BRIDGTOWN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting.

Held on 11th May 2016

Bethel Methodist Church, Union Street, Bridgtown WS11 3BY

Present:

E. W. J. Smith, Alison Smith, Patrick Frondigoun and Kev Whittaker

In Attendance:

Mrs J. Arm – Parish Clerk.

1.  Apologies.

Apologies were accepted from M Freeman.

2.  Report of the Chairman of Bridgtown Parish Council.

Cllr. Eddie Smith gave the following report:

Quite a lot has happened in Bridgtown in the last year with plans being approved for ore housing in the village,

·  The Council being relieved of the expensive upkeep of the park and memorial gardens.

·  At last, movement on the old Edge Tools building that was in a sad state or repair for many years and had become an eyesore on the entrance to East Street, will now be replaced with badly needed brand new housing stock.

·  New apartments to be built at the old Union Works in Union Street.

·  One hundred and eleven dwellings to be built on Lakeside Park, off Lakeside Boulevard

·  - and more homes to come on Vine Lane.

·  We have now dedicated the old Memorial Gardens to the Leighton Family in memory of Jim Leighton, the Chairman of the steering committee who worked tirelessly to ensure Parish status was given to Bridgtown. also his wife Dora who was a local dance teacher, and his brother Bob Leighton, who for many years has organised the Remembrance Sunday event, one week in advance of the main event in Cannock.. We still have one of the best-attended Remembrance Day event in the area, and Bob still continues his work.

·  The war memorial fencing has now been painted and looks refreshed and I have asked the Stonemasons for a price to professionally clean the War Memorial.

·  We also now have a defibrillator in the Village thanks to the fundraising efforts of Amanda Beard, a teacher at Bridgtown Primary School. It is sited on the outside wall of a taxi office on Longford Road.

·  I have also had a site visit with a representative from the County Council looking at increasing the length of double yellow lines from New Street to the first junction on Longford Business Park and also on East Street. We may not get East Street done in this financial year but the New Street Project is looking favourable.

·  I would like to thank our County Councillor Alison Spicer for her efforts in helping us get funding for our Memorial Garden plaque and also for her work in helping to get the County Council to look at the parking problems on East Street and Longford Road.

3.  Items for Information or Future Agendas.

No items arose.

4.  Open Forum.

No issues were raised and no members of the public were present.

Cllr. Smith thanked those present for attending and the meeting was closed.

Mrs. Janine Arm - Clerk to the Council - 23 School Road, Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffordshire.

WS11 9SQ Tel. 01543 450181 E-mail.

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CHAIRMAN ………………………………………………