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January Chair Letter : Reflections & Decluttering

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Dear Parishioners of Bubwith & Breighton

 

For many of us January is the month for reflection.  A quick check back over all of the events of the previous year, the resolutions we could, should or would have achieved and a renewed resolve for the coming year.

 

As PC Chair, January is also the time to say thank you to those individuals who give of themselves to make our parish an enjoyable place to live.  

Christmas is a high point and thanks go to FOBs for the Christmas Fayre, the Elves and Parish Councillors for the wonderful display on the green ( I note this was highlighted in the media), Mother Christmas for keeping the magic alive for children,  All Saints Church and Bubwith Community Primary for all of the Nativity activities and services and Richard and Shirley for once again playing hosts for mince pies and mulled wine following Carols around the Christmas Tree. 

 

Thanks also go to our local businesses that work extremely hard over the festive period to supply us with food and services to ensure an enjoyable time.

 

Sadly, I missed most of it, I’ve just returned from a long trip to the Australia and New Zealand, I won’t bore you with the details of catching up with 47 members of my husband’s family or my ham salad Christmas dinner. However, seeing many community’s amenities, particularly in NZ has renewed my commitment and I am raring to go with the theme of fundraising and engagement that I mentioned in the November Bugle. This is my major New Year resolution for our Parish and community.

 

To ‘kick off’, I’d like to remind you of the goal of regular Table Top sales at the Leisure Centre with the first planned for Sunday 26th February.  Akin to a Car Boot Sale but indoors, we hope to generate some interest from people to sell or buy or both and of course there will be food and drinks.  Doors open at 8am for stalls to set up, bargain hunters admitted at 10am and close at 3pm. The price of a table will be £5 and entrance 50p with all proceeds to BLSC projects.  

 

I feel sure there will be a number of people with a resolution to ‘declutter’ and find new homes for unwanted treasures and gifts.  Now is your chance to try your hand at sales or to bag a bargain!  If you are interested in booking a table or volunteering to run the event please drop me an email or telephone 07748965779.  I will be delighted to hear from you and book you a stall.

 

May I take this opportunity to wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2023 from the Parish Council.

 

Sandra Hills, Chair of Bubwith Parish Council

I’m always glad to hear of concerns and issues.  .

https://www.facebook.com/BubwithParishCouncil)

 

November Chair Letter : Benches, BOOM Power, & Cycle Track

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Dear Parishioners of Bubwith & Breighton

I do hope this finds you well and more importantly dry!!!!

 

It’s just as well our beautiful new benches (see below) that have finally been sited in Bubwith and Breighton are recycled plastic to withstand this weather.  I hope you are as delighted as I am to see them and more importantly use them on your walks.  My grateful thanks to Steve Young and Malcolm Henson who have worked tirelessly to apply for funds, source the benches, lay the concrete plinths and finally site them.  Thanks too to those individuals who have given their blessings to siting them near their homes. Apparently the suggestion for benches began almost 20 years ago (thank you Bunty) and got it’s final push over the finishing line earlier this year (thank you Paula and fellow PCs), so all that remains to say is, “take a pew”.

 

I attended a very interesting Bubwith Leisure and Sport Centre (BLSC) meeting this month.  It was great to see some of our new volunteers and to get their contributions into supporting this brilliant asset.  The Bubwith Mile progresses although rain has caused some delays to laying the final surface.  The suggestions for the playground were also discussed and how we can take this forward together with the planned Cycle Track.

The elephant in the room was of course money!  In order to achieve these two ambitious projects and just as importantly continue to address some of the urgent maintenance  (leaks in the roof to name just one) it is estimated we probably need to raise approx. £450K and in order to fundraise via grant applications and local means we need support and engagement from our community.

 

It would seem the theme for 2023 has to be fundraising and engagement.  To ‘kick off’ I’m working with 2 of our new volunteers (Kay and Carol) to establish regular Table Top sales at the Leisure Centre with the first planned for Sunday 26th February.  Akin to a Car Boot Sale but indoors, we hope to generate some interest from people to sell or buy or both and of course there will be food and drinks.  The price of a table will be £5 and entrance 50p with all proceeds to BLSC projects.  If you are interested in booking a table or volunteering to run the event please drop me an email .

