The Chairman’s Speech 2011

The biggest challenges by far over the past year faced by the Parish Council were the responses to Solihull MBC regarding the Emerging Core Strategy and the Planning Application for the Moat House Farm site in Marston Green.

The Parish Council's response to the Emerging Core Strategy was deemed to be a matter of major importance if we were to challenge the proposed green sites, identified within the strategy for development in Marston Green.

We were then surprised by a developer identifying one of the sites within the Emerging Core Strategy and submitting a Planning Application for 125 dwellings on the Moat House Farm site. The Parish Council responded to this application and as I write we are awaiting information from Solihull MBC as to when this application will be heard by the SMBC Planning Committee. The Parish Council, as a statutory body, will have the opportunity to speak and outline the concerns of both the Parish Council and the Community.

A Parish Council has to respond to these kinds of challenges in the correct manner and in doing so use all the tools at its disposal to make its voice heard at Borough Council level.

The proposed Government's Localism bill, when passed, is designed to allow more involvement at Parish Council level, giving local people more of a voice in their community.

Bickenhill Parish Council sees this as an opportunity to use our response to current issues as the basis for the development of a Neighbourhood Plan, with a long term view to help protect and determine the future of the village.

Let's now look at what action was taken by Bickenhill Parish Council over the last twelve months to achieve our objectives:

1. Village Survey to establish the views of residents.

2. Response to the Emerging Core Strategy.

3. Response to Moat House Farm Planning Application.

4. Decision to develop a Neighbourhood Plan.

The survey which was delivered to every home in Marston Green contained questions that would gauge the feeling of residents on key issues both current and future. The information was collated into categories and was used by The Parish Council to respond to the Emerging Core Strategy with the views of the residents on the future of their community.

The information from the survey will also be used by the Parish Council as a basis for the development of a Neighbourhood Plan.

I hope that during the past twelve months the Community has seen that the Parish Council's response to these challenges has been proactive not reactive.

I would now like to spend a few moments looking at our other achievements over the last twelve months.

Millennium Wood

• 10 year Management Plan developed with SMBC.
• Community Service Day with Marston Green Lions.
• Local residents involved with a Bug Hunt.
• Schools now including the wood within their curriculum.

•Designated as a Local Nature Reserve

Burial Ground

• Replaced the Notice Board.
• Extension of the paths.

The Recreation Ground

• Continued refurbishment of the Pavilion.

• WCC Cricket Day involving local schools

Pleck and Memorial Garden

• The ongoing maintenance programme has improved the appearance.
• Completed the refurbishment of the War Memorial.

Bickenhill village

• Contribution to St Peter's Church for maintenance of the Churchyard.
• Replaced the swing seats.

Marston Green village

• BPC negotiated the return of the Planters on Station Road and took over the planting and maintenance from SMBC.
• Refurbishment of the Notice Board on Coleshill Road.

Parish Council in the Community

Another task we set ourselves last year was to make the council more accessible to the community.

1. We continue to develop and update our web site which is receiving hits from far and wide.

2. Our twice yearly Newsletter takes the Council and its activities into every home within the Parish. We are about to publish our next edition in July.

3. The Parish Council work together with the Marston Green Horticultural Society in providing Hanging Baskets, materials, plants and prize money for the Horticultural Society's annual best basket competition.

4. Public Rights of Way were checked throughout the summer with help of some residents.

5. For the second year running we have maintained the precept within inflation.

6. The Parish Council decided that due to the current economic climate there would be no increase in fees for 2011/12.

To achieve all the aforementioned you need a dedicated set of people. I am delighted to say we have this and I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank our Clerk, Carole Cox and her ground staff team of Nikki Meek and Rob Williams for helping keep our Parish in such good shape.

Being a councillor can be time consuming and occasionally an unappreciated position, so I feel it would be very remiss of me not to recognise the work of all the councillors over the last twelve months who represent Bickenhill Parish Council and give their time freely. I realise it is not always possible for every councillor to attend every meeting or sit on every committee but each and everyone of you has made a contribution and it is important that people understand that you undertake this role because you care and continually want to improve the community we live in, so for that I say thank you.

During the last twelve months, for various reasons, four of our parish councillors decided they were no longer able to dedicate their time to the council and relinquished their positions. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Cllr Green, Cllr Hewlett, Cllr Mills and Cllr Rowe for their much valued service over the years.

Needless to say we are always seeking local people who are interested and prepared to get involved with the council's activities. If you feel that you would like to be more engaged in local matters, to make a difference to your community, then please contact the Clerk to register your interest.

 

Finally, it was an extremely great honour to be chosen to represent Bickenhill Parish Council at the Queen's Royal Garden Party last July. My wife and I attended what can only be described as a never to be forgotten occasion.

Cllr Frank Bunce
Chairman
Bickenhill Parish Council
23rd May 2011