Barley Parish Council
Coronation plans (Save the Date - Sunday 7th May!), grant awards, project updates...
With the coronation of King Charles III scheduled for Saturday 6th May we have an event and a bank holiday weekend to look forward to. On top of that, Barley will be celebrating with a fun-filled family event the following day, hopefully on the Village Green, followed by a night time extravagance with buffet, drinks, quiz and dancing till late at the Village Hall. It is going to take a massive effort to make this happen and we desperately need volunteers on the day and over the weekend to prepare the village and decorate…..and this means the younger group this time….please contact Joanne at Joanne@underpendle.com to find out what you can do to help.
The resident parking scheme has had a setback since an objection has been submitted; we cannot see the content of the objection at this point but a very reliable source tells me the Barley Mow has objected. Clearly due course has now to be followed and consideration made of any objections. The County Council will prepare a report for cabinet members of the Council to consider. This report is likely to be available and the Parish Council will comment on it if necessary. A decision is expected from the County Council in May.
The Council has been pleased to make two grant awards in the last month. A re-formed table tennis club, available to all residents to join, will be launched in April and the Council has provided monies for equipment such as bats, balls and nets. The Council has also been able to support the young members of the FOG club by funding the purchase of materials to improve their meeting room. It always has a good feeling when the Council can help community groups with funding.
A quick update on the Council projects, the new flagpole is expected to be erected in April. The playground improvement plan is moving along; we have the outline designs and we are now looking closer at the detail such as surface types. We started this project knowing little about equipment, surfaces, costs and safety regulations, particularly relating to space given the size and narrow width of our site. We are having to learn a lot as we go along so it is taking time.
Our Police and Crime Commissioner is delighted that Lancashire is set to benefit from £2m in funding over the next two years, after being selected as a pilot area for the Government’s new Anti Social Behaviour Action Plan. The Commissioner has held extensive talks with MPs, Ministers and national bodies about his ideas to tackle anti-social behaviour and to ensure there are appropriate consequences for those committing anti-social behaviour and he’s excited the government have listened.
Getting tough on anti-social behaviour is a top priority of the Commissioner, he believes that tackling ASB and preventing escalation will ensure the public feel safer by addressing the devastating impact it has on communities. Whilst we do not have any major problems in our locality, it is good to know ASB, not a minor crime in my book, is going to be tackled in the wider community.
Not on the same theme but a cause of some concern is the use of the bus shelter by staff of the Barley Mow as a smoking shelter. The Council has spoken to one of the owners and whilst we have not objected to them using the shelter, we have asked that cigarette ash and butts are removed daily and they have agreed to do this so the shelter should remain tidy.
It is with sadness that we leant of the passing of the Reverend John Sutcliffe in March. He was well known to, and a good friend of many, in Barley and I know he did much good work in the community. He is a loss to all the area.