CHISELDON PARISH COUNCIL REPORT
Points of interest from April 2024
The Old Chapel, Butts Road, Chiseldon SN4 0NW
Facebook page – Chiseldon Parish Council Notices
email: clerk@chiseldon-pc.gov.uk; telephone: 01793 740744
Youth Club in Easter holidays
At the time of writing our first session took place on 3rd April. The kids enjoyed a wide range of activities; first aid, self-defence, rounders, foot rounders, darts competition, build a business. Our thanks to Headstart Skillz for providing such a variety.
Donations approved. UPDATE
Further donations were approved at the March Finance meeting:
£200 to Chiseldon Local History Group
£200 to Wiltshire Air Ambulance
£200 to Youth Adventure Trust
£74.50 to Prospect Hospice
£74.50 to Brighter Futures
Road closures in May
No items currently reported.
You can visit One.Network to get details of all local roadworks/closures/diversions. The Community FB page will be updated when the council receives notifications.
Annual Parish Meeting
We held this meeting on the 8th April at the Chiseldon House Hotel.
We received reports from the Chiseldon Local History Group, Washpool Area Restoration Project (WARP) and Chiseldon Tennis Club. Reports were also read out by councillors and committees. We had PCSO Charlotte Watson as our guest who provided us with the latest stats for the area and also local items to be aware of. The main local issue is keyless vehicle thefts. Drivers with keyless entry to their vehicles are urged to take steps to prevent this.
Advice from the police is as follows:
All the reports from the meeting are being loaded onto our website on the following page. www.chiseldon-pc.gov.uk/our-work/annual-reports/
Neighbourhood Plan (NHP) Regulation 14 consultation
At the time of writing we are just waiting to hear from Swindon Borough Council as to their feedback on the Regulation 14 consultation. Once this has been received our consultant can move ahead with the next stage of the project.
You can see all the details of the draft plan here: www.chiseldon-pc.gov.uk/microsites/neighbourhood-plan/ There is also a Q&A page where you can find out more information.
Current Projects in progress/under investigation/for consideration. There are no updates from the last edition.
Road re-surfacing at New Road – A holistic whole village approach will be considered by SBC Highways – more to follow. The road has recently had some tests carried out on it. Still waiting for confirmation of further action by SBC. Scheduled by SBC for school summer holiday – no exact date known. Complete at roundabout section. Awaiting further information on other sections. The water leak near the roundabout has finally been rectified by Thames Water. No further update and our contact at SBC has now left.
Removal of Build Out on New Road – This item is part of the considerations above. No further update and our contact at SBC has now left.
We continue to ask our Ward Cllrs for updates on these road issues.
Alterations to New Road/A346 junction. Parish Cllrs and Ward Cllrs met with SBC Highways in November where it was confirmed that the junction is being discussed with National Highways who have responsibility for the A346. We hope to hear that safety improvements will be confirmed. We will ask for an update at the End of January after the expected meeting between SBC and National Highways. No further update as our contact at SBC has now left.
Layby creation – Windmill Piece and Draycot Foliat. Update
Funds to do ground radar checks at Windmill Piece have been approved by the Parish Council. Swindon Borough Council are scheduling these works in. These checks are to identify utility pipes under the ground that may affect the project. We are awaiting the results of the traffic survey from Draycot Foliat. We can then receive updated technical drawings for both projects which will allow us to go out to tender again for updated quotes.
Proposed new football goals at Castle View Road. Update
The EGPA committee approved the replacement of the 4 wooden posts at Castle View green. These new posts will have 2 secured in place and 2 on moveable sockets so they can be rotated to allow the goal mouths to periodically be filled in and re-seeded. The new posts will also have metal sleeves to protect them from strimmer damage. The work is expected to start soon.
Benches. Update
The Parish Council approved the placement of benches at New Road and Hodson Road. Council staff will be making the arrangements over the coming weeks.
20mph zones and dropped kerbs/safer crossing. No update. The proposal is with SBC.
Our January 2024 planning committee approved the finalising of our paper to SBC to request 20mph zones throughout the parish on a 3 year scheme. Around 70% of questionnaire respondents were in favour of methods to slow traffic within the parish. We will publish the results of the questionnaire on our website. We will finish the paper and submit it to SBC shortly, via our Ward Cllrs.