 

Money is probably preying on many people’s minds at the moment and the Parish Council is no different.  Over the course of the past few years we have worked towards improving facilities and services for local people and in particular for our young folk with our very successful youth club ensuring they have outlets for their energy beyond simply getting into mischief! We have also recently agreed to support the cost of a part time role for the leisure centre to deal with bookings, statutory/legal requirements and facilitating opening up for groups and events (currently reliant on a volunteer) as we would like to get more use from this valuable asset. 

The discussion of the level precept is always an energized agenda item and this year is no different.  After much heartfelt debate we have agreed to set 2023/24s precept at an increase of 17%.  I know this sounds significant but it equates to £5.36 pa or 10p per week for band D council tax payers and by comparison with other local parishes we bench mark as low to average.  Our rationale is to sustain the facilities and services we have in our community and ensure we maintain our parish as a good place to live.

 

Quick update – informal consultation on proposed BOOM Energy solar farm.  I attended a meeting of Parish and Town Council Chairs this week to discuss and agree the key questions we need to get answered by BOOM in preparation for a meeting with BOOM planned for early December. Our representative at that meeting will be Councillor Liz Hayes.  We will continue to update on this as we progress to formal consultation in Spring 2023

 

Finally, good luck to FOBs for their upcoming Christmas Fayre on Sunday 27th Nov, 2pm at the Leisure Centre.  Enormous effort has gone into the planning and it promises to be great fun, so please don’t miss it!

 

Best wishes

 

 

Sandra Hills, Chair of Bubwith Parish Council

I’m always glad to hear of concerns and issues.  .

https://www.facebook.com/BubwithParishCouncil)

 

October Chair Letter : Christmas is coming

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Dear Parishioners of Bubwith & Breighton

 

The year is passing quickly; here we are nearing the end of October with Christmas just around the corner.  The village Christmas tree is on order and the 3rd December has been set as the date for it to be erected together with other decorations on the green.  Carols around the Christmas tree on Sunday 22nd Dec is also a date for your diary.

October has been a very busy month with many activities related to the Bubwith Sport and Leisure Centre including progress on groundwork for the running track.  Bubwith Playground project group has been established and a Visioning Consultation coffee morning was held on Sunday 9th October.   Demand for a new playground has been growing for some time now and some very helpful ideas and views came forward about what people want.  We are keen to get as many views as possible so if you are interested in getting involved or giving your views on the plans so far please contact me or mob: 07748965779.  I’d be happy to share our initial thought and capture any comments you would like to make.

 

This month the Parish Council has also been involved in the recent Non-statutory Consultation by BOOM Energy related to a proposed Solar Farm spanning some 3000 acres of land in the local area with the intention of generating 400 megawatts of electricity.  Most people have received a consultation booklet about the proposal and some have attended public consultation events in the area.  There are clearly many unanswered questions about the proposals that are at a very early phase.  The Parish Council will respond to this non-statutory consultation and urge any interested individuals to do likewise to inform and influence the final plans.

 

The process for formal consultation prior to the Secretary of State decision will take place over a number of months in early 2023.  Parish Council Chairs in those parishes affected are working together to ensure there will be a process for wide consultation and public response in that formal consultation phase.  Further information of how to engage will be made available in the coming months.

 

Finally, congratulations to the Bubwith Sport and Leisure Centre and in particular Steve Johnston for organizing the recent Fashion Show fundraiser at the centre.  The event was very well attended and was deemed to be a very successful and enjoyable social event that people would like to see repeated.  Thank you to all involved in organizing the event and the wonderful models who sashayed down the catwalk modeling the clothes.  

 

Best wishes

 

 

Sandra Hills, Chair of Bubwith Parish Council

I’m always glad to hear of concerns and issues.  .

https://www.facebook.com/BubwithParishCouncil)