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Parish Council business
The October meeting was once again held via ZOOM video conferencing due to the ongoing corona virus issue. The proposed “safe cycle route” between Wedmore and Blackford was still ongoing as were the traffic calming proposals in Pilcorn Street. It was suggested that the proposed car park extension could cost in the region of £200k and some members felt this ought to be reconsidered. It was suggested that the proposed site could be used as a community open space with “Forest School” facilities etc. for local young people. The matter was deferred to a future meeting. Members agreed to co-opt David Cox from Townsend Lane as a member representing Wedmore Ward. David will be formally introduced and welcomed at the next meeting. There is still a vacancy for a Blackford Councillor. It was agreed to supply Christmas trees to local businesses and the churches as usual. Two new members agreed to serve on the Wedmore Playing Fields Management Committee.
Finally, this Christmas will probably be one of the most difficult to get through due to the corona virus restrictions. Social distancing, public and private gatherings are severely restricted. On behalf of the Chair and all members of the Parish Council I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.
Rod Pring, Parish Clerk
Wedmore Parish Council October minutes
Wedmore Parish Council Website
Wedmore Parish Council,
Grant’s Lane, Wedmore Somerset
BS284EA Telephone 713087,
email: wedmoreparishcouncil@gmail.com
Dear Parishes and Members
Please find attached the Government poster, outlining the rules for Tier 2, which will take effect from Wednesday, 2nd December. If you have a parish notice board or area when you can display this poster, we would be very grateful if you could do so. For the latest advice, please see the government website – https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Thank you.
Claire Faun
Corporate Relations Manager
Sedgemoor District Council
Tel: 01278 435320
Email: pressoffice@sedgemoor.gov.uk
Web: http://sedgemoor.gov.uk
twitter.com/SedgemoorDC
______________________________________________________________________
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———- Forwarded message ———
From: Claire Faun <Press.Office@sedgemoor.gov.uk>
Date: Thu, Nov 26, 2020 at 4:15 PM
Subject: [OFFICIAL] – Christmas Rail Travel arrangements
To:
Dear Members and Parishes
Please find update from GWR about Christmas Travel Arrangements. Thank you.
Following the announcement of the five day Christmas travel period, we thought it would be helpful to let you know about our Christmas and New Year services.
Services will run normally on 23 December. On Christmas Eve late afternoon and evening services will be amended to prepare for our usual closure on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
On Christmas Day Network Rail Western will start work on two major improvement projects for the West of England. They will install a new signal gantry at Bristol East in preparation for the replacement and remodelling of Bristol East junction. This is critical for the introduction of MetroWest services. Replacing the old junction will also improve performance reducing delays and minimising the length of disruptions. This is a very major piece of engineering and work will continue through the year, with the full replacement and remodelling of the junction over the summer.
In addition, work will start on Christmas Day on the restoration of Bristol Temple Meads station roof and rewiring. Scaffolding will be installed which will close platforms 3 to 6. As well as restoring the roof, including the architectural stonework, the station improvement work will include a new eastern entrance. The restoration is due to be completed by early 2023. There are more details on our website on https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering/bristol
The impact of the work on rail services is limited. There will however be buses on some local routes on Sunday 27 December. Trains continue to run on other routes, but will operate to an amended timetable. Amended timetables will then operate on all routes via Bristol Temple Meads from Monday 28 December to Sunday 10 January.
We are reminding customer to check their journeys before travel on www.gwr.com and we are asking that tickets are booked in advance. We have a dedicated webpage with information to help customers travel with confidence on For https://www.gwr.com/safety
We will be very happy to help with any questions about the Christmas work or the plans for the station or the junction, and please do feel free to share the details of the Christmas work with others. We want to do all we can to help those who are travelling this year to do so safely and comfortably.
Rod Pring
Clerk Wedmore Parish Council
Tel. 01934 713087
Attachments area
Isle of Wedmore News – November
Parish Council business
The July meeting was once again held via ZOOM video conferencing due to the ongoing coronavirus issue. Cllrs Barbara James-Lloyd and David Kirley were welcomed to their first meeting as newly co-opted Councillors. It was agreed to proceed with a scheme to create a safer cycling route from Wedmore to Blackford. The Highways Committee was planning to meet using Zoom in the very near future to discuss traffic issues at Billings Hill and to consider the feasibility of creating a 20mph zone within the village. A generous legacy had recently been left to the Council by a local resident which was greatly appreciated. Members would ring-fence the money and consider suitable projects that the legacy could be used for.