Update – The final paper has been added to our website and also the community Facebook page for anyone who wishes to read it. It was also submitted to our Ward Cllrs.
Subscribe to the Parish Council’s newsletter:
To receive regular updates on Parish news, go to our website www.chiseldon-pc.gov.uk and go to the “Subscribe” option at the foot of every page.
Enter your email and receive weekly updates from us direct to your in-box.
Alternatively email the Parish Clerk who can set up your submission for you.
Speed Watch Volunteers – a message from the team.
Vacancies for Chiseldon
We are looking for Volunteers aged over 17 to join the team to help deal with the local issues of speeding. Currently we are a small team, looking to run 2 hourly sessions a week, mostly in Chiseldon, but would like to cover Badbury, Hodson, and Draycot as well.
Community Speed Watch is a community operated initiative designed to allow volunteers to officially monitor and report to the Police details of speeding vehicles in areas of concerns to the community. Community Speed Watch is not enforcement.
Whilst all of the road safety partners are working together to achieve casualty reduction targets and reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads, we cannot expect police officers to carry out enforcement checks in every community on a regular basis. This is where Community Speed Watch can help by working with the partnership.
Our aim is not to catch as many speeding drivers as possible, but to raise awareness that excessive speeds are socially unacceptable. We aim to reduce speed in areas of concern and address issues from communities by raising awareness.
If you are interested or would like more information, please contact the Chiseldon Parish Clerk (Clair Wilkinson) who will pass your details to the local coordinator.
More information can be via the Wiltshire Police website www.wiltshire.police.uk and searching for “Community Speed Watch”.
Memory Café next date
The popular memory café is next running Friday 3rd May 2024 10.30am at the Church Hall off Butts Road. The café was created for anyone who wants some company and a chat over a cup of tea or coffee. Also for carers who look after anyone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s to come along with their loved ones. There is singing and dancing, all very informal and fun. There is no charge to attend.
Recreation Hall, Recreation field and Chapel hire:
The Rec hall off Norris Close, the Rec field in the same location and the Parish Council Chapel offices are all available for hire for events, meetings or parties.
Please contact the Clerk on the details above who can advise of charges, availability and what space would suit your needs.
The council also has 2 marques that can be hired for £100 per 24 hr period per marque. Contact the Clerk for more details.
Defibrillators – a reminder
A reminder that the Parish has 5 defibrillators – one outside Cameo Hairdressers on High Street, on, , one outside the Calley Arms pub in Hodson e outside the Pavilion on the Recreation Field, one outside the Calley Memorial Hall on Draycott Road and one in the BT Box in Badbury. All units are accessed by calling 999 to gain the code for the box. You cannot use these defibrillators on someone who doesn’t need it as the machine will not work. It also provides audible instructions on how to use them.
There is also a defibrillator on the outside wall of the school in Ogbourne St George.
NEW FUND OPEN 1st APRIL 2024. – Parish Council Grants and Donations fund & Calley Memorial Hall fund.
The Parish Council have an annual fund that we can donate to worthy causes within the Parish. If you are a group, charity or society that believe you could benefit from this fund then please contact the Parish Clerk for further details.
The trustees of the Calley Memorial Hall fund are also able to approve grants and donations to worthy causes within the Parish. (This doesn’t have to be connected to users of the Memorial Hall). Please contact the Parish Clerk in the first instance who can provide you with an application form.
(It should be noted that this fund is not connected to the Parish Council)
Next Parish council meeting
The next Full Council meeting of the Parish Council will be Monday 13th May 2024. This will start at 7.30pm and the location is to be confirmed. The annual parish meeting is held first at 7.00pm. There is a public recess at the start of proceedings, after which residents can choose to leave the session. Meeting locations may change so please verify the location before making a journey. Our committee meetings will now meet in the Chapel Office on Butts Road.
Ward Cllrs surgeries.
Your Chiseldon and Lawn Ward Cllrs will be holding a monthly surgery on the first Saturday of the month at the Old Chapel office on Butts Road 11.30 to 12.30.
The next sessions are Sat 4th May and Sat 1st June. Please pop along and have a chat with them.