The Annual Report of Colwall Parish Council

2008-2009

John Mills- Chairman, Finance & General Purposes Committee.

Finance and General Purposes Committee

2008/09 was another satisfactory financial year with performance comfortably ahead of Budget. However, some of these savings against Budget have been deferred until 2009/10; most notably the cost of the 4 May 2008 parish council by-election.

The Income and Expenditure statement shows a surplus of £13,719. However capital repayments of £14,470 on the Village Hall Loan must be financed from this thus giving a small overall deficit of £751. This compares with a surplus of £4,957 last year. The main reason for this change was the £5,938 spent this year on renovations to the Clock Tower clock faces. Excluding this cost out there was an operating surplus of £5,187.

There were few appreciable differences in comparison with last year. Notable among these few were:-

· The precept was increased by £5,500 to support the re-establishment of the village Post Office. This offsets the £5,500 cost of the premises rental.

· Loan Interest continues to decrease as we near the end the Village Hall Loan.

· There was a significant under spend in the General Village Amenities expense totalling £2,813, due mainly to unusually high expense last year and a delay in the planned provision of a new notice board this year. This installation and expense will now occur in 2009/10.

· Likewise for countryside expense where planned improvements to the Nature Reserve have been put back to 2009/10.

The allocated reserve funds are comfortably adequate but the General Reserve of £26,127, up £2,108 from last year, is probably higher than necessary. This, however, is expected to reduce in 2009/10 to a more normal level.

In all, it was a successful and satisfying year financially.

My thanks go to all my fellow councillors for their appreciation of our finances and for the good sense and restraint with which they have committed our community’s money; to Alison Grimshaw, our internal auditor; and to Karen Davis our Parish Clerk for her stewardship of our accounts and the timely and accurate production of information which has enabled us to make informed and positive decisions.

John R. Mills, Chairman, F. & G.P. Committee

Barry Ashton – Chairman, Planning and Development Committee

The Planning Committee has had a relatively light workload this year, as most applications were for alterations or extensions to existing properties, with very few requests for new build. The application for a large extension at the care home in Evendine Lane, however, gave the Committee more of a challenge to consider.

The two most contentious issues were the bridge and the new road layout at the Brock Hill/Walwyn Road/ Old Church Road. Unfortunately, the Committee’s views had little impact on Herefordshire Council. There has been comment in the local newspapers by Cll. Hunt (ex Chairman of the Herefordshire Planning Committee) regarding central Government’s intention to take more control over local planning. We hope this does not mean that some faceless wonder in Whitehall will be telling local government what and where they should build, just to meet some government target.

I still believe that any member of a decision making committee at Hereford, should not be able to vote on applications without first having received some training in planning procedures and law. This would give applicants far more confidence in outcomes.

I thank the Committee for all its hard work which has been put in and look forward to the next year.

Barry Ashton, Chairman Planning & Development Committee.

Helen Stace – Chairman, Countryside Committee

I believe it has been another successful 12 months for the Countryside Committee and I would like to thank those who have played their part during the year.

Footpaths

Again, the condition of the footpaths has generally been excellent, with a regular series of path clearance, a programme of replacing and repairing bridges, gates and stiles and works to address a number of wet areas on some of the paths. There has also been a review of all the fingerposts in the parish.

A new programme of ‘Miles without Stiles’, saw all stiles on footpath CW39 replaced by gates, with funding from the AONB. This work was done by our lengthsman and reimbursed by Herefordshire Council. The ‘Miles without Stiles’ programme is now being extended to CW1, CW 32 and CW32a, with the work being done by AMEY under contract to the Council.

Thanks are due to the team who put in considerable time and effort to keep everything in good order:

· David Togni, our Footpath Warden for walking the parish’s footpaths to check on the state of the paths and stiles.

· Steven Maund, our lengthsman, a very efficient operator, who clears paths and installs stiles and gates where needed.

· The team of other footpath checkers who patrol their patch, reporting in any problems.

· Our farmers and landowners who keep their paths clear, which allows the Parish Council to keep on top of the situation.

I believe our Parish footpaths are a valuable facility for the village and recommend you take time to explore them.

Natalie West, of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust, visited the committee in April to inform us of progress with the Geopark Way, which incorporates various sections of footpath in the Parish. The launch of this Trail was originally planned for October, but has been deferred.

In July, we had a presentation from Jessica Donaldson of the H&W EHT, who informed us about the Earth Heritage Champions project. Gardiner’s Quarry and Exposures at Brockhill Road/Park Wood have been selected as part of the project, which seeks to involve local people in monitoring conserving and using the sites.

We also installed a new notice board at the Colwall Park Hotel, and thanks are due to James Ferguson for his work preparing the display on this board.

Charlie Ballard Nature Reserve

We have continued to maintain the nature reserve with weekly checks of the reserve, litter picking and ongoing path maintenance. The Reserve Warden has used the new notice board to good effect to highlights items of interest on the reserve.

