Chairman's Annual Report

This is the full text of the Annual Report from the Chairman of Broughton Astley Parish Council for the year ending 30 April 2008.
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Introduction

As the municipal year comes to a close it is time once again to reflect upon Parish Council activity within the community during the past twelve months.

Councillors and staffing

Local Government elections in May heralded the beginning of a new four year term for local councillors. Subsequently we have bid farewell to both Stan Hardy and Julie Watson who have both moved away from the area, and welcomed on board Alan Rowe, Mikal Willmott and Paul Whiffin to bring the Council up to full complement.

Changes within the staffing of the Parish Council have seen Parish Manager Christine Lord slip effectively into the role vacated by Les Chandler. Christine has strengthened the procedures under which we now operate, and along with Jo Carr and Emma Gill in the Parish Office has successfully introduced the implementation of a new integrated IT system which now offers us far more management information relating to Accounts, Facilities Bookings and Allotments which in turn has led to significant staff time savings. Year end figures show that we have remained within our budgets in a year which has seen major price increases particularly in utility and fuel costs. Increased bookings of village facilities certainly helped in keeping us within budget.

Simon Chamberlain replaced Dave Massey as Caretaker, and along with Rod Abraham ensures that our Village Hall facilities are presented in a first-class condition.

Changes in the way in which we operate grounds maintenance allowed us to introduce the position of Village Environment Warden. This role which has been undertaken by Nicholas Algate since January is proving most successful in allowing us to offer street cleansing both on a regular routine and to react to one-off incidents.

Our Property and Grounds Maintenance Supervisor, Rodney Briggs, has not enjoyed the best of health throughout the year but has, as always, offered total commitment to his many varied roles and responsibilities. We all hope that the next twelve months will see an improvement for Rodney.

Environmental Matters

• The major topic carried forward was the thorny issue of Town Status. The matter was finally put to a Parish vote in September when 3535 residents voted, with a significant majority of 85% in favour of retaining village status.
• Grant monies have enabled us to continue to improve facilities within the Wildlife Garden at Western Willows Allotments, where extra plantings should begin to offer more variety and colour as they establish over the coming years.
• Western Willows allotments remain very popular with an ever expanding waiting list of potential users, and we are constantly on the outlook for potential extra land. The condition and facilities within the site are judged top rate as evidenced by the council again winning a national award (The Harold Todd Memorial Trophy) competing against other authorities with populations of up to 30,000 inhabitants.
• Work has also been undertaken to tidy up both the banks and streambed of the brook in the vicinity of St Mary’s Church. This work will by necessity take some time to complete as the contractor must meet environmental guidelines and work towards maintaining a rural feel to the location. A section of the brook has now been awarded ‘Local Wildlife Area’ status in recognition of its importance in terms of ecology.

Amenity Matters

The council has worked hard, along with partners, in an effort to raise the visibility of Broughton Astley in the wider community. Two good examples of our success in this cause are the introduction of two new bodies namely Broughton Astley Improvement Team (BAIT) and Broughton Astley Safety Group (BASG).

• BAIT is a formal group comprising Parish, District and County Council representation, which, along with other key local bodies, was formed with an aim of developing a community development strategy for Broughton Astley. The group has highlighted some key issues which will be taken forward in the new financial year by a newly appointed officer at Harborough District Council, dedicated solely to work towards the realisation of some of these highlighted needs in our community.
• BASG has recently evolved from an initial meeting of residents which was called to review the general concerns of both crime and safety of those living within our community. The group, comprising of local residents supported as necessary by local agencies, will act as a forum for residents to monitor local concerns, be they anti-social behaviour, speeding traffic or whatever, and to have the opportunity to liaise directly with those agencies which are able to assist us in tackling such problems.
• Details of both BAIT and BASG have appeared, and will continue to appear, on both the Parish Council website and in our bi-monthly community magazine, “Broughton Matters”, in order to keep the community updated on current events.
• Additional youth facilities have been provided at Frolesworth Road Recreation Ground in the form of Climbing Rocks supplied by Harborough District Council and a Multi-Sports Cage provided through a successful grants bid.
• We have also been successful in obtaining grant monies which will now enable us to progress plans to install a dedicated youth-shelter facility in the corner of the Thomas Estley Community College playing fields close to the junction of Cosby Road with Main Street.
• Other significant capital activities throughout the year have included the erection of security fencing at the Recreation Ground inside the hedgerow along Frolesworth Road, and the total refurbishment of the wooden flooring in the main hall at the Village Hall.
• On a down side, the Parish Council failed at the second stage of bidding to secure a lottery grant to take forward further potential developments at the Village Hall site. Any possible plans which we were considering must now wait until such times as other revenues become available.

The Year Ahead

• We will be working within the constraints of extremely tight budgets, which in turn will make any significant improvements difficult to achieve. Obviously we shall be seeking avenues of potential grant funding before taking any major decisions. One such bid will be submitted to seek finance to fund the desperately needed replacement of changing room facilities on the Recreation Ground.
• The whole community will be affected in some way by the recommendations contained within the imminent production by Harborough District Council of the Local Development Framework which will set out policy and parameters for future development within the local district over the period up to 2026, and no doubt we shall be actively involved in whatever the recommended outcome.

And finally ...

I will close by placing on record my thanks to all those Parish Councillors who give their time to the community with no thought of financial reward, and look forward to joining with them in helping to take the community forward with a positive outlook

Colin Golding
Chairman
Broughton Astley Parish Council
22nd April 2008

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