Local Housing
The Willow Tree Housing Association has some plots for shared ownership at Wedmore Grange, Blackford Road. Three have already been sold but there is a three-bedroom house remaining. The property is ready to be occupied so they are looking for a quick sale. If a local family are interested they should contact Ria Gillings on 01752 250902
order that suitable projects on which the legacy could be used were under consideration.
Rod Pring, Parish Clerk
Anyone interested should contact the Clerk for more details.
Wedmore Parish Council October minutes
extract from the above follows:
Cllr Thorogood asked about the high cost of refurbishing a finger post at Sand Cross. The Clerk explained that this was a heritage post and two new arms had needed to be made for it. A donation towards the cost had been paid by Somerset Heritage Trust.
Cllr Cousins commented on the high cost of water being used at the allotments. Cllr Candy said that the high cost was due to most of the plots
being let, a very dry spring and the fact that hose pipes were the norm. She was going to address the use of sprinklers which has been observed.. She expects with climate change this will happen more often and so an option under consideration was a bore hole. Water harvesting is also an option but a very large area of storage would be required.
20.08.10. PROPOSED NEW CYCLEWAY WEDMORE TO BLACKFORD – Cllr. Mulliner asked if the Council would support a feasibility study to create a safe route for children getting to school at Blackford. Safer cycling routes were mentioned in the Neighbourhood Plan and as part of the Green Charter. Government funding might be available. There had been issues in the past with landowners not willing to give part of their land for cycle routes and this needed to be addressed. Cllr Cousins asked if Sustrans could get involved. Cllr Mulliner said that traffic consultants estimated the proposed project cost would be about £200k Proposed by Cllr
Worrall and seconded by Cllr Smith that the scheme should be progressed. This was agreed by the members.
20.08.11. CIL GROUP UPDATE AND FUTURE SUGGESTED PROJECTS – Cllr Smith had received clarification about how CIL money should be spent. The areas covered included transport, health and wellbeing and sustainability. Future projects to consider include Pilcorn Street pavement, Cheddar Road traffic calming, Billings Hill improvements, footpath assessments, safe cycle routes, car park extension, car charging points, Combe Lane improvement and village entry signs. Any other suggestions should
be e-mailed direct to Cllr Smith.
20.08.12. LEGACY – Cllr Cousins reported that a resident who died last year and previously lived in Combe Batch Rise had left the Council a £5k legacy. She suggested part of the money be spent upgrading the footpath from Combe Batch to Combe Batch Rise which she knew was a wish by the
family of the deceased resident. The Clerk was asked to write a letter of thanks to the family
20.08.13. ISSUES AND QUESTIONS RAISED BY COUNCILLORS. Cllr. Cousins reported that last weekend two campervans containing “travellers” had arrived at the car park and stayed overnight. She thought that one day the Council might draw up a plan to inform Councillors what to do should groups of travellers try to take over the car park. Cllr Thorogood mentioned
planning issues on Yeo Moor Drove. Cllr Worrall agreed top look into this. Cllr Cousins said that most Councillors had received a letter from Dennis Briaris and Suzanne Metters. The allegations made were being addressed by the Chairman and members would be updated
before the next meeting.
Wedmore Parish Council Website
Wedmore Parish Council,
Grant’s Lane, Wedmore Somerset
BS284EA Telephone 713087,
email: wedmoreparishcouncil@gmail.com
13th November
News Release
New national business grants are being made available to support those affected by the recent lockdown period.
Sedgemoor District Council Corporate Relations Manager: Claire Faun
Bridgwater House Direct Dial: 01278 435320
King Square, Bridgwater
Somerset, TA6 3AR e-mail: pressoffice@sedgemoor.gov.uk
General Enquiries: 0300 303 7800 twitter.com/SedgemoorDC
Date: 13 November, 2020
Business Support Grants
New national business grants are being made available to support those affected by the recent lockdown period. The two, new grants available are the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG (Closed) Addendum) and the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). The government has once again asked district councils across Somerset, who are closest to their communities, to issue this funding. Each local authority across the country has been awarded this additional funding as a one-off payment to support businesses through national lockdowns and any future tiered restrictions.
Staff at Sedgemoor are busy working together on guidance and a grant application process for local businesses in their area who have been required to close under the new restrictions. Once full details from the government regarding eligibility and other criteria have been received, we will make an online application form available and further information and guidance will be provided. Businesses are therefore advised to bookmark and keep checking SDC’s website for further updates over the coming days, as application processes and forms will going live shortly.
