Road Closure – Central Reservation & Filter Lane only – 1 day on 15th April 2024

WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

PUBLIC NOTICE

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

(A456 Birmingham Road (Filter Lane and Central Reservation only), Kidderminster) (Temporary Closure) Order 2024

Proposed Order: to close that part of A456 Birmingham Road (Filter Lane and Central Reservation only) from its junction with A456 Birmingham Road to its junction with A456 Birmingham Road (near Hodghill Park) to prohibit traffic from turning right across the Central Reservation for the duration of the work.

Reason: Damaged signpost to be replaced in the Central Reservation area by WCC

Exemptions: to permit access to any land or premises fronting the highway affected where there is no other form of access; and to allow the works to be undertaken.

Alternative route: Eastbound Diversion: A456 Birmingham Road (Eastbound for 883 metres), A456 Birmingham Road (Westbound). Westbound Diversion: A456 Birmingham Road (Westbound), A456 Coventry Street roundabout, A456 Birmingham Road (Eastbound)
and vice versa.

Maximum duration: 18 MonthsAnticipated duration: 1 night (21:00 to 05:00). Commencing: 15 April 2024

Thomas Pollock Head of Commercial Law (Legal & Governance) County Hall Spetchley Road Worcester

21 March 2024

Blakedown Village Car Park

The village car park is there for residents and those passing by to enjoy a free short-term parking facility whilst using the local businesses on and around the Birmingham Road.

It is short-term as stated on the 2 signs displayed at both ends of the car park. There are also 2 Instavolt charging stations for use for as long as the electric vehicle requires. The charging spaces are rented from the Parish Council by Instavolt.

We frequently receive reports of poor parking, misuse of disabled and charging spaces and blocked access and make the following response:-

  • We rely on the goodwill of people to use the car park properly and considerately .
  • There is appropriate signage indicating that the car park is for short term use.
  • There are people who will disregard the signage.
  • We have considered introducing parking enforcement but have ruled this out based on financial and administrative cost.
  • The cars parked against the wall are parked on The Avenue which is un-adopted land and so is not within the parish council’s gift to enforce or manage.

Nevertheless, we remain open to exploring ways of improving the situation for all and will keep the matter under review.

Contact the clerk at clerk@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk

Vacancy for a Parish Lengthsman

Vacancy for a Lengthsman with Churchill & Blakedown Parish Council

CHURCHILL & BLAKEDOWN PARISH COUNCIL is currently seeking a parish Lengthsman to cover the areas of Churchill and Blakedown. The work averages at approximately 4 hours per week but the level of work is variable throughout the year. Working on a self-employed basis. The rate of pay is currently £17 per hour. Training will be provided. The successful candidate will be responsible for any equipment required.

Please contact the Clerk at clerk@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk for further details or answers to any questions relating to the position.

Why has the Parish Council tax (Precept) gone up for 2024/25

First, a quick recap. The precept paid to Churchill and Blakedown Parish Council from the overall payments to the District Council is to fund the annual running costs of the villages. In 2023, the amount we received for the year was just over £34,000. A little more than half of that goes on the costs of cutting the grass, emptying the litter bins, powering the street lighting, and maintaining the village ‘furniture’ – the bus shelters, benches, planters, lampposts, two defibrillators, and the VAS signs. Most of the rest meets administrative and governance costs – salary, employment, and office administration costs for the Clerk who as well as looking after the finance and accounts and running the meetings, is also the main point of contact for residents, for external organisations and for contractors carrying out work for the Parish Council.

The accounts for this year (2023/24) won’t be finalised until April 2024 at the earliest, with the external audit being completed later in the year, but projections are that we shall come in just within budget at the end of March, 24. However, we already know that costs for 2024/25 will need to be adjusted for inflation (we’ve budgeted 5%), increases in employment costs (+35% mainly made up of additional employers costs) and to allow for a reduced subsidy from the District Council for the litter bins. In all, based on this year’s spending and known additional costs we shall need an additional £14,000 to keep things going in 2024/25. Spreading the cost over all the 800 or so dwellings in the villages equates to an average of less than 35p more per week per household, or an average of £1.78 for each of the 10 Council Tax instalments paid over the year.

The Parish Council is required to hold financial reserves. Currently standing at around £22,000, these are funds which have gradually been built over the years and which can be used for special projects for the benefit of the villages. We also have other income – Worcestershire County Council fund the costs of our Lengthsman and occasionally we have grants from our County and District Councillors for special events (e.g. the Coronation) or special equipment (VAS signs, village gateways etc.). The Instavolt EV chargers in the Village Car Park will bring us at least £3,000 per year in rent until 2042 – funding the short and long-term maintenance of the Car Park, so that the precept can be used for other running costs. The finances of the Signal Box (whose reconstruction costs were met by grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and The Norman Dawson Trust) are dealt with through the C&B Villages Trust and make no use of precept funding.

To reiterate, the precept funding is used for the day to day running of the village services and it is important that the amount collected covers the annual cost. I hope you find this information helpful, but if you have any queries, my email address is suef@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk, or you can contact Louise at clerk@churchillandblakedown-pc.gov.uk. And of course, you are very welcome to come along to the Parish Council monthly meeting (2nd Tuesday each month except August – details on the website) or to the Annual Parish Meeting, which this year will be held at the Sports Pavilion on 28th May 2024 at 7pm.

Sue Fowler
Chair, Churchill & Blakedown Parish Council 2023/4

District Councillors’ Report as presented at PC Meeting on 13th Feb 2024

County Councillor report as presented at PC meeting on 13th Feb 2024

County Councillor’s Report as presented to PC meeting on 9th January, 2024

District Councillors’ Report as presented to PC meeting on 9th January, 2024

Police Report – as presented at the PC meeting on 9th January 2024

Local Nature Recovery Strategy – Consultation to residents, landowners, managers, countryside users and local interest groups.

Dear all,

Please find attached notification regarding a strategy that is under development by Worcestershire County Council. It is a Local Nature Recovery Strategy and is a key part of delivering targets in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan for England. These strategies are to be implemented across England and meet the requirements by law under the Environment Act 2021.

Your parish council will comment when invited to (expected at February full council meeting) and you are also invited to have your say. I shall keep you updated with when the consultation goes live.

In the meantime, I invite you to read the attached in preparation.

Kind regards,

Clerk to the Council.