Road closure notice – 4 days (24 hrs) at New Wood Lane, from 18th August 2025

Dear Resident,

Please find attached details of a road closure notice for Western Power Distribution to make a new power connection over 4 days (day and night) at New Wood Lane, commencing 18th August 2025.

Diversions are shown on the attached map.

Kind regards,

Louise.

Notice of the period for the exercise of public rights, Accounting Statement and Annual Governance Statement, 2024/25

Dear resident,

The accounts for the year 24/25 are currently unaudited but you are welcome to exercise your public rights from 18th June 2025 to 29th July 2025 inclusive to view the parish council accounts for the year 2024/25. Please get in touch if you would like to at clerk@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk

Kind regards,

Louise – Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer.

Newsletter – Annual Report to residents for 2024/25

Dear Resident,

This newsletter is the annual report from the chair person during the year 2024/25, Brian Hession.

If you should have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Louise – Clerk to the parish council.

Jim Long – Obituary

It was with great sorrow and shock that we learnt of the death of our fellow Councillor Jim Long on 15th March, following a road traffic accident on the A456 as he returned home after the March Parish Council meeting.  Throughout the 30+ years that Jim had lived in Blakedown, Jim was a dedicated and hardworking member of the community and of the Parish Council.  It was Jim who instigated the development of the Neighbourhood Plan, who started the ball rolling to rescue and reposition the Signal Box, and who galvanised volunteers to develop a Local List of protected buildings and characteristics, and we can thank him as well for the litter bins and the programme of regular grass cutting in the villages.   Involved in Planning and Development issues, he worked tirelessly to represent residents’ interests in contentious planning applications, getting to grips with the technicalities of Planning Law, liaising with District and County Councillors and officials, and always ambitious to preserve, enhance and improve our villages as a great place to live.  His major achievement was to be the founding member of the successful Churchill and Blakedown History Society, with regular monthly talks from visiting lecturers, and increasingly popular bi-monthly coffee mornings in the Signal Box.  He was active, committed, tenacious and proud to be part of Churchill and Blakedown.  He made a huge contribution, and he will be very missed.  Our thoughts are with his wife Vicki, and his family at this very difficult time.

C&BPC Chairman, Brian Hession & fellow councillors.

Precept increase for 2025/26

After much discussion amongst the working party and at the PC meeting in December, the council decided that to maintain business as usual in the budget for 2025-26 and allow for ongoing increases in costs, it needed to increase the precept by £4,566 on last year. This will cost the average Band D property a total council tax payment of £1.26 per week or £65.77 per annum for parish services. This increase also pays for new items added into the budget, as follows:-

£300 for repairs and maintenance to benches

£2,000 project costs for the Neighbourhood Plan review

If you have any queries in regards to the above, please contact the clerk at clerk@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk

Kind regards,

Clerk.

Maintenance of watercourses for riparian owners

Dear resident,

As you may or may not know, under the Land Drainage Act 1991, it is the responsibility of all riparian owners to maintain the watercourses that are within or adjacent to the boundaries of their properties. Please inspect the watercourse in your ownership and undertake any necessary maintenance work; you should ensure that the watercourse is in such a condition that flow can discharge unobstructed.

You may also find the following information helpful, please click on this link to read it:-

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-10/managing_ditches_and_watercourses_leaflet.pdf

Kind regards,

Churchill & Blakedown Parish Council

Councillor Vacancies

Dear Resident,

The parish council currently has two vacancies to be filled. Would you like to contribute something to your local community and have your say on matters pertaining to the parish council? You can, simply by becoming a parish councillor. You give as much or as little time as you wish and as a volunteer and will have first hand opportunity to make your contribution. We are currently revising our Neighbourhood Plan to revisit how we want to see the parish shaping up over the next 10 years from 2026. If you have any experience in Planning or Environment matters, your skills would be greatly valued during this time. This is not a requirement though, so please, if you can see yourself making a contribution to the parish council, please get in touch with the clerk for more information, at clerk@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk.

Kind regards,

Louise – the clerk to the council.

Notice of Conclusion of Audit for 2023-2024

Dear Resident,

This parish council duly displays a notice of conclusion of audit for the year 2023-24 together with copies of the AGAR, Sections 1, 2 and 3 for your information.

Kind regards, Louise Harris

Clerk and RFO to the parish council.

C&B PC’s commitment to Biodiversity, to conserve, protect & enhance our nature-rich, beautiful parish.

In accordance with recent changes in the law, C&B PC has adopted a Biodiversity Policy. Although the parish council does not own much land to speak of, it aims to protect biodiversity across the parish by increasing awareness amongst residents and working with the wider community, businesses, landowners and other local authorities. For further details, please see the policy on the parish council website.

The Signal Box Garden will be undergoing some changes soon to support biodiversity in that local neighbourhood area. With funding from Natural Networks, this area will be a wonderful example of how small changes can impact the natural environment for the better. Gardens are important habitats for wildlife and low impact practices can make all the difference. Keep an eye out on the website for developments at the Signal Box.

Do you have any views on what you would like to be done to conserve biodiversity within the parish? Write in to clerk@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk

Daniel Baird Bleed Control Kits installed in parish

2 Daniel Baird Bleed Control Kits have been purchased and installed in the parish defibrillator cabinets, along with the defibrillator units, at the following locations:-

  • Refurbished phone kiosk at top of Mill Lane (near Signal Box)
  • Blakedown Parish Rooms (outside wall), 18 Belbroughton Road

Both are accessible 24-7. In the event of an incident, 999 should be called. West Midlands Ambulance Service have the details for access.

You can watch the attached YouTube video for instructions on use.