Crowthorne Parish Council Quarterly Report

CROWTHORNE PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman’s Report – 16 March 2017

It gives me great pleasure to present abrief resume of the Council’s activities over the past 12 months along with some insight into the future.

QUALITY COUNCIL

In October 2016, Crowthorne Parish Council was awarded Foundation Status under Local Council Award Scheme. This prestigious award recognises that the Council achieves good practice in governance, community engagement and council improvement.

This award demonstrates that Crowthorne Parish Council meets the criteria set by the sector for operating lawfully and according to standard practice. The Council is building a foundation for continued improvement and future growth and development.

FINANCE

Precept for 2017/2018

The Precept level set for 2017/2018had a modest increaseof 1.46p per year for a Band D property (£72.85).

Community Infrastructure Levy CIL

The Community Infrastructure levy CIL, which in future broadly replaces the S106 levy, provides funding from new developments. CPC currently receives 15% of the total CIL monies from BFC, which today amounts to circa £180,000.

The adoption of a Neighbourhood Planwill increase this CIL receipt to 25%.

PROPERTY

Refurbishmentof the Morgan Centre

The Property WG has reviewed the overall refurbishment requirements of the Morgan Centre, in line with the same process carried out on the Parish Hall.

The plans for bringing together the two offices and relocating/updating the kitchenhave been completed.

The refurbishment of the changing room facilities including public access to toilets using the Morgan Centre Recreation Field, together with improvements to the floor, lighting and redecoration of this main hall areout to tender. It is anticipated that this work will be started later this year.

Parish Hall

General maintenance continues in the Parish Hall to ensure the refurbished building is kept in good condition. Recently, new Fire Doors have been fitted.

RECREATION

Summerof Fun event

After the success of the CPC 2016 Summer of Fun event, activities will be taking place again on Tuesday, 15 August 2017.

Tiger Mulch

As part of the ongoing refurbishment of the Morgan Recreation Ground, Tiger Mulch safety surfacing has been installed around the rock stack and small section of ground between the basket swing and trampolines. The new installation will match the existing Tiger Mulch which has proved to be very hard wearing and robust.

COMMUNITY

Community Awards Evening

CPC and WWPC host the Crowthorne Community Awards Ceremony every 2 years.

The 2016 Annual Awards Evening was hosted by CPC in November, which recognised 7 individual awards and 4 groups for their voluntary contribution to the Crowthorne community. The next awards are scheduled for November 2019 to be hosted by WWPC.

Annual Grants 2017

Grant applications for 2017 have been approved for 25 local groups totalling £13,900.

Applications for 2018 must be received by the Parish Office by mid-December 2017.

Grant forms can be downloaded from CPC’s website or by contacting the Morgan Centre Parish Office.

The Queen’s90th Birthday Picnic

CPC supported the Churches Together event by waiving the cost of the Morgan Recreation Ground hire for the Queens 90th Birthday picnic event which took place on Saturday 11 June 2016.

Crowthorne Carnival

CPC supported this excellent event by providing ground and hall hire facilities free of charge for the duration of Carnival week

High Street Seating

CPC maintains the planters distributed along the High Street which were originally installed in 1995. However, theyare now well past their useful life. It has been resolved to remove these and replace them with seating, after consultation with the traders.

Bird Boxes at Circle Hill

The Trustees of the Walter Recreation Ground & Circle Hill, have undertaken biodiversity projects in partnership with Broadmoor Hospital and Wellington College. This has resulted inbird and bat boxes being installed in Circle Hill woodland with further planned for the Walter Recreation Ground. Some of the boxes have been installed with metal hole plates to prevent the holes being made larger by other animal’s intent on snatching eggs/chicks.

PUBLICITY

A reminder, that the CPC Facebook page and website provides up-to-date information on Parish Council activities and provides links to other useful sites. In addition, application forms for the Crowthorne Educational Charity, Annual Grants and nomination forms for the Crowthorne & Wokingham-Without Awards for Voluntary Service can be downloaded.
A Parish Council, TRL Development Facebook page has also been recently set upto distribute the latest information about the development of the former TRL site.
The Council will continue to ensure that its business and useful and informative reports are in the public domain by continuing to use the Crowthorne Eye community magazine.
A CPC Council Surgery is held on the first Saturday of each month between 11am -12noon in the Library.

For reference, WBC Cllrs hold their surgery on the 2nd Saturday of the month at the St Sebastian’s Memorial Hall covering issues in the WWPC ward.

PLANNING

CPC Major Development Planning Committee continue to review large scale developments, including the TRL Site & Community Hub, Broadmoor housing and hospital developments and the various older people homes.
Social Value Act 2012requires all public authorities to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with awarding public services contracts. Leading local authorities, including CPC, are using the Act to encourage businesses to engage more actively within communities. Legal & General are taking a very pro-active role in ensuring the “new” TRL site fulfils the spirit of the Act.
A3-year Strategic Plan has been produced following a public consultation to reflect the views and wishes of the local community, which can be found on the CPC website.
The Neighbourhood Plan for Crowthorne Parish continues apace. This 10-25 year plan encapsulates the future wishes and desires of local residents in terms of future planning sites, enhancement of facilities and the environment.
CPC has processed 72 planning applications over the period April 2016 to March 2017.

49 were recommended for Approval; 15 for Refusal; 8 were ‘No comment’

THE FUTURE

The Council will continue to be very heavily involved with all the proposed major developments in the whole of the Crowthorne area and will ensure that the public are engaged and kept well informed throughout.
We are leading the group looking into the provision of community facilities both current and future, working alongside interested parties; and exploiting the new development S106 opportunities.

THANKS

Thanks tothe speakers; my fellow Councillors, for all their effort, ideas and contribution; and to the very hard-working and to our diligent CPC staff: Adele, Joanna, Claire, Paul, Jonathan and Joshua.

Cllr Bob Wade, CPC Chairman