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Sunday 28 July 2013

HS2 Surveying Greenway Usage Sunday 28th July

Local resident, Andrew Burrow, calls for help to protect the Greenway from HS2 destruction.
 

HS2 are surveying Greenway usage - TODAY (Sunday)

HS2 are surveying the usage of the Greenway in the Balsall Common/Berkswell area. Their current plan is to shut the Greenway and use it as a route for construction traffic.  The more people that are counted using it, the more chance we have of getting them not to use it for construction traffic.
 
Survey Dates
The last survey date is Sunday 28th July. I am told they will be surveying from 8 am to 6 pm.
 
Where
There are two survey points. At the Berkswell Station end of the Greenway (access via Carstins Garage from Station Road) and about 1 mile further on by the Waste Lane road bridge over the Greenway. 
On Thursday 25 July they dropped the Berkswell Station end survey because so few people used it on Wednesday but they will be there on Sunday. We need lots of people to join the path at the Balsall Common/Berskwell Station end or to get to that end of the Greenway and return towards Kenilworth. If you ever use the path, then use it on Sunday.
 
How do I get myself counted
If you pass both checkpoints on the same trip it counts as one trip. If you are on two different trips (and routes) then you get counted twice. If you walk once, then the best thing is if you join the path at Berkswell Station/Balsall Common. If you walk twice get the Waste Lane bridge in your walk.
Get your friends to come with you. Make a day of it on Sunday. Take the bike, take the horse, take the dog, the grand children or your lover. Get there and be counted.
 
Thank you

Andrew Burrow

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Burton Green Parish Council Job Advertisement

Burton Green Parish Council


Vacancy for
Parish Council Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer

Applications are invited for the role of Parish Council Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer to Burton Green Parish Council in Warwickshire.
Burton Green is a new Parish Council with 7 Councillors, who are actively involved in the community - current issues for the Parish Council include HS2 and producing a Neighbourhood Plan.
The successful applicant will be required to provide professional support and guidance in respect of all aspects of the Council’s work including acting as the Council’s Responsible Financial Officer.
The successful applicant will ideally be an experienced Clerk, CiLCA qualified – although consideration will be given to unqualified Clerks who are willing to become qualified.  Applicants need to have excellent communication skills and organisational skills, be able to take minutes of meetings, some accounting experience and and should also be a confident user of office technology (word processing, simple spreadsheets, and the internet).  
The post is for 24 hours per month – primarily working from home, with attendance at Parish Council meetings on the third Monday of every month.  The postholder will be entitled to all statutory holidays and a leave entitlement ; laptop and printer will be provided by the Parish Council.
The appointment will be made within salary scale LC1 points 15-25,  £16215-£21734 pro rata (£8.428 per hour to £11.296 per hour),  of the nationally agreed rates of Local Council Clerks, depending on relevant experience and qualifications.  Pension scheme available.  Mileage and allowance for the use of home as office are also payable.

For Job Description, Person Specification and Application Form, please contact
Louise Baudet – Clerk to Burton Green Parish Council
47 St Pauls Crescent
Coleshill
Birmingham B46 1BB
Email : burtongreen@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone : 07503 002948 (please leave name, address and email)

Closing Date : 24th August 2013

Friday 12 July 2013

Minutes of Residents’ Association Committee Meeting July 9th 2013


Present:   
Terry Heyes; Judi Hibberd; Janet Hickinbottom; Marlene Hills; and Mary Webb.

Mary chaired the meeting in Rona’s absence.

1. Apologies   

Apologies had been received from Hilary Cox, Andy Gibbs, John Nisbet, Bron Putnam, Kathryn Stewart, Archie Taylor, Rona Taylor and Faith Ward

Minutes of the last meeting and Matters Arising:   
Marlene wished it to be recorded that the money from the Westwood Charity had not been donated while she was treasurer.
The minutes of the last meeting of May 21st 2013 were accepted.

Matters Arising

Treasurer’s Report: As no further correspondence had been received from John Nisbet, it was agreed Terry would send a letter to John as Chair of Westwood and Tile Hill Charity regarding return of funds and what would be acceptable.
Action: Terry

2. Oddsocks review

Everyone agreed this had been an excellent evening.  A profit had been made which was to be reported later in the meeting.  The Jubilee committee was to recommend dividing the profits between the Greenway Trust, the Village Hall and BGRA.

3. Update on and discussion of Residents’ Association initiatives and issues

Plans for Retired of Burton Green lunch September 27th

Mary reported that plans were in hand for the next lunch event which would have a seasonal menu. An invitation would be included in the September Bugle. As agreed at the May meeting the price would be increased to £7 per head and each person would be offered one free glass of wine.  Additional wine could be purchased at £1 per glass. Mary was pleased to report that there was a "client group “of about 50 people.

