The County Council had published the amendments requested by the Parish Council to the “no waiting at any time order” in Poplar Grove. This would mean the reduction in the length of the double yellow lines in Poplar Grove at the junction with The Avenue. This was welcomed by the members of the Parish Council as the change had been requested by local residents. The double yellow lines in Poplar Grove were now considered redundant as the former petrol retail and garage forecourt had been replaced by residential properties at Beaumont Court. There was a period of consultation when comments could be made to the County Council which ended on 26th March 2008.
Following her letter about the problems of the school coaches parking in Manor Grove for an extended period in the mornings, the Clerk had received an email from the County Council. They had asked Walters Limousines, the coach contractor, to wait outside the village until nearer the school pick up time. Therefore the coaches arrived to pick up over a shorter period. This had been welcomed by the local residents.
The special projects officer for the Thames Path National Trail had made a site visit following the Clerk’s request for work to be done on the footpath from the water meadow along Fiddler’s Elbow to the south. He had scheduled some minor scrub clearance including tree works along the narrowest sections of the Path. The tree works was to take place over the next couple of weeks, but due to the lateness of the season the scrub would be tackled next winter. They were unsure, as it is on the water meadow, how to prevent the cattle making some of the Path very muddy near the gates.
A vehicle barrier had been ordered for Cow Lane to prevent unauthorised access. It was proposed to position it so that pedestrians can walk around it.
The Clerk had been in touch with the electricity company about the cable fault that had meant that the street lights in the south of the village around Links Road, Liddiard Close and Simpson’s Way had been out for about two weeks. She was told the repair work had been scheduled.
It was reported that the grant application to the Vale on behalf of the Friends of Kendall Copse had been successful and they had been awarded £2,800 for a new gate and fencing around the East Field.
The Parish Council would be writing to all the organisations, which have young people involved with them, asking them to nominate someone living in the village who had achieved success in sport, academic work or charitable activities. The Parish Council would then select at least three people to represent the village at a reception in April being hosted by the Chairman of the Vale.
