FOLKSWORTH & WASHINGLEY PARISH COUNCIL

ANNUAL REPORT 2010-2011

Chairman’s Report

Well my first full year as Chairman has passed. I would like to thank the outgoing Councillors for their committed hard work and welcome the new Councillors to the team. A special Thank You is due to Jackie Stanbridge our Parish Clerk whose efforts are greatly appreciated through difficult times. There have been some new developments from a technology perspective we now have a presence on Twitter - Facebook with our Folksworth and Washingley Parish Council Homepage and the website ( continues to provide useful information.

One highlight of the year was the opening of The Folksworth Fun Park at the end of May. We have received many positive responses for this addition to the village and it appears to be well used and enjoyed. There will shortly be a Shelter added to the Fun Park kindly part funded by the Youth Shelter Fund. I am sure this will be a much appreciated addition to the Fun Park and I would like to pass our thanks to Liz Rose and Nick Emsall for their part in the project

We have also undertaken a refurbishment of the under 5 play area which should help to keep it in a useable state for a longer period. We intend to monitor this facility with a view to see how the life of the equipment progresses

Regular Village Maintenance Walks have taken place over the year and I am pleased to report the village appears to be in a good state of repair. The maintenance walks will continue throughout the coming year but if anybody notices any problems please do not hesitate to contact Jackie Stanbridge and we will endeavour to resolve any issues as soon as possible. The park benches around the village have been refurbished to a high standard and this should help to see them through a few more winters

We have had to undertake some major tree surgery work this year predominantly in the playing field in Townsend Way;this has been due to the spread of disease. Hopefully this remedial action will help in halting the progress of the disease

Salt grit bins have been added in strategic points around the village and have proved a welcome addition in the harsh winter we experienced. I would like to remind people that these are provided for the public roads and not personal driveway use. The bins were topped up regularly throughout the winter and helped to keep our roads a little safer.

The decision was taken to cease the provision of a bulky refuse collection. This decision was not taken lightly but was in main due to the dramatic increase in cost for this service

The Parish Council also took the decision to increase the precept for the village. Again this decision was not taken lightly as we are all aware of the current economic climate. As a Parish Council we receive Grant Applications from various organisations throughout the year which are reviewed collectively at the Budget meeting in November which is when the Precept is decided upon. We were made aware that these grants were likely to be decreased or removed altogether.A budget of £25,800 was agreed and the Precept set at £23,800representing an increase of £4800.00 over the previous year. Since we set our budget we have been informed that the grass cutting grant from Cambridgeshire County Council is to be reduced and the recycling credits from Huntingdonshire District Council (accumulated via the glass banks in The Fox car park) were no longer available.

So in summary we look back to a busy and productive year and look forward to the challenges of next year

Andy Lobb

Planning Report 2011

Another year has passed with very few Planning Applications, and only one that gave the Council real cause for concern. Whilst we did object to the proposed house extension on the basis of over development of the site, the plans were approved by Hunts District Council.

It is a continuing concern for your Council that the mix of housing is being skewed towards larger dwellings which then leaves less and less smaller houses for sale. It is these smaller dwellings which would possibly be bought by older children of families already in the village.

The proposals for the large development towards Haddon still remain in flux and it is hoped that Councillor Nick Guyatt will be able to address the Annual Meeting to give us the latest position.

It remains to be seen how the Conservative’s Localism Bill will affect future planning arrangements. The idea is to sweep away many planning regulations by giving neighbourhood groups the right to approve developments via local referendums. Under the plans, to be outlined in a localism bill, these new groups will be allowed to draw up agreed categories of development known as "neighbourhood development orders". The reforms would mean that homeowners could add to their homes without the need for traditional planning permission if they won support within their neighbourhood group. Royal Assent is expected in November 2011.

Peter Cotterill

Synopsis of Accounts 2010-2011

Balances brought forward at March 31, 2010 were £51,219. This was due to the fact that we were carrying half of the Playbuilder grant of £35,000. Our Annual Precept was £19,000 and total of other receipts was £28,171 of which £17,500.00 was the remaining grant for the play equipment, £6500 in VAT repayments and just under £3200 received towards the Shelter from the Youth Shelter fund.

Staff costs for the year were £7085 representing an increase of £205. Other costs totalled £57,902 including the payment of £41,113 for the play equipment (incl VAT).

Payments excluding this amount totalled £16,789 including £4650 in Community Grants.

The balance carried forward at March 31, 2011 was £33,403 made up of:

General Fund£8,800.00

Playing Field Fund£12,703.00

General Reserves Fund£11,900.00

Jackie Stanbridge

Clerk to the Council/RFO

Parish Councillors' Details

Cllr Lisa Blackman
Telephone: / 07919 366465
Email: /
Address: / Sheep Lair Farm
Folksworth Road
Norman Cross
PE7 3SP
Responsibilities: / Website/Social Networking Development
Village Maintenance
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Cllr Alison Brown
Telephone: / 240501
Email: /
Address: / 37 Manor Rd, PE7 3SU
Responsibilities: / Village Maintenance Group
Under 5s Playground
Rubbish and Grass Cutting
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Cllr Patrick Clarke
Telephone: / 241860
Email: /
Address: / 16 Townsend Way, PE7 3TU
Responsibilities: / Parochial Church Council
Parish Footpaths and Bridleways
Tree Warden
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Cllr Peter Cotterill (Vice Chairman)
Telephone: / 244574
Email: /
Address: / 88 Elm Road, PE7 3SX
Responsibilities: / Planning Development and LandIssues
SchoolGovernor
Village Maintenance
Finance
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Cllr Rosemary Dyer
Telephone: / 07724 171158
Email: /
Address: / Via the Clerk
Responsibilities: / Village Maintenance Group
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Cllr Judith Ford
Telephone: / 240440
Email: /
Address: / 10 Chervil Close, PE7 3SZ
Responsibilities: / Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Association of Local Councils
Village Maintenance Group
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Cllr Andy Lobb (Chairman)
Telephone: / 243246
Email: /
Address: / 59 Townsend Way ,PE7 3TU
Responsibilities: / Police Liaison
Village Maintenance Group
Road Safety
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Line Manager for Clerk
Cllr Thomas Pope
Telephone: / 01733 240440
Email: /
Address: / The Fox Public House
Manor Road
Folksworth
PE7 3SU
Responsibilities: / Village Maintenance
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
Website/Social Networking Development
Cllr Mark Randall
Telephone:
Email: /
Address: / 4 Castel Way
Folksworth
PE7 3SP
Responsibilities: / Website/Social Networking development
Village maintenance
Health & Safety/Risk Assessment

Jackie Stanbridge

Clerk to the Council
Pavilion House

Ashton Wold

Oundle, Peterborough PE8 5LF

07724 171158