Author: bubbl

Autumn/Winter 2020

Swannington Newsletter

Village updates on
activity behind the scenes

Updates from —Parish Council.
Neighbourhood Advisory Planning Committee
Open Gardens
Heritage Trust

Parish Council News.
Parish councillors are volunteers who care and are passionate about our village, with some councillors giving a number of years service to this village. You may be aware that there has been some recent changes. Helen Payne and Vic Whitehouse both served on the parish council for 17.5 years, and thank parishioners for their vote over the years. Roger Cairns is now the longest serving member and is currently serving as Chair again. At the end of 2019 Brain Duncombe parish clerk who had served thirty something years took a well earned retirement. There is obviously something very special about our village. We now have three new parish councillors who joined the council in June 2020. They are actively involved in one way or another in village life.
At present parish council meetings are being conducted via zoom. You are most welcome to send in questions to the new parish clerk—Fiona, who took over from Brian bringing with her copious amounts of parish council experience. You may wish to join in via zoom and become part of the audience, you would be most welcome.
There is of course the parish council website to look at. On here you will find for example links to planning applications, police updates and Covid updates to name but a few.
On the subject of planning applications this would be good opportunity to mention the Neighbourhood Advisory Planning Group, volunteers who live in the village working on behalf of the parish council, guided through the logistics by an organisation known as Yourlocale. The group work comprises of three themes Housing, Environment and Community. Here is a brief overview, in 2019 a questionnaire was hand delivered across the parish, followed by a community open session taking place on August 31st to give the village the opportunity to see the work completed to date and ask questions. The outcome of the questionnaires is taken into account. Since March 2020 the group meetings have been taking place via zoom. There is a view from some parishioners that the efforts of the group are a waste of time, developers will do exactly what they want to do. There is also the viewpoint that by having a neighbourhood plan in place , we have the chance of protecting the village and it s local environment. That doesn't mean there won’t be any housing development but at least it has the chance of being restricted. This is where your help as Parishioners is required once again. With covid restrictions having an impact on face to face meetings of large numbers, the chance to voice any points of view is difficult. Or is it?
Contact the group via the parish council website; look at the planning applications; make your voice heard. Contact the parish councillors. The latest step for this group is now looking at the sites provided by NWLDC , a very contentious issue to say the least. The process will mean that the village/parish will be kept informed. However, these things take time, so please bear with them.
Other Parish Council news:
The village hall has been redecorated. A visionary approach looking ahead, smartening the hall could mean more venues being booked, which in turn means once we can return to some normality post covid, there will a lovely place locally to meet.
The Allotments are providing community green space.
Recreational ground corner off Jeffcoats Lane. A local boys football club have signed a contract to use this facility, this will bring in a small revenue for the Parish Council.

Swannington Newsletter

Swannington
Open Gardens

Well what a year this has been!
Sadly the plant sale had to be cancelled (we can guess the reason). Although this decision to cancel/postpone had to be taken, preparation work was still been done just incase.
Next year 2021 would be the biannual open gardens event, but truthfully we can’t see that happening either at the time of writing. We do not feel comfortable asking our garden owners to open their personal and private garden spaces. However, we feel that the village may need something to look forward to. The open gardens event provides the opportunity for a sense of community as well as raising money for charity. We are thinking of other ideas though but in a different format. Please see our Facebook page spring 2021.

Christmas 2020.
We are though still aiming to have the Christmas Tree with lights outside the Village Hall, of course this will also depend on those who have organised this being well enough and covid free. Swannington Parish Council are once again giving us their support. As with government guidelines (Covid 19) there will be no social gathering or celebrations. In years gone by we have held our lovely carol singing and social gathering event to raise funds for LOROS, we cannot do that this year. You could though if you wish send money direct to LOROS, we are sure they will be grateful.

Swannington
Heritage Trust

Work has been continuing to keep the Califat, Mill Site and other sites within the Trust under control, (nature likes to do its own thing ), thereby making it a place to enjoy in this challenging and strange times. Staying within the government guidelines, the woodland management team have been doing a splendid job, making new pathways for walkers and families to enjoy the area. Other volunteers have been working from home to keep archiving and other projects going. The Trust had to cancel their summer Strawberry Fayre and their Easter, Christmas, and Teddy events at the mill. These are big events that help with funds to keep the sites open for us all to enjoy the countryside.
Perhaps you may wish to join the trust as a non active member. To find out more, please visit their website for details. www.swannington-heritage.co.uk