Flooding issues top the agenda at Aldbourne’s parish council assembly

The well attended Aldbourne Parish Council Assembly (April  30) began with the opportunity for an informal chat over coffee and biscuits.  But the meeting quickly got down to the village’s main problem of the year – the flooding – with a presentation by Councillor Mike Hewitt and Renate Malton, from the Operational Flood Working Group for South Wiltshire.  

Information was given concerning the appointment of a Flood Warden by Parish Councils, household flood plans and the scheme to provide one-off grants of up to £5,000 to homeowners and businesses flooded between December 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014.  The appointment of a Flood Warden for Aldbourne will be on the agenda for the next Parish Council meeting.

James Shepherd, the Wiltshire Councillor for Aldbourne and Ramsbury, gave his report which  included the Community Area Transport Group and the Marlborough Area Board. 

He mentioned grants to Aldbourne Parish Council of £1,145 towards the refurbishment of the village’s public tennis court, and £350 to the organisers of the “Beating of the Bounds” towards providing commemorative mugs and leaflets for the 50th anniversary walk. 

Parish Councillors gave reports regarding traffic in the village; the playing fields and equipment; rights of way; woodland management; the proposed development of the sports fields in Farm Lane/Palmer’s Field and work on the public tennis court.  

Then it was the turn of the village organisations – the Parish Assembly provides an opportunity for the public to learn about the volunteers and groups whose hard work make the village special. Aldbourne is a busy place so the reports took quite a while.

There was news from the Aldbourne Youth Council (check out their website for the latest developments), the Drainage Improvement Group, the Conservation Volunteers, the newly formed Community Heritage Group, the parish magazine, the library, scouts & guides, Aldbourne Band and Training Band, the Village Green group, the Wildflower Project, the Poors Gorse Charity and St Michael’s School.  

For the most part, the news from the community was positive, but there are indications that fewer people are visiting the library.  However, with the Summer Reading Challenge in prospect it was hoped that visitor numbers will improve.  

Another noteworthy area was the sheer amount of effort that the village volunteers put in to keeping the place looking clean, tidy and attractive.  The Conservation Volunteers emptied the pond of rubbish, Village Green has planted fruit trees in various locations around the village and the Wildflower Project (inspired by the late Michael Edmonds) is flourishing.

In addition to the speakers on the night, several other organisations sent written summaries of their activities over the past year, including the Aldbourne & Baydon Link Scheme and the Village Website Group.

(Photos by Joanne Hutchings)

 

After the fierce opposition which greeted Wiltshire Council’s cuts to its youth services in its 2014-2015 budget, a report outlining a new ‘community-led’ model will be put to cabinet councillors on May 15.