Issue 11          June 2005

        

STANTON ON THE WOLDS ANNUAL REPORT 2004-2005

Retiring parish council chairman Bryan Baines presented the council’s report to the annual meeting last month.  He said that there had been six meetings during the year 2004/5, continuing the pattern established last year. This pattern continues to be appropriate and meetings are now held in the Parish Church, allowing more parishioners to attend, particularly if there are any items which arise from circulation of the Newsletter distributed with the Keyworth News.

In May last year the new Council was appointed without the need for an election as only the required number of councillors were nominated. During the year Councillor Ken Kirk resigned and we were able to welcome back Alex McKee on to the Committee. My thanks go to Ken for the contribution he made.

With the new footpath on Browns Lane being higher than the previous ground level the finger post pointing to the Church became a hazard to people walking on the footpath. The old rusty signpost was removed and a new wooden post erected in its place.

Road Safety: You will be aware that once again road safety matters continue to be a primary concern of your Council. Improving safety on our roads is an issue regularly reported to the attention of the authorities responsible. A petition calling for a reduction of speed on Melton Road and Browns Lane has been circulated round the village and now that the election of new Councillors is complete, the petition will be presented to Rushcliffe Borough Council and our Member of Parliament requesting that action be taken.

Bus Shelter: A request for the installation of bus shelters on Melton Road and Browns Lane has been turned down. We await a response from Notts County Council to our request for a pedestrian footpath/cycle track to be provided on Thurlby Lane.

After 3 years of asking for the removal of graffiti on the NTL cabinet on Browns Lane, I can now report that action has been taken and the cabinet is now clean.

The success of the Stanton Summer Fayre in June has been underlined by a number of favourable comments made by those who attended. It was held in the Church Field by kind permission of the Church Authorities. 99 adults and 25 children who attended had a wonderful time sampling the delights of a variety of activities from a bouncy castle, skittles, tombola and raffle to games and quizzes, a buffet tea and bar. Background music was provided by a French lady accordion player. Although not originally part of the arrangements we had a fly-past of the Red Arrows together with a Hurricane, Spitfire and a Wellington Bomber. These were part of another flying display but their approach path was immediately over Stanton Church.

I would like to thank the Clerk and Parish Council Members and the many people involved over the year for their kind help and support.

----Councillor Bryan Baines, Chairman

NEW CHAIRMAN FOR PARISH COUNCIL

A new chairman has been elected by Stanton on the Wolds Parish Council. Councillor Bryan Baines retired at the annual meeting of the council last month and has been succeeded by Coun. Dennis Hackett of Stanton Lane. Coun. Mrs Margaret Healey is the new vice-chairman, taking over from Coun. Hackett. A vote of thanks was passed to Coun. Baines for his work while in office as chairman.

SPEED PETITION GOES IN

A petition signed by the majority of residents in Stanton on the Wolds and calling for speed restrictions on Melton Road and Browns Lane to be imposed has been handed to local Notts County Councillor John Cottee, Rushcliffe Borough Council and Rushcliffe MP Kenneth Clarke.

The petition says that for many years the parish council had drawn attention to the problem and that it is now time for action to reduce dangers that motorists and pedestrians face on a daily basis. In addition to the request for a speed limit, the petition asks for central refuges for pedestrians to be provided on Melton Road as well.

TOP AWARD FOR KEYWORTH LEISURE CENTRE

Keyworth Leisure Centre has been nominated for a Quest Award for top quality services. The award will be presented at the Quest Conference on Thursday June 16^th at Harrogate International Centre. The Centre has been placed in the top three in the ‘highest dual use’ category, for Centres which share their site with a school. The Centre will not know until the night whether it has actually won the top award.

This award follows on from Keyworth’s success last summer when its Quest assessment placed it in the top 3% of leisure centres in the country for quality. A two-day assessment from Quest- the UK quality scheme for sport and leisure- gave the Centre a score of 75% (highly commended). This placed the Centre 7^th out of 504 registered centres in the country. The Quest award was developed to help sport and leisure providers improve the quality of their customer service. Jon Lord, Centre manager said “This award is testament to our commitment to quality and to improving the service we provide to our customers. Quest is an award rooted in continuous improvement and we have held the award now since 1998. This latest award is a welcome addition and I am pleased that the staff have been recognised for their hard work. The Quest assessment consists of two phases: a mystery customer visit where a trained assessor visits the facility and assesses the centre from a customer’s perspective. The second stage involves a two day assessment which looks at the facility’s operation and customer relations, staffing issues such as recruitment and training and reviewing and developing services. Quest registration is awarded for two years, during which time a further mystery customer visit and another on-site assessment are carried out to ensure standards are being maintained. Our goal on the next assessment is to leap from very good to excellent.”

