East Langton Parish Council Annual Meeting
Parish Council Team
Thank you to our hard-working team of Councillors Heather Munroe, Martine Browne and Irene Ward. To our very busy Clerk, Alison Gibson. Also to our Heritage and Tree Wardens, Mark Newton and Joan Gray. Heather and Martine have decided to step down as Councillors after seven and a half and eight years respectively. We are very grateful for all the commitment and service they have given the Parish Council.
Elections
The Parish Council Elections took place on 4 May. Five people stood for a place on the Council which was not contested so we now have our full complement of Councillors. They are Roz Folwell, Irene Ward, Sue Johnson, Simon Kolka and Barry Barnes. We thank them for standing and welcome them to the Council.
Finance
Precept
In January. it was agreed to make a precept request to Harborough District Council of £8,320.00. This is in order to meet our legal requirements, make improvements for the Parish and continue to build reserves to cover unexpected costs including an election. This is an increase of 18.3% or £5.93 for a Band D household per year. We have been informed that this is still one of the lowest precepts in the County.
Audit
The annual internal audit took place in April. The auditor commented that she found ‘a well ordered and detailed set of documents and records’. Thanks go to Alison Gibson for all her hard work with this.
Grant
A policy has been drawn up and £2,500 allocated for residents to apply for small grants for community projects. Details are on the PC website or from the Clerk eastlangtonpc@gmail. Funds from the Grant were awarded to the Cricket Club for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June. Also funds to St. Peter’s for the maintenance of the clock, an historic obligation of Parish Councils. Jubilee mugs with the inscription ‘East Langton Parish’ were distributed to all the children of the Parish.
Neighbourhood Plan Review
The referendum results were: 158 votes passed. Yes 154, No 4 with a 49% turnout. The reviewed Neighbourhood Plan is therefore ‘Made’ by Harborough District Council. Thanks to Gary Kirk for advising and writing the Review.
The Finger post at the junction with Stonton Road and Church Causeway has been ‘Listed’ in the review giving it protection. Research showed that by the style of the post, was put tit here in the mid 1930s.
Wildlife Verge, Church Causeway
Project Open Day
Last summer, Cllrs Folwell and Ward, four members of the public meeting and David Nicholls from NatureSpot, conducted an initial survey of the plants and wildlife in the verge. A report was circulated and findings put on the Parish website.
The verge continues to be surveyed and will be cut in September. The cuttings will be removed after a few days when the seeds have dropped. A WhatsApp group has been set up to update people on our findings. Members of the public are welcome to join the group and help with the management of the verge.
We look forward to another active and productive year for the new Parish Council.
Roz Folwell (Chair)
Kibworth Art Lovers
