VILLAGE NEWS

 

FEBRUARY 2018

 

SEDGEMOOR DISTRICT COUNCIL

Mark and Wedmore Ward

Polly Costello – polly.costello@sedgemoor.gov.uk 01934 713564

Will Human – will.human@sedgemoor.gov.uk 01278 641795

 

December was quiet month. A special Council meeting was held on the 21st December to consider the District Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and it was agreed unanimously to appoint the acting CEO, Allison Griffin, to the post. This important decision was taken after considering all available options, including looking externally for a candidate. This was rejected because Allison has many years of experience in Sedgemoor as a Senior Manager and has made a solid start whilst acting CEO since September 2017. It was therefore agreed as unnecessary to spend money on going through a different process.

 

MARK PARISH COUNCIL

www.markvillage.co.uk

 

Parish Magazine. After the death in 2015 of Iris Eldridge who had produced the Parish Magazine for many years, responsibility for the monthly magazine was undertaken by Joan Thompson and Sylvia Hall who agreed to run it on behalf of the Church. Since then, Joan and Sylvia and a team of volunteers, some 20 folk, have collected material/edited/printed/collated and distributed the magazine to 530 homes across Mark and Allerton. Editing was mainly accomplished in people’s homes and the printing undertaken in the former “Mustard Seed” trailer adjacent to the Church Hall. This year, for the first time in over 40 years, the Parish Magazine is to be printed utilising the latest technology by a Mark-based commercial printer.

 

On behalf of the Parish, the Parish Council thanks ALL those, past and present, for your time, effort and dedication for the editing, production and distribution of this traditional chronicle to households of Mark and Allerton.

 

MARK PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Mark Parish Council held its regular bi-monthly meeting at the Village Hall on Tuesday, 2 January 2018. Here are some extracts

 

County Councillor Report

County Councillor Huxtable confirmed that a small safety scheme was being progressed in the vicinity of Mark First School involving the installation of flashing lights following visits by the new Highways Officer. He was also briefed on outstanding Highways issues, including:

  • Speeding and overtaking along the entire Causeway.
  • Extending the 30mph zone on Harp Road and Blackford Rd and to near Perry Rd where there is a school bus stop for Hugh Sexey’s pupils.
  • HGVs damaging roads and verges. This has resulted in damage to cars forced into ruts on the verges.
  • Removing redundant and pointless signs, for instance in Poplar Lane, where signage permits driving at 60mph, round a sharp corner into an area of houses!
  • Imposing a 20mph limit along Church Street/Blackford Rd from Mark Collage to The White Horse Pub.

Finances

Our finances are in a healthy state and the 2018/19 Estimates were agreed

 

Public Areas

Bus 67. A new operator has taken over from Crosville. The Parish Council agreed to contribute up to £1,750 towards the cost of this valuable community service during 2018/19. The new timetable for this service is published in the Parish Magazine.

 

Mark Speed Community Watch. A new team has been assembled and following training are scheduled to begin operations in February.

 

2018 Village Clean up Event.  Regrettably, as with many rural areas, the Parish has become an unsightly depository for rubbish and other items, including gas tanks and window frames thrown along verges and into watercourses. While we are on our own in keeping the Parish as neat as possible, the annual Village Clean-up will be held on Saturday, 17 February 2018. If you can help, please come to the Village Hall at 10am to collect bin bags and litter pickers. Community Payback support is being sought.

 

Village Hall /Football Pitch Area.

Play Area. Once weather conditions are suitable, GB Sport and Leisure will undertake refurbishment work to specified items of play equipment. Corrosion at the base of the football pitch goal posts will be monitored by the MCA.

 

National Grid (NG). It looks as though the construction of the pylon line from Hinkley Point to Avonmouth will commence in 2019. NG has adopted the Planting and Mitigation Scheme (OSPES), which is an initiative designed to reduce the visual impact of the pylons by replacing and planting trees and hedgerows removed during construction. Presumably this will be known as the ‘National Grid Forest’. NG wishes to hear from owners of land within three kilometres of the pylon line and from anyone who is aware of planting/landscaping proposals within that zone that could be eligable for funding.  For further information: 

  • 0800 035 2242 - National Grid Project News.
  • 0800 377 7347 - National Grid Community Relations Team.

PLANNING

Application 036 & 37LB Erection of extension and internal alterations, Mount Pleasant, Littlemoor Road – Recommended.

 

WEBSITE.

A vote of thanks was proposed for the valuable work undertaken by Councillor Weekes and Rob Faulkner in late 2017 to refresh the Parish Council website. Comment is invited.

 

Truespeed – Ultrafast 200Mb/S Fibre Broadband

 

In our last update, we announced that the IT Company Truespeed, were about to evaluate the possibility of extending their Ultrafast Broadband offering to Mark, following installation in Stone Allerton and other surrounding areas. In order for this to be viable for the company, it requires 30% of the Parish to sign up and express their interest. Some of you may have already received a flyer advising you how to register and the next steps. So if you are dissatisfied with your current Broadband experience or would simply like to learn more about what Truespeed has to offer and how it may benefit you and the Parish, Truespeed will be holding an Open evening at Mark Village Hall on Friday 16th February 7pm-9pm, where their representative will be holding a Question and Answer event.

 

SEDGEMOOR DISTRICT COUNCIL NEWS

Royal Ordnance Factor Site, Puriton. The Salamanca Group has purchased the former defence site and plan to develop it into an Enterprise Zone for a range of companies, including those supporting Hinkley Point. Plenty of employment opportunities.

 

NEXT PARISH MEETING

The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Village Hall beginning at 7.30pm on Tuesday on 13 March 2018. The speaker this year will be Donna Johnson, Chief Executive, South-Western Housing Society.

Members of the public are invited.

 

Nick van der Bijl

Mark Parish Council

 

 

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