Whitmore Parish Council Newsletter - June 2008
Return to Newsletter
Please either select a category below for a particular article or scroll down to read the whole Newsletter.
View a full list of Councillors and their contact details.
From the Chairman
This latest edition of the Newsletter contains the Annual Report. I will therefore not go into great detail but draw your attention to a number of key points.
A planning application has been put forward for a development proposal at Maer Hills. The proposal is yet to be published but is thought to be for four wind turbines. You have only 21 days from the published date to object. Every single letter counts so please do not be complacent.
Dog owners, please be responsible and clear up after your dog! The playing field is not a public dog loo, nor are the public footpaths. Do you really want to let young children be exposed to dog faeces? Our children have a right to be able to play freely and safely.
On a more positive note, plans for Whitmore Festival are starting to be finalised. In the Newsletter you will see an outline programme. It is an exciting prospect that will be a focus for the community in September.
If you have any feedback on the activities of your Parish Council, then please email or attend a Parish Council meeting, usually held on the first Wednesday of the month, at the village hall.
Nick Hopper
01782 662323
Saturday 6 - Sunday 14 September inclusive
Every household in the Parish of Whitmore (Acton, Butterton, Baldwins Gate, Dabgreen, Madeley Park Wood, Whitmore and Whitmore Heath) will receive a booklet detailing the final arrangements for the Whitmore Festival a month or so before the event. There are still a few final arrangements to be made, but these should not cause any significant changes to the programme.
The Festival will start with the Church bells and an (brief) open-air service at Whitmore with the Mayor of Newcastle under Lyme and a television celebrity present (not telling who the celebrity is yet. you will just have to wait). A Barn Dance is scheduled for Saturday night (6th).
Sunday will see the well-established Horticultural Show. Later in the week there will be a jazz night, pop concert, food and craft fayre with BBQ and drinks tent, children's fun-day, guided walks, pub quiz, fashion show by Something Different of Stone, concert by the Daelian Singers (male voice choir), Women's Institute evening, barn dance and lots more besides.
It is hoped that the final Sunday will see a Harvest Festival service at a local farm.
When the booklet pops through your letterbox, please have a good read – it will tell you exactly what is scheduled, when and how to join in.
Please remember, the events included in the Whitmore Festival are events that the people of the Parish expressed an interest in when we reviewed the questionnaires that provided the detail for our Parish Plan.
Bill Murray
01782 680252
FIRST APPEARANCESFor those of you who believe in making our Parish areas attractive with a respectable and tidy appearance, you will be pleased to note that we have received many compliments in connection with the improved visual appearance of the Parish. Our focus has been on the landscape maintenance of the communal grass and floral areas throughout the Parish including the Jubilee Gardens, the playing field and sections of the A53.
One small area we would like to "tidy up" is in front of the BT Exchange in Baldwins Gate at the junction of Fairgreen Road and the A53 (this will be discussed with BT).
Any criticism we have had is based upon unkempt garden frontages and landowners' boundaries where hedges and trees are overgrowing footpaths or blocking drivers' vision. Litter in hedgerows and ditches is another problem.
Unfortunately the Parish Council has a very limited budget to deal with these matters, therefore, we urge residents and landowners to give some attention to their boundaries. This would make a further considerable improvement to the presentation of our villages and surrounding parish areas.
First appearances are the best, and remembered.
Peter Ford
01782 680955 |
IT INSTRUCTION
(for total beginners or improvers)
WILL RE-COMMENCE IN SEPTEMBER
ON THURSDAY MORNINGS
There will be two sessions:-
9.00 am - 11.00 am
11.00 am - 1.00 pm
12 people successfully completed the course which started on 3 April. The course is currently being delivered to a further 12 people and there are a further 19 people on the waiting list. For further information contact John Pedley on 01782 680985 in the first instance.
 |
|
"100 Club"
(registered Charity No 1023021)
The Village Hall "100 Club" is a small monthly lottery, with four prizes each month, which support the valuable work of the committee in maintaining and developing the facilities that are available for use by all sectors of the community.
