Parish Council Meeting 2nd April 2012

The April meeting of the Parish Council was opened with public questions.
Several pupils from Milverton Primary School attended the meeting to express concerns they had about the village following a class project. They had toured the village looking at things they liked and disliked, noting details and taking pictures. These were then transferred to paper in a series of 'Snakes and Ladders'  diagrams with the best things on the ladders and the worst on the snakes.
In order to make their feelings known the pupils were encouraged to write to the Parish Council. These letters were circulated before the meeting and two pupils attended the meeting to speak to the Council in person. Several key issues emerged from these letters and speeches including speeding, heavy traffic, lack of parking, dirty bins and the old cricket pavilion.
Councillors were very pleased to get feedback from the youngest residents and assured them that action was under consideration for some of their points. Councillors also committed to incorporating the comments into the emerging Neighbourhood Plan and asked for a copy of the Snakes and Ladders so it could be displayed at the Annual Parish meeting on 11th April.

In the meeting proper Councillors discussed Creedwell and the recent Notaro exhibition. Noting that only 12% of the village had attended Councillors resolved to undertake their own research in the village in order to gauge peoples feelings and understanding of the proposals. Once gathered this information would be fed back to Notaro as part of the ongoing dialogue.

It was noted that 5 people had volunteered to assist the Parish Council in the development of a Neighbourhood Plan.

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held in the Victoria Rooms on 11th April at 7pm. The following items will on the agenda:

• Creedwell
• Neighborhood Planning
• Diamond Jubilee
• Preston Bowyer Phone Box
• Community Woodland
• Parish Wildlife Records
• Parish Information and Interpretation Boards

Councillors were pleased to hear that the land for Affordable Houses in Butts Way had  been purchased by Falcon Rural Housing and it was hoped to start building in July.

On a less happy note Councillors were told that the Citizens Advice Bureau Outreach had been stopped in Milverton following TDBC grant cuts and that the service in Wiveliscombe was under threat.