You can find Sedgemoor’s Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Support for Businesses here: https://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/COVID19Biz
Government information can be found here: www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-your-business-is-eligible-for-a-coronavirus-grant-due-to-national-restrictions-for-closed-businesses
The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG (Closed) Addendum) supports businesses that were open as usual, providing services in person to customers from their business premises, but which were then required by law to close for 28 days due to national lockdown restrictions imposed by the government. They include non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities and hospitality businesses. A full list of businesses which must close by law is now available online.
During the period of 5th November to 2nd December 2020, a single grant to cover the 28 day period will be paid to each eligible business. The grant amounts will be fixed. Businesses with more than one qualifying property will receive more than one grant.
- If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, you will receive a cash grant of £1,334 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.
- If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of above £15,000 and below £51,000, you will receive a cash grant of £2,000 per 28-day qualifying period.
- If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of £51,000 or above, you will receive a cash grant of £3,000 per 28-day qualifying period.
Grants will be based on the rateable value of the property on the first full day of the national lockdown restrictions. Once government guidance has been fully assessed, the district council’s will make an online application form available. Please check your district council website regularly. Businesses are not automatically eligible for this grant just because they received a Small Business Grant last time. This grant is much more restrictive than before, as it is only for businesses legally obliged to close.
The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) is available for non-business ratepayers and business ratepayers that have either been required to close by the government during the lockdown period or have been severely impacted by the lockdown period but do not have to necessarily close.
Portfolio holder for Inward Investment and Growth, Cllr Gill Slocombe, said: “We understand this is once again an incredibly difficult and challenging time for our local businesses and we are pleased that we are able to help some of them with these grants. We do recognise that not every business will be eligible and that for some the grant may not go far enough but our officers are here to offer advice and support where they can so please keep in touch via our website and social media.”
ENDS
Claire Faun
Corporate Relations Manager
Sedgemoor District Council
Bridgwater House
King Square
Bridgwater
Somerset TA6 3AR
Tel: 01278 435320
Email: pressoffice@sedgemoor.gov.uk
4th October – Monthly Report
Parish Council business
The August meeting was once again held via ZOOM video conferencing due to the ongoing coronavirus issue. Barbara James-Lloyd and David Kirley were welcomed as newly co-opted members of the Council. That still leaves a vacancy for Wedmore and Blackford Wards.
Members discussed the formation of a safe cycle route between Wedmore and Blackford School and further research was needed. Road improvements at the top of Billings Hill were also discussed with a possibility of a joint funding arrangement with the County Council. There was concern about the high cost of water usage at the allotments which the Chair of the Allotments Committee was looking into. All plots were now let and alternative ways of obtaining water, including a borehole, was being considered.
Members were informed that a former resident of the village had left a substantial legacy to the Council. The money was being ring-fenced in order that suitable projects on which the legacy could be used were under consideration.
Rod Pring, Parish Clerk
Anyone interested should contact the Clerk for more details.
Wedmore Parish Council August minutes
Wedmore Parish Council Website
Wedmore Parish Council,
Grant’s Lane, Wedmore Somerset
BS284EA Telephone 713087,
email: wedmoreparishcouncil@gmail.com
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4th September – Monthly Report
Isle of Wedmore News – September
Parish Council business
The July meeting was once again held via ZOOM video conferencing due to the ongoing coronavirus issue. Isobel Beacom was welcomed as a new co-opted member of the Council and it was agreed that Barbara James-Lloyd of Gardiners Orchard, Wedmore and David Kirley of Grants Lane, Wedmore would be co-opted to join the Council representing Wedmore Ward. Matt Ainge has resigned from the Council so that still leaves a vacancy at Wedmore Ward and Blackford Ward.
Members agreed to proceed with a planning application to extend the car park at Worthington Close, incorporating a community open space with tree planting and two Councillors offered to consider the requirement for street lamps within certain parts of the parish and particularly the timing that they are currently switched on.
Thanks
The Parish Council would like to thank all those businesses in the parish that have provided invaluable service during the “lockdown” period and also the team of volunteers who have been collecting and delivering shopping and prescriptions etc. Your support has been and continues to be so necessary to the local community.
Hedges
Several complaints have been received about the number of overhanging hedges within the parish, particularly in the centre of Wedmore which has made social distancing very challenging. Please take the opportunity to ensure that all hedges are cut back so as not to overhang the highway or pavements. Many thanks
Rod Pring, Parish Clerk
Anyone interested should contact the Clerk for more details.
Wedmore Parish Council July minutes
Wedmore Parish Council Website
Wedmore Parish Council,
Grant’s Lane, Wedmore Somerset
BS284EA Telephone 713087,
email: wedmoreparishcouncil@gmail.com