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At the Annual Parish Council meeting in May 2000, a view was raised that my writings might be mistaken for the official minutes of our JPC meetings. The official minutes are written by the Clerk and RFO of the Council, and are not moderated by anyone prior to their approval at a subsequent meeting. Copies of the official minutes are available on this website.

Any matter raised in this page is solely commentary on activity in our three parishes and may also contain information, which has not yet passed before the full JPC, in which I believe electors may have an interest, all written from the perspective of the JPC Chairman who is responsible to all three parishes.

John Murphy
Chairman JPC

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BARFORD VILLAGE SHOP :

Progress continues at a pace, albeit not so visibly as internal works are added and final plans are made to be ready for opening. The September JPC considered a request for further and final assistance to fill the funding gap which exists between now and a financial position when they would be comfortable in opening. Over the last few months the gap has reduced from £37,000 to just £15,000 of which about £7,000 is nowhere in immediate sight – could we help? Exemplary accounts were presented detailing all income and pledges to date and the total costs of getting to opening day, along with projections for the first five years, including starting to repay the loans. Only a few minor points of clarification were raised.

Following my prompting last month, Sherbourne and Wasperton councillors represented that some of their electorate did not wish to support the shop via any ongoing precept or Council Tax levy. The vast majority of opinion from Barford was to continue to support the project financially, even on an ongoing basis, although inevitably there were also some Barford voices who felt that funding or cost reductions should be sought elsewhere.

It is a pity if all of our residents do not take the view that this is their shop. It has been designed to serve and in consultation with residents of all three villages, and indeed many residents of the smaller villages are also shareholders. It will operate under pressure of ‘use-it-or-lose-it’. The shop may not be as convenient for Sherbourne and Wasperton residents, but it will be well stocked and it is surely better to support your own community not-for-profit venture than to flock off to impersonal, multi-national profiteering supermarkets at every opportunity. It should be noted, at this point, that shareholders have not bought an investment to make money, but to support the project and will actually be able to vote and control its destiny, so the shop is truly theirs. About five hundred shares have been sold so there are still many who have not joined up, so why not join the club and get your shares to give you even more say in the development of your shop.

After significant discussion it was decided by majority that we wished to support the project and it was resolved that we should do so in two ways, taking fully into account that we currently ran lower reserves than perhaps we might wish.

Firstly, the JPC should pay over in advance the estimated interest that it would earn on monies held pending payment to Robin Smith-Ryland for release of the terms of the covenant, and this would amount to about

£500-600, the exact amount to be confirmed. Secondly that we should pay an amount of £1,500, which would roughly equate to the amount that the JPC would have paid over to the Memorial Hall for rent on the current Post Office. This mechanism effectively allowed us to grant £2,100 without any need to have an onward effect on the Council Tax levied, hopefully satisfying electors keen to contain costs but still leaving the Shop Group somewhat short of their needs.

So, please do all you can to support their ongoing fund-raising, and spread the word.

Click here for more information in the shop group’s page .

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PLAYING FIELD PARKING and BYELAWS :

At the September JPC we reviewed our approach to our byelaws and their enforcement. We were unanimous in endorsing the rules as they are and expecting the Police to enforce them wherever appropriate. Furthermore we determined to go to the next Safer Neighbourhood Police panel meeting asking for more local orientated Police responses.

There are signs displaying the full Barford Byelaws sited strategically at the entrance to the track past the Playing Fields, near the Scout Hut and at the Church Street entrance to the Village Green.

For clarity, the only vehicles which are authorised to use the track are;-

• Vehicles on JPC business, eg contractors

• Allotment users, who we would ask to keep use to the essential minimum

• Emergency and contractor vehicles accessing e.g. the school

• Norton Lindsey FC, using the football pitch, with large numbers of vehicles when it is judged safer to park on the track than to obstruct the narrow parts of Church Lane/Street

• Authorised wedding/event parking on the Playing Field, as above

• Disabled access to the play areas/allotments

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REMINDER - Barford Pre-school :

Many of you will be aware that Barford Preschool is currently in severe financial difficulties and their long-term viability is very much in the balance. JPC have asked for further information to detail the preschool financial position but will be considering making a grant at the September 8th JPC.

In the meantime I would appreciate your opinions on the JPC supporting this cause from JPC funds, and hence your council tax, whether it be one-off grants or possibly annual support grants. Please drop me a line, or preferably email

UPDATE: JPC decision delayed due to late arrival of financial information from Preschool committee – mixed views received to date, further opinion welcomed, as above.

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BARFORD IN NEED CHARITY :

This charity which provides significant help to needy Barford residents is managed by a committee to which the JPC appoints four Nominative Trustees. Each Nominative Trustee serves for a period of FOUR YEARS and two of these stand down every second year giving a steady turnover on the committee. Ian Webster and Cllr Rob Mulgrue are due to stand down in November but can be considered alongside any other prospective candidates for further appointment. Further information on the work of the trustees can be obtained from Terry Offiler 624123.

If you would like to be considered for these positions please contact us in writing with a brief resume of any appropriate experience which might assist in performing this function – sent to me at 4 Bridge St or James Johnson at 3 Barford Woods, Barford Road, Warwick, to arrive no later than mid October.

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CLLR GEORGE STARKEY :

As many of you will know George has recently been very poorly culminating with some serious CPR and a good stay in Intensive Care – I was pleased to see him making a good recovery and taking a short walk out to view some of the Scarecrow weekend. George says he was most grateful to be here to see them at all! - but is still very tired and will be needing further rest. As a result he will be missing a few JPC meetings and Cllr Maggie Hayward will temporarily substitute for him on Planning Committees.

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NEXT JPC MEETING :

The next JPC meeting will be held on Monday October 13th at Sherbourne Village Hall at 7:30 pm.

There is a session for “ Public Participation ” early in the agenda after our essential housekeeping matters which must as a matter of legality take priority. “ Public Participation ” is a short period set aside solely to hear comments and questions from members of the public. No special presentational skills are needed and councillors will hear you in an informal and welcoming way. We are always pleased to have matters and opinions brought to our attention. We cannot usually enter into detailed discussion with the public at the time but if possible may be able to supply an immediate answer, OR will decide, at a later time or date, whether and what action may be appropriate.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to attend in person, you may submit “your views” for formal attention of the JPC by and the matter will be taken to the next JPC meeting and you will get a formal response.

An agenda for each meeting will be posted in advance on all the villages’ notice boards. Residents may also feel free to email myself (see below), or contact any of the Parish Councillors or the Clerk, James Johnson.

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John Murphy
Chairman, JPC
September 2008

Tel: 624421

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