Annual Report 2008-09 - Woodhouse Parish Council

WOODHOUSE PARISH COUNCIL
Dear Parishioner,
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING & EXHIBITION - 2009
The Chair and Members of the Parish Council invite you to attend
the Annual Parish Meeting and exhibition, with refreshments, to be
held on
Wednesday 22 April 2009
7.30 p.m.
Village Hall
Woodhouse Eaves
At this meeting you will have the opportunity to see some of your
Council's work during the year, ask questions and comment on
matters of local interest or concern.
In order to prompt discussion, a few notes follow on items and
projects that your Council has undertaken during the last year.
Please make a note of the date, come along and let your Council
know YOUR VIEWS.
If you cannot attend and you have any comments or questions
please contact the Clerk to the Council.
Yours sincerely
David Barker QC
Chairman
clerk@woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Telephone 890050
www.woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Leicestershire & Rutland Partnership – best Parish Information award 2008

Chairman’s Note
2008/2009 has turned out to be a reasonably trouble free year so far as your
Council was concerned and as a measure of this I am glad to be able to say that
crime figures within the Parish remain low. However there is no room for
complacency and it is said by those in the know that crime figures tend to rise
during periods of economic downturn. All householders should be vigilant
regarding not only their own property but also the property of their neighbours.
To have a village hall is a great boon to a village and we are fortunate in that we
have not only a hall but an annexe as well. Thank you Jean and Colin for your
work in caring for the Hall and Annexe respectively. Your Council values these
Parish assets and is willing to use its financial resources to maintain and improve
hall facilities for the benefit of all. This year we decorated the Hall externally.
Unfortunately this work revealed considerable wood rot which had to be repaired
at additional expense. The Hall was also made a better venue by the provision of
good stage lighting, and a sound system with a hearing loop. In this context I
would like to congratulate those who bring life to the Hall, ranging from the
Horticultural show to theatrical productions, all to such a high standard. Well done
the Rainbows and the Youth Club, both in danger of closure but rescued in the
nick of time by the arrival of new leaders. The Rainbow leaders wanted to continue
but were defeated by an unfortunate policy of ageism.
Your Council considered considered 66 planning applications for developments in
the parish and almost 60 other items of correspondence concerning planning
matters. This number will fall in the future because since 1 October 2008 many
proposed extensions within the designated development area but outside the
Conservation area in the Parish will no longer require formal planning consent. At
the moment nothing has been resolved in connection with the development of the
Chinese Restaurant site. I know that many in Woodhouse Eaves would like to see,
at the very least, an attractively laid out open space on a part of this important
village site. We can but wait and see.
I have mentioned the conservation area in Woodhouse Eaves. This area was
designated in 1972 and is surprisingly small, based largely on Main Street and
Brand Hill. In January a meeting was held in the Hall when officers from the
Borough gave an appraisal of our conservation area to about 30 councillors and
parishioners. What struck me most about the appraisal was the enthusiasm these
men from outside the village had for the village, ranging from its history, its
beautiful surroundings and views, its variety of buildings, unified by common
materials, its woodland areas to its village facilities. I hope that we who live in the
Parish appreciate what we have got to the extent that these outsiders do.
Sadly we said goodbye to Lady Martin who served on the council for no less than
41 years. An election for new members was not sought by electors and we
welcomed 2 new co-opted members to the Council in March. Our new members
are Liz Beth of Woodhouse and Jane Martin of Woodhouse Eaves.
Your Parish Council could not function properly without an efficient clerk and
financial officer. We are fortunate in having Ann and Victoria who work so hard for
www.woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Leicestershire & Rutland Partnership – best Parish Information award 2008

us. I thank them and also my fellow councillors for their unstinting unpaid public
service and loyalty. Thanks also to members of Neighbourhood Watch, our Tree,
Heritage and Archaeological wardens, as well as our hardworking Allotments
manager.
David Barker, Chair
Allotments
The allotments continue to be fully let. Allotments that were previously unoccupied
and full of brambles have now been rented and are looking very well cared for. A
couple of sheds have appeared but are well placed and tidy looking. An area off
the Main Street entrance that was previously a compost heap was levelled and
seeded and is now the home to a bench bought in memory of Alan Kirk, a former
resident and an allotment holder of many years. He is perhaps best remembered
as the man who cycled from Loughborough every day smoking a pipe. The
atmosphere on the allotments is still very much community spirited and I'm sure
we're all hoping for some warmer weather so we can prepare the ground for
planting.
Linda Winston, Parish Allotments Manager
Footpaths
Woodhouse & Woodhouse Eaves continue to attract a significant number of
walkers from the County and beyond, many of whom use the Village Hall car park
as their start point. The May Day Challenge walks will see many dozens more.
This is good for the village, and for the businesses who benefit, and it is important
that the toilets and car park continue to be maintained to a high standard by
Charnwood Borough Council.
Cllr. Alan Siddons, Council’s footpath representative
Finance
Expenditure during the last twelve months has included funding for the
maintenance of Council properties and external areas. Repairs included the roof,
windows and stucco on the Village Hall with significant repairs to some of the
woodwork. The exterior of both Village hall and Annexe were painted. Other
expenditure approved by Council included a new galvanized steel trap door for the
Village Hall basement.
Due to delays in the Scout Group & Sports Club considerations on the possible
joint-use extension to the Pavilion, work on the teenage play area also fell behind.
After its annual inspection and the repairs done by the Scout Group the Scout Hut
was considered safe for another 18 months. Development planning for the
teenage play area has now begun and a fundraising group has been set up to add
to the £10,000 already budgeted by the Council.
The Council requested an increase in the precept of £2,500 to achieve a total of
£57,500 for 2009/10. The Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2007/08 is
displayed in the Village Hall foyer from March onwards.
Victoria Charlesworth, Responsible Financial Officer
www.woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Leicestershire & Rutland Partnership – best Parish Information award 2008

Councillors
Mr D Barker, QC, Chair 17 Nanhill Drive Woodhouse Eaves
Mr L H Pole, Vice-Chair 46 School Lane Old Woodhouse
Mr A J Siddons 14 Windmill Rise Woodhouse Eaves
Mr S Tyler 9 Swithland Court Woodhouse Eaves
Ms R J May 15 Charnwood Rise Woodhouse Eaves
Mr M Woodland 33 School Lane Old Woodhouse
Mrs E Pattison 83 Bird Hill Road Woodhouse Eaves
Mrs J Martin [March 09 -] The Brand, Brand Hill Woodhouse Eaves
Ms L Beth [March 09 -] 22 May Tree Lane Old Woodhouse
Clerk to the Council
Dr A Irving
272 Forest Road
Old Woodhouse
LE12 8UA 890 050
clerk@woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Responsible Financial Officer
Mrs V Charlesworth
39 Edward Street
Anstey
LE7 7DQ
0116 236 6692
rfo@woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Village Hall & Annexe Bookings
Mrs J Mawby
50 Main Street
Woodhouse Eaves
890 995
Parish Wardens
Allotments Mrs L Winston 0774 366 8605
Archaeology Mr A Holmes 890 541
Heritage Mrs E Lloyd 891 102
heritage@woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Neighbourhood Watch Mr M Greenhalgh 890 374
nhw.woodhouse@btinternet.com
Trees Mrs I Brown 890 317
www.woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk
Leicestershire & Rutland Partnership – best Parish Information award 2008