We would welcome additional members and ask that anyone interested in joining, give Peter Dixon (the new "100 Club" Secretary) a call on 01782 680626 or write to him at;
5 Field Close,
Baldwins Gate,
ST5 5DJ
for details of the scheme. |
|---|
INFORMATION CENTRE
OPEN THURSDAY
2:00PM - 4:00PM
County and Borough Councillors ~ Schools ~ Parish Council
Trading Standards Highways ~ Beth Johnson Housing Benefits and Pensions
Local Amenities ~ Local Policing ~ Social Services
Inernet Access ~ Use of computers ~ Photocopying
Open to all residents of Whitmore, Hill and Chapel Chorlton, Aston and Maer Parishes |
|---|
Whitmore & District Horticultural Society's
ANNUAL SHOW
Sunday 7th September 2008
It's getting towards Showtime again. This year will be the 40th Anniversary of Whitmore & District Horticultural Society's Annual Show, to be held at the village hall on Sunday, 7 September 2008. It comes at the beginning of Whitmore Festival's activities in the village, and what better way to start the ball rolling than an afternoon among the eye-popping exhibits put on by local entrepreneurs.
Whilst it is primarily a flower and vegetable occasion, there is a host of other prize-winning items to admire; from the extensive domestic section with preserves, baked and fancy delicacies, right through to the children's section always with an excellent display of junior endeavour. Then there is the craft section, floral art and fruit – literally something to suit all tastes. Add an extensive art display, grand tombola, raffle and produce stall, making a full afternoon of enjoyment. Homemade refreshments are available and the sale of surplus produce at the end of the Show regularly sees quality goods at knockdown prices.
Entrance is just 50p and this year we are pleased to be able to donate £100 each to the Donna Louise Trust and Air Ambulance.
If anyone would like to try their hand at a little showmanship, schedules and entry form can be obtained from Mrs Capener, Racecourse Farm, Keele, telephone 01782 626887.
We are keen to attract new members. Anyone who is interested in joining our Society, please contact;
Krys Holbrook on 01782 680481 or Mavis Capener on 01782 626887.
DOG EXCREMENTRecently, Nesta Hassall, Clerk to Hill & Chapel Chorlton Parish Council, asked the gardening contractor to cut the grass on No 1 footpath (this runs between Chorlton Moss and Baldwins Gate). He refused due to the excessive amount of dog excrement.
This path is well used by both walkers and dogs' owners and it is evident that some dog owners are not "cleaning up" after their dogs. Similarly the recreation area at Whitmore village hall is experiencing problems when dog excrement is being left on the grass next to the children's play area. Recently a child using the slide was found by her mother to be soiled with dog faeces on her clothing. We accept that dogs, on occasions, foul on their walks and we appeal to all owners to collect the "accidents" and deposit it in the dog waste bins provided.
We feel this is the minority of dog owners, the majority "clean up", and we thank them for doing so. Leaving dog excrement on public roads, pavements, footpaths and areas open for recreational activities is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Phil Maskery
Parish and Borough Councillor
01782 680696 |
SPEEDWATCH - Speed Monitoring
The Speedwatch campaign to protect the environment within the villages of Baldwins Gate and Whitmore is to be imminently introduced. Seven local "volunteers" spent Sunday morning in the confines of Longton Police Station receiving training from the Staffordshire Police Authority and the camera and kit have arrived this week.
This is not something designed to fine anyone or to make the Parish Council rich – in fact no prosecutions follow a booking, but a single letter from the Police informing an offender of their speed and asking them to slow down and keep below the legal limits. This camera will only be used within the 30 and 40 mph areas and within our villages and in specific zones supplied and agreed by Staffs Police taking into account all health and safety concerns within these agreed areas.
It is hoped that the benefits gained from Speedwatch will be realised, particularly to:
- Reduce casualties – both numbers and severity.
- Reduce demand on health service resources.
- Reduce conflict between road users.
- Create a more calm and tranquil environment.
- Improve quality of life in our community.
This is something that many residents feel excited about. Traffic will only increase, and it is hoped we will all benefit from the use of this device. Please therefore give it the support it deserves and the volunteers involved – and if you would like to get involved in the future, please contact a member of the Parish Council.
Alan Wilkinson
01782 680820
A53/A5182 ROADWORKS
The roadworks at the A53/A5182 Whitmore/Trentham Road junction are due to start on 7 July and scheduled for 22 weeks but could stretch to 31 weeks. The (A5182) Trentham Road will be restricted to one-way for 11 weeks at the start of the works. The Parish Council has had a number of meetings with the lead engineer from the County Council project team to express a number of concerns. Delays can be expected but the County Council has tried to put sufficient diversions in place to minimise the impact of the work. Access to Butterton and Acton should be restricted to residents only. Local residents are requested not to use the shortcuts through Butterton and Acton in an attempt to avoid the junction while work is in progress.
Bob Haysom
01782 643496
2008 Annual Report & Account Summary
View the Annual Report and Account Summary.
Return to Newsletter | Top of Page
|