The July meeting of the committee was held on site to consider further works for inclusion in the management plan including further tree coppicing, pond deepening and improving access to the pond and to the reserve. As a result of the visit, we plan to install a graded ‘beach area’ for children pond dipping. A large willow within the reserve has been pollarded, some alders have been coppiced and various other tree works done.

I would like to thank:

· Stephen West, who has been doing an excellent job of managing the reserve

· Steven Maund who has done the footpath clearance, and

· Sue Scott-Wilson, for her continued involvement in Reserve.

Colwall Orchard project

During the course of this year, the Parish Council kindly agreed to co-sponsor, the Colwall orchard project. We were successful in getting grant aid from the AONB and had a very successful year with highlights including:

· Assembling a band of 55 volunteers

· Preparing management plans for 12 orchards

· Purchase of tree pruning kit , and providing a programme of training for volunteers and owners, to enable us to make a start on implementing the management plans

· Rescue pruning of c120 trees and planting of 50 new trees across the parish.

· Running a series of successful public events including a fungus foray, Colwall Apple Day, a mistletoe fair and Wassailing.

I would particularly like to thank the volunteers, for all their efforts and the orchard owners, most of whom have made us very welcome.

And last but not least, I would like to extend my thanks to our clerk, who has been extremely efficient in helping all this to happen, and for being a great source of help and support

Helen Stace Chairman Countryside Committee

Jim Beard – Chairman, Village Amenities Committee

Over the last year the Amenities Committee has overseen the regular workload around the village that falls under its remit.

The Committee oversees the many areas in the village that provide recreational facilities, play areas, Walwyn Meadow, and Colwall Green. The play equipment, village seats and litter bins are being maintained to the usual high standard and all areas checked under the grass cutting regime. We have now also taken over responsibility for the Station Gardens after years of dedicated work by Colwall WI.

Aunt Alice has undergone a program of repair during 2008. The faces were removed and returned to the factory and the metal frames sand blasted and then re-gilded. All hands were restored to their original shape and repainted. The opaque glass was replaced with 5mm opal polycarbonate. The steel supports holding the framework at the top of the tower were cleaned in situ and repainted with rust resistant paint. The turret clock was taken to Gillett and Johnston's workshop in Croydon where it was overhauled. One of the cables holding the clock weights was found to be frayed, and considered to be a hazard so this was replaced. Gillett and Johnston made final adjustments to the weight cable when they returned the clock and she is now keeping good time

The Parish Council had hoped to fund the repairs by obtaining grant funding, however, despite the sterling work put in by our various Councillors, pursuing this vein it was not to be. Following completion of the works the Parish Council received a number of donations towards the cost which were very gratefully received.

Jim Beard Chairman of Village Amenities

Nicky Carless – Chairman, Colwall Parish Council

A lot of Parish Council’s time has been taken up this year discussing the Colwall Railway Bridge replacement with Herefordshire Council trying to represent the wishes of the majority of the village by pressing for a two lane design. As you will all know by now Herefordshire Council have conducted a safety audit on the proposed designs and the Cabinet Member for Highways has decided that a one lane layout with traffic lights to be the most suitable design for this bridge replacement. The bridge is due to reopen at the end of June which will be a great relief to residents and businesses alike.

There has been an increase of traffic at school times with the merging of the Downs School with Malvern College, especially at the junction of the Walwyn road and Old Church road. As part of the development on the site at the end of Brockhill Road a new one way road design had been put forward. The Parish Council is concerned that this area is too small for such a design and that grass verges will be eroded by traffic. We are particularly concerned for the grass triangle on which the bus stop is sited as this is classed as village green and so has the same protection as Colwall Green. We continue to work with the Malvern Hills Conservators to ensure that this area is protected from traffic erosion.

On both of these issues we have had expert advice from John Stock, a structural engineer who lives in Colwall. Without his contribution we would not have been in a position to effectively put forward the Parish Council’s views. I would personally like to thank him for giving up so much of his time to write reports and attend both Parish Council and Herefordshire Council meetings. In fact the village is blessed by having so many skilled individuals who willingly offer their services to help the Parish Council and so the village in where they live.

Again many individuals continue to help the Parish Council in their efforts to circulate our quarterly newsletter to all households in the village, with over 2,500 residents this is no easy task. I hope you find these newsletters informative and we always welcome suggestions for any items that you would like included.

The current newsletter includes a survey for the youth of the village to answer. The Parish Council is reviewing the youth facilities in the village and welcomes any opinions on this subject.

Looking forward, we continue to strive to obtain Quality Parish Council Status and will start the process of reviewing the Parish Plan – a community lead blue print of how the residents would like the village to develop in the future and volunteers are welcome to contribute to this review. Once the Railway Bridge is complete it will be great to have more of the Council’s time to pursue more positive aspects to village life.

Finally I would like to thank our Parish Clerk, Karen Davis. She has over the last 12 months supported and directed the Parish Council and through her continuing professionalism will steer us through the coming year.

Nicola Carless Chairman