Chairman's Annual Report 2005-2006

As usual the Parish Council has been very busy with a number of Issues.

1. Village Plan

2005 saw the completion of the Stoughton Village Plan, which was adopted by Harborough District Council. This document contained the views of the whole village including the youth. Within this plan, there are a number of issues which need to be addressed by your Parish Council and we will endeavour to comply with your wishes. We have already addressed some issues relating to the play area.

This document is one of the most important things the village, as a whole, has completed. It is a guide line as to how the village should move forward and hopefully help the planners with any further development within the village. The Parish Council would like to thank the Stoughton Village Plan Committee and their Chairman for their hard work in putting this document together and to the residents of Stoughton for their input into this plan.

2. Play Area:

I'm sure you are aware, a particular request which came from the younger members of the village, as a result of the questionnaire in the village plan, was to try and install some more equipment for the very young members of the village. With a £ 10,000 donation from CWS the Parish Council was able to install a number of smaller pieces of equipment which I am pleased to see are now in full use.

We have since received a further donation which has enabled the Parish Council to install a further piece of equipment, namely a see-saw. This now completes the play equipment for the time being.

3. Planning matters:

The Parish Council have addressed a number of planning applications within the village, including the Stretton 2000 go-kart track on the aerodrome. This issue has taken up quite a lot of Council time trying to address the noise heard throughout the village. We have had a number of meetings, including a public meeting with representatives from Harborough District Council and your District Councillors. An application to increase the use of Stretton 2000 was heard at the planning committee last Tuesday 9th May. Cllr. Q'Brien objected on behalf of the Parish Council and Mr. David Sparrow also objected on behalf of the residents. DC Mrs. Tooley supported their objections. DC Galton, a member of the planning committee also spoke in support of the recommendation to refuse the application and following a vote by the committee the application was indeed REFUSED.

4. Highway issues:

We are currently addressing the speeding within the village. We invited an officer from County Hall Highways Department to one of our meeting to re-address this problem, mainly from the Gartree Road approach to the village. In general, however, the
Parish Council feel that the current traffic calming has helped to reduce through traffic and excessive speeding.

5. Dog Fouling:

We are still a little concerned that dog fouling is still occurring on pavements. We would like to remind every dog owner that it is an offence to allow your dog to foul on the pavement. This carries a very excessive penalty, and the Parish Council will take action against anyone leaving their dog' s faeces on the pavements or indeed on any areas within the village which are registered under the Dog Fouling of Land Act.

6. Neighbourbood Watch:

We are still looking for 2 residents in Gaulby Lane, 1 resident in Church Lane and 2 residents on Stoughton Lane who will be willing to take this on. Without your eyes and ears this scheme will not function efficiently. Interested persons should contact either John Tooley or Alison Gregory.

7. Future development:

We are currently monitoring some proposed development in¬filling and the possibility of a little more public land for the use of the residents of the village.

8. Byways stones:

The Parish Council has received a kind donation from the late Mrs. Doris Phillipps to erect these precious stones, which were originally part of the Old Grange. The CWS have given permission for these to be situated and secured in the Churchyard.

9. New Recreation Area:

The Parish Council have instructed a contractor to put up the football goalposts in the new recreation area for the older children to use. We have now started to manage this piece of ground.

10. Grass Verge Maintenance:

The Parish Council are trying to get the verge maintenance of Old Charity Farm roadway sorted out. There is an outstanding wayleave between parties of the original development and once this has been resolved this verge will become part of the regular maintenance programme.

Finally - The Chairman would like to thank all the Parish Councillors and District Councillors, Parish Clerk, Mrs. Kathleen Grundy, and a special thanks to the Vice-Chairman Cllr. June Sparrow for their continued hard work on behalf of the village.