Hello, I hope you are all keeping safe and well.
It has been a busy month for all of us at the parish council, with work on all our on-going projects, our regular Parish Council meeting in November and a meeting of the Estates Committee in December. The Neighbourhood Plan Working Group is now well established. They’ve been meeting monthly and progress to date includes:
- Designation of the Neighbourhood Area (the whole parish)
- Drafting a household survey for late January 2022;
- Approval of a grant application and technical support from Locality; and
- a dedicated page on the Parish Website – click here for more information
In November, the parish council:
- formally appointed Places4People as Neighbourhood Planning Consultant;
- considered a draft Risk Management Policy and supporting draft risk assessments
- agreed responses to consultations on DEFRA Environmental Permitting Regulations and Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan;
- considered a draft budget, proposed precept and 3 year plan for the parish council
- authorised a grant contribution towards maintenance of the Memorial Clock; and
- confirmed the following dates for meetings next year:
Ordinary Meetings of the Parish Council (@ 7:00pm):
Thursday 13th January
Thursday 25th February
Thursday 28th April
Thursday 28th July
Thursday 30th September
Thursday 28th November
Annual Parish Council Meeting – Thursday 26th May @ 7:00pm
Annual Parish Meeting – Saturday 9th April (to be confirmed)
Estates Committee Meetings (at 7:00pm):
Thursday 3th February
Thursday 7th April
Thursday 7th July
Thursday 1st September
Thursday 3rd November
Simon Moy, our new Councillor, has been appointed as a member of the Estates Committee, and takes on the Play areas portfolio. The committee met in early December, and:
- resolved to give permission to the Royal British Legion to make provision for a flag pole support in the Cemetery for Remembrance Sunday;
- noted that work to parish trees following the summer audit had been completed
- considered a draft 3 year work plan for the committee and agreed priorities
- identified a preferred option to take forwards to bring the old MUGA space on Six Acres back into use for outdoor fitness
- agreed that a sole contractor should be appointed for the digging of graves in Wickhambrook Cemetery; and
- authorised the purchase of outdoor equipment for the parish to support community events, funded through West Suffolk Council’s Community Restart Grant award.
Unfortunately, installation of the bow top fencing to the old MUGA space has been delayed into the new year due to supply problems. Updates on all the ongoing projects can be found on the consultation and projects page of our website. Please take a look at the updates on the old MUGA space, and let us know your views on the preferred option to take forwards.
We also had to re-schedule our Street Art Workshop to the February half term break. We’re looking at Thursday of that week and will confirm the date early in the new year – watch this space!
At its next meeting on January 13th 2022, the Parish Council will be welcoming Cllr David Roach to talk about West Suffolk Council’s progress with the Local Plan, and its drafting of preferred options in response to last year’s consultation. Please do come along to the meeting to join in the public participation session at the start, or contact the clerk if you have any queries or questions
Can you spare 5 hours a month? Do you want to affect real change and become a voice for your community?
Be part of the decision making, comment on local planning applications, help with community projects and us ensure we make Wickhambrook an even better place to live.
Councillors have 3 main areas of work:
- Decision making – by attending meetings and joining dedicated committees, decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented.
- Monitoring – ensure all decisions lead to efficient and effective services.
- Local representation – towards constituents and local organisations, such as attending meetings with bodies that affect the wider community – Police, Highways, Schools, District and County Council.
If you would like to become a councillor, have a look at some of the sources of information we’ve put together here, and chat with our Councillors to find out more about what it involves! Our next meeting is at 7pm on Thursday 13th Januaryr in the Dulcie Smith Room at Wickhambrook Memorial Social Centre, and we’ll be looking to co-opt at this meeting. Get in touch with me if you have any queries or would like to be considered!
Do feel free to forward this message on to neighbours, friends and family in the parish and ask them to get in touch with me at .uk if they would like to be included in our e-newsletter mailing list!
On behalf of the parish council, I would like to wish you all the best for the festive season. Keep safe and well.
Hilary Workman
Clerk for Wickhambrook Parish Council