We are pleased to inform you that the final vacancy on the council has been filled by Liam Phillips of Manor Road. Liam was co-opted at last week’s LEPC meeting and all councillors very much look forward working with him. We now have three (out of six) councillors living in Manor Road and two more within a few steps. It is sad that a broader cross-section of the parish are not represented but this can only be resolved by parishioners ‘putting themselves forward’. Meantime, Manor Road councillor residents must recuse themselves from discussions and voting on Manor Road items, which is a pity considering so many parish amenities are accessed via Manor Road. However, as a first step to becoming a councillor, there are still many things that need volunteers and we encourage parishioners to contact us to help and inform the council.
The Manor Road footpath abutting the playing field is now essentially complete with reseeding of abutting areas of the playing field to take place in early spring. With the assistance of Gigaclear engineers no fibre tubes were damaged. Construction took longer due to bad weather but JFKnight Roadworks complete the work on budget. As well providing safer passage, the surface is permeable allowing water to drain through the surface to hardcore underneath. As such it will need occasional low-cost maintenance but the advantage is less water and mud from the previously eroding verge draining down towards Duck Street.
There is a temporary hold on the two solar-powered Speed Indicator Devices as one of the sites is being re-evaluated. The supplier is in contact with Highways for clarification. Simultaneously, although Highways have also approved a reduction of the speed limit in Duck Street between the main village and Mill End to 30mph we are still awaiting the existing 40mph signs to be removed and replaced with 30mph. We have chased Highways and will continue chasing until the new signs are erected.
The Chime Bells for the playground (referred to in the last Newsletter are to be installed this month. The new planters will also soon be ordered, the intention being to have them in place (subject to delivery) by late spring.
We are sure you have noticed the refurbished cricket pavilion and congratulate The Eastons CC for their work in getting this completed, again despite the poor weather. We hope that the poor weather now results in cricket-friendly weather when the season starts.
The next LEPC meeting will be held on Wednesday 26th March at 7:00pm in the Memorial Hall. Public attendance has been sparse of late (although we thank our two regular attendees) and encourage more attendance to hold councillors to account and to give us your thoughts on parish matters the council is, or should be, focused on.
