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  Annual Report 2007 / 2008

WELCOME to the Annual Report on the activities of the Parish Council. This is my second term as Chairman of the Council.

Inside you will find details of the Council's activities during the year. Also details of how the Council spent its money and where it came from.

I hope that you will find this report informative however if you require any further information please contact the Clerk, me or any Parish Councillor.

Cyril Bellamy


Who and What is the Parish Council

The Parish Council comprises of 7 voluntary Councillors who serve for a term of 4 years and represent the electorate of the Parish of Parson Drove. Councillors were re-elected in May this year when for the first time in many years no elections took place as there were only 6 nominations for the 7 places.

The Council employs 1 part-time member of staff who is the Clerk and Financial Officer.

Contact details are listed below. Telephone

C Bellamy – Chairman 700195
A.E. Sanderson – Vice Chairman 700442
G. Bellamy 700195
P. Everett
A. Mills 701516
M. Shelley 700729
P. Spriggs 700548

Council Clerk & Financial Officer
Mrs Y Reader 700501 Sunrise , Back Road , Murrow, Wisbech PE13 4JW

Email Theclerk@parsondrove.net
Website www.parsondrove.net

The Council meets on the second Wednesday of each month with additional meetings when necessary. The Agendas are displayed on the notice board on the village green. The public are welcome to attend these meetings and speak for 15 minutes during public participation at the start.

Summary of the Council's Accounts for year ending 31 st March 2008

The main source of income is the precept which is collected through the Council Tax system by Fenland District Council. The Council actively seeks grant funding for its projects and in 2007/2008 we received £5,000 from Fenland Links towards the replacement bus shelter.

INCOME

Parish Precept £9,580
Concurrent Functions Grant from District Council £5,450
Grass cutting grant from County Council £ 774
Recycling Credits £ 294
Allotments & Gardens Rent £1,337
Bank Interest £ 648
Fenland Links Grants £5,000
Friends of The Cage Donation £ 200

The total income for the year excluding VAT was £23,625

A copy of the full accounts is available upon request to the Clerk.


EXPENDITURE

In addition to the general administration costs, professional fees and salary costs of approximately £9,661 expenditure on the following areas has also been incurred:-

Grassing cutting and grounds maintenance £4,516
2 Street Light at Sealeys Lane £4,478
Street Light at Back Road , Murrow £   740
Cage maintenance & running costs £   725
2 Litter bins £   432
Drainage Rates for the Allotments & Gardens £   149
Pruning of trees on the village green £2,425
Footpath extension near to bus shelter

£1,908

Restoration of village sign £1,200
   
During the year grants have been given to :-
   
Fenland Victim Support £  50
Southea Parochial Church Council £500
Fenland Volunteer Bureau £  50
Citizens Advice Bureau £100
Murrow Book Café £  50

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

The total expenditure for the year was £27,006 excluding VAT


What we did during 2007/2008

During the last year there have been 15 Parish Council Meetings and all Councillors have attended on a regular basis.

Councillors have attended various meetings, events and information sessions on your behalf organised by Cambridgeshire ACRE, Cambridgeshire Association of Local Councils, Fenland District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Neighbourhood Policing and Fenland Links.

The Parish Plan Action Group has continued to liase with the Council together with other agencies and service providers to take forward areas highlighted in the action plan. This has resulted in the youth being provided with a Youth Club and visiting Jam Van most weeks since November.

The village green, playing field and roadside grass verges have been cut regularly and flower beds maintained.

A street light has been installed along Back Road , Murrow in partnership with Wisbech St. Mary Parish Council.

A litter bin has been provided at Johnsons Drove and another along Main Road near to John Bends Way .

The village sign has been refurbished and with the assistance of the Probation Service the public seat near the War Memorial has been painted together with the wooden bench seats on the village green.

 

Committed Future Expenditure and Planned Projects

A new street light will be provided in the parish during the year.

A grant of £500 will be made during the coming year towards the improvements to the Garden of Remembrance in Southea Churchyard.

A grant of £500 will be given to the Vital Communities Project for the second phase of the project.

Funding has been allocated to purchase a further litterbin and public seat to be sited within the Parish during 2008.

The Parish Council will continue to press the County Council for schemes to tackle speeding traffic and the provision of footpaths to improve pedestrian safety.

The Parish Council considers that these are worthy projects, which will benefit all Parishioners for many years to come.

The old concrete bus shelter has been removed and is being replaced with a brick and tile shelter partly funded by Fenland Links.

The footway has been extended near to the bus shelter to link up with the footway outside the shop.

The Council has made recommendations on 28 planning applications,

and responded to various consultation documents on the Fenland Local Development Framework.

We have continued to provide 17.75 acres of allotments and 24 garden allotments.

The Cage was open for visitors from April to September on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons and is available for small exhibitions and group meetings.

Parson Drove Street Pride Group with the assistance of Fenland District Council have undertaken projects during the year collecting and clearing rubbish from the playing field, village hall, churchyard, village green and along the main road.

Councillors have held regular open surgeries for Parishioners and quarterly newsletters have been produced.

The Council has representatives on the John Bends United Charities, Leverington Feofees, Friends of The Cage and the Section 106 working group and Councillors attend meetings on the Council's behalf.

A new village website has been developed incorporating information and news on the various organisations and voluntary groups.