved Fishpond, currently sporting bags of barley straw to combat algae, on the increasingly popular gateway path between Barton Marina and our village centre is the community green space surrounding Gilmour Lane.  Ed Sharkey Associates, landscape architects, have created a landscaping scheme making that area more attractive, safer for pedestrians and stopping cars from ruining the grass verges. 

Grants are being gathered in and when funding is complete and the school holidays start a local contractor will be clearing the brambles, laying paths, planting trees and creating a picnicking and rest area where villagers can socialise.Fully supported by the Governors and staff at the Thomas Russell Junior School, Holland Sports Club, our local Police and Barton WI, who’ll be planting a tree to celebrate their 90^th. Anniversary, the project will also see the Junior School’s eco-warriors planting native shrubs and creating an attractive green space for everyone’s enjoyment.

Wouldn’t it be good if Shaw Healthcare who are responsible for the land behind the Hospital & Health Centre took more care of it and got rid of the infestation of docks?

Adrian Wedgwood.  Chairman, Barton Parish Council.  Office: 01283 716059

10 June 2009

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS MAY 2009

Elections of officers topped the Agenda at the Council’s May meeting with Adrian Wedgwood moving to chairman and Vic Trigwell as vice-chairman. Members of the Council’s various committees will now be appointing their leaders and seeking parishioners with specialist skills who’d like to help the Council to be forward thinking as well as reactive in its future work on behalf of our community.

Meanwhile, following a grant pledge from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust, Barton Fishpond, now managed by Bailiffs Bob & Adam Spurrier of the Shoulder of Mutton and John Popple, is set to have improvements made to fishing pegs and free angling is being extended to residents of Dunstall.

Proposals by E-on, contractors to Staffordshire County Council, to replace street lighting in Main Street and Station Road are being considered by our Transport & Environment Committee so that the Council may respond next month.

A new 99 year Lease on the Council’s land occupied by the popular and successful Holland Sports Club is now ready for signature. This, together with a grant towards architects and Planning fees, will be helping the Club with their major development project for new Changing Rooms.

Following the Borough Council’s Barton Conservation Area Appraisal last year the Parish Council is considering putting proposals to the Borough for us to create a management plan helping to preserve the attractiveness of the village.

Staffordshire County Council’s Safer Routes to School group are now re-considering their proposals for a roundabout in Main Street after over seven hundred people signed a petition at the well-attended exhibition that concluded the consultation process.

Improving the Parish Council’s communications within our community is a key objective in my year as chairman and everyone is reminded that the public are able to attend Council meetings, normally at 7.15 p.m. in the Village Hall on the first Thursday of the month, where time is allowed at the start for issues to be raised.

2 June 2009

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Barton enters Best Kept Village Competition

2 June 2009

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Page last update on 18 June 2010