We will have a meeting at the beginning of March but there are some important matters to bring you up to date with now.

You may have seen Severn Trent around a lot lately. They are surveying the road in preparation for a new highway drain which will take away all the storm and surface water from the road. The new highway drain will stop flooding, particularly at the bottom of the village where it can get very bad around Lower Farm. That will no longer happen. The new works will also stop any drains smells which have been noticeable in parts of the village in the past. This work is being done simultaneously with the new sewage work which I’ve mentioned previously. All the work is expected to start in June. It will mean that for several months over the summer the main road will be dug up in sections to lay the new pipes. Severn Trent will be applying for planning permission for the new sewage works in March. It is likely that a branch sewerage pipe will be laid for us from the new works through the wall into the playing field so that in future we will be able to have toilet facilities if we ever decide to install them. These last few days Severn Trent have been looking at the sewerage pipes with a camera to clear some blockages. I will be having a meeting with Severn Trent at the beginning of March to sort out final details and I will report back to the next Village Meeting in early March.

I have now applied for grants to cover the costs of the first part of the development of the recreation ground, the small playground area for children and young people. The planning application has also been made. As discussed at the last Parish Meeting, we will have a pair of swings for very young children up to about 5 years old, another pair of bigger swings for older children up to about 14 years of age, and a slide which will incorporate a climbing area. I hope that by May the play area will be open for business but certainly by the school holidays. The Peak Park will pay for about 60 trees to go in various areas around the walls of the playing field and with luck these will be planted this March. There will also be some bushes and a wildflower area. We will also have a grant for about six wooden seats which will be dotted around the outside of the field, and a path for disabled use also around the field. The free area in the middle will be 100 metres by 75 metres which will allow for football and other activities. The plans for the play area and the details of the equipment are in the village hall for everyone to look at. Feb.04