SOUTHILL PARISH COUNCIL

ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING 31^ST MARCH 2011

The Parish Council has met six times during the year and the average public attendance was four.

Councillors Egar and Rook were re-elected as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively. During the year Cllrs. Gowers and Lichfield resigned. Cllr.Gowers was replaced by Cllr. Rodenberg and there currently is a vacancy in the Stanford ward.

The Council has continued to make representations to the new unitary authority over speeding in the Parish but currently there has been no increase in the number of vehicle activated speed signs in the Parish during the year. The Council have, however, earmarked two sites for the speed signs which potentially will be provided by Tarmac in the future. These sites are in Stanford, on the road in from Shefford (B658) and on Stanford Road, Southill. The Council have also made representations to the local police to increase their presence with speed guns.

The Council have continued to follow up ongoing complaints to Central Bedfordshire Council regarding the poor condition of the roads in the Parish. The Central Bedfordshire Parish Partnership Scheme, which has over previous years allocated sums for the Parish to spend on chosen schemes, has now unfortunately been discontinued.  

The Council decided to purchase and install a salt/grit bin. This will be situated outside Southill Lower School.  

The Broom/Stanford Quarry Special Interest Group has continued to liaise with Tarmac regarding existing and future sites. It is anticipated development will commence in 2012 with extraction following after that. The Section 106 monies relating to this site will be triggered at this point. 

The Local Development Special Interest Group reviewed and responded to various consultative documentation during the year, in particular the Gypsy and Traveller Sites and the Minerals Policy for Safeguarding Areas.

The Council agreed to a Housing Needs Survey being undertaken in the parish by Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity.

The Council decided to give support to activities celebrating the Royal Wedding in April 2011 and agreed that all children in the parish, aged 16 and under and in full time education, should be given a commemorative mug funded by the Council. The funding for this will be met from the budget for ‘New Projects’ in the next financial year (2011/2012).

Grass cutting has been undertaken at regular intervals throughout the Parish. The Council decided to increase the number of cuts to 10 during the current year.

The bus shelter in Broom was repaired and two new ‘no parking’ signs were installed on Broom Green.

The ‘Young Gardener of the Year’ scheme which was introduced by the Council unfortunately had to be cancelled due to lack of support.

The Council’s website continues to be well maintained and kept up to date with Council notices and details of meetings.  The Council keeps parishioners informed of Council activities via Outlook Church and Community Magazine. It is well supported in this regard by the village reporters of the Biggleswade Chronicle.

During the year the Council has provided financial assistance to local organisations –  Stanford Playing Field Assoc., Southill All Saints Church and the Whitbread Wanderbus. 

The Council has, due to prudent financial management, kept the Precept at the same level for four years now and the external audit for 2009/20109 was completed in accordance with the Audit Commission requirements, and a ‘clean’ audit certificate received.