FOR YELLOW, READ…… ?

Parish councillors at Stanton were puzzled when trying to understand a letter received from Notts County Council in regard to ownership of land on Thurlby Lane in the parish. The parish had written to ask for clarification of ownership of a particular plot of land and back came the reply with a map. The County Council letter said a piece of land edged in yellow had no known owner but the map showed only land edged in blue, red and green. Parish Clerk Mike Elliott was asked to write back again for even more clarification !!

CUT THOSE HEDGES BACK - PLEASE

With the growing season in full swing the Parish Council is making an appeal to residents to ensure that all roadside hedges to their property are kept cut back to avoid them becoming a hazard to pedestrians, prams and wheelchairs.

CALLING FOR ENVIRONMENT IMPROVEMENTS

The parish council have expressed concern at damaged verge areas in parts of the parish. Couns. Bryan Baines and Dennis Hackett are preparing a list of the areas concerned to send off to the Notts County Council for action.

 MEETINGS ON A REGULAR DAY…….. ALMOST

The parish council has agreed that meetings throughout 2005 should where possible be held on the same night, on the second Wednesday of every other month, but the next one in July has been moved to the third week, July 20th.

A QUALITY COUNCIL

Parish councillors at Stanton on the Wolds are to consider whether or not they should seek Quality Council Status. Following the successful completion of his examination for a Qualified Clerk award to council clerk Mike Elliott, the council can now seek the Status as a Quality Council if it wishes.

Bits and bobs

The parish council are asking Notts County Council for action against those responsible for churning up roadside verges and frontages.

Consideration is to be given by the parish council at its next meeting on the question of whether or not it should make a donation to the Neighbourhood Watch Runway Scheme.

Rushcliffe Borough Council have advised the parish council of future changes in Highway Maintenance in the Region. From April 1^st it will be the responsibility of Notts County Council to look after roads and highways in the Rushcliffe area including Stanton on the Wolds.

Three years after the parish council first asked NTL to clean graffiti daubed on their cabinet on Stanton lane in the village the work has been carried out.

Coun. Alan Jackson is again to take on responsibility  for footpaths and bus services in the parish.

The parish council decided at its last meeting not to enter the Nottinghamshire Best kept Village Competition for 2005 but is appealing to residents to play a part in keeping their frontages clean.

Dunn Line bus service offer a service that leaves Hickling and travels at the following times to Keyworth via Melton Road, Browns Lane, Stanton Lane, Willowbrook and Selby Lane at 9:26, 11:40, 14:40 and 17:10 each weekday, returning immediately along the same route. It may be that when parking is restricted in Keyworth during the new Health Centre construction, that this service will be useful to some residents.

PLANNING DECISIONS BY THE BOROUGH COUNCIL

04/01137/ADV Moores Nurseries: display 2 wall-mounted name signs and 3 freestanding ‘offers’ signs (all non-illuminated) at Moores Nurseries, 156 Melton Road. Grant permission.

04/01494/COU Mr Stoppiello & Mr Akbari: use of part of the site for sale of 24 used cars (in association with the existing petrol filling station and shop) at Wolds Service Station, 198 Melton Road. Grant permission.

05/00202/FUL Mr Robinson: form two new accesses on to the highway; erect 2 metre high fence to front boundary (seal existing vehicular access) at 5 Melton Road. Grant permission.

05/00323/FUL Mr Foley: erect hay storage barn on land adjacent Fairfield House, Widmerpool Lane. Grant permission.

05/00329/FUL Mr Middleton: erect single storey office building, position portable office units during course of construction (demolish existing building) at land to the south of Browns Lane. Grant permission.

YOUR LOCAL CHURCHES

Stanton on the Wolds Parish Church: Rev Trevor Sisson, tel 0115 937 2017.

Catholic Church, Willowbrook: Fr Gregory Tobin, tel 0115 981 4271.

Methodists: Rev Peter Green, tel 0115 921 2146.

Baptists: Rev Neil Brighton, tel 0115 914 7449.

United Reformed: Rev Chris Ford, tel 0115 937 5086.

CALLING ALL READERS

We would welcome an input into this newsletter from any resident in the parish. Items for inclusion can be Emailed to elliottnews@btconnect.com

Thought of the month

A wise man knows everything;

 a clever man knows everyone