Speed Watch

The scheme had been going well but Terry's illness had resulted in a delay in progress.  Pat Hehir had taken over control of co-ordination and running of the scheme and a working roster was being organised. Thanks were expressed to all on the team.

Parking on the footpaths remained a problem. The committee would support double yellow lines only at the bridge on Cromwell Lane as a basic safety measure.Marlene would speak to Cllr John Whitehouse.
                                    Action: Marlene

Burton Green website

No further progress had been made until funds became available. It was agreed to discuss the matter again at the September meeting and Judi would add this as one of the first agenda items.
Action: Judi

Footpath survey update

Chris Langton had completed the village section of the footpaths and registered these.  The remaining footpaths in the parish were still to be surveyed including Westwood Heath, Crackley, Cryfield, Bockendon etc.
                                    Action: Mary

4. Le Van

A letter from Cllr Ian Cox had been circulated explaining the situation in which a precedent had been used which was not felt to be appropriate with regard to this matter.  The owner of the land wished to install 20 park homes.  Marlene said this would detract from the number of homes the village would consider as part of the neighbourhood plan.  It was agreed this was a Parish Council matter.

5. Parish Plan Update
 

Marlene explained that WDC had initially put forward a local plan which was turned down so a revised version was developed. She explained the Parish Plan was important to make sure developers were held at bay.

Mary added that local schools were to be consulted.

The results of the questionnaires returned were being collated and Kathryn had reported these would be available at the end of July.  It was hoped to hold an event at the Village Hall to publicise the results and to celebrate the high return rate of questionnaires. Further funding would be needed to create the final printed report and action plan. A bid had been submitted to WDC to help with this.

6. Village Hall

Kathryn had sent a report saying the annual BBQ had been very successful with 72 people attending.

Produce Show flyers had been issued and it was hoped for a good turn out at this event in September.

7. Status of Jubilee Group as a subgroup of Residents' Association
Questions had been raised regarding the status of the Jubilee committee which comprised representatives of various organisations within the village.  It had been responsible for a number of successful events, the most recent being the Oddsocks performance.

Following discussion, it was agreed the Jubilee Committee would retain its name and be classed as a sub committee of the BGRA as outlined in section 9 of the BGRA constitution:

SUB COMMITTEES   

The Management Committee may from time to time appoint sub-committees to deal with special matters and delegate such powers as may be considered necessary. The minutes of each sub-committee shall be confirmed by the Management Committee.

In accordance with this, notes from Jubilee committee meetings would be circulated to the full BGRA committee for their consideration and approval.  This was necessary to retain financial accountability.

Thanks were expressed to the Jubilee committee and especially to Terry and Juvey regarding the organisation of the Oddsocks performance

8. HS2

Mention was made of the response to the environmental impact assessment.  As yet this was not completed but was a priority.

Terry queried information he had read about a report saying the Birmingham airport hub was to expand to accommodate 70m passengers per year. Marlene explained there was a lack of money for development of Birmingham airport and proposals had therefore not been issued.

9. Parish Councillor’s Report

Cllr Taylor had sent his apologies but had explained that the Parish Council's priorities were the Le Van issue and the Neighbourhood Plan.  Marlene was drafting the environmental response.

10. Treasurer’s Report and dates for collecting subscriptions

Mary said few people had been available for the collection of subscriptions but still more money had been collected than last year.  She still planned to do a "mop up" operation with Kathryn.

Accounts as at 9/7/13

Current account net balance                2720.17
Deposit account net balance                1500.70
Total funds (A)                    4220.87

Ring Fenced Funds (Balance remaining of monies donated/allocated for specific purposes but not yet spent):
Parish Plan Survey                      157.75
Defibrillator                            470.86
Speedwatch                            375.01
Luncheon Equipment (Plate Warmer)               32.75
Total Ring Fenced Funds (B)                  1036.37

Freely available/unallocated Funds (A-B)          3184.50

The above funds include the following monies:
2013-14 residents’ subscriptions collected to date         869.25
“Profit” from 29th June Oddsocks production           1558.15

Thanks were expressed to Terry

11. Any Other Business
Mary said the next Bugle would be issued in early September. All articles were welcome.
The next police clinic was to be held on July 22nd from 6:30 to 7:30 in the Village Hall Green Room.
Mary asked if she could buy a cartridge for her printer as she printed out many items for BGRA. This was agreed.

12. Date, time and venue of Next Meeting

The next committee meeting would take place on Tuesday September 17th at 7.30p.m.at the Villager Hall.
The AGM was scheduled for October 7th.

The subsequent meeting would be on November 19th, subject to availability of the Village Hall.
Action Judi