Guilden Sutton Parish Council

Newsletter

January 2006, no 112

Budget 2006/07.

Councillors voted to hold the parish precept at £12,000, the same level as this year, at their annual budget meeting. This is equivalent to £1.56 a week for an average band D property in the village. The budget will increase to £14,575 with the difference financed by anticipated income.

Full details will appear in the next newsletter.

Trees.

Work to fell trees often raises queries and the Parish Council is happy to make its position clear.

Trees that are not protected can, of course be felled although councillors hope this would be the last resort. Helpful advice can be obtained from the parish tree wardens – Ron Bayton and Alan Young (contact details at the foot of this newsletter) or direct from Pete Murray, the City Council’s trees and woodlands officer through 01244 324324. They can suggest how best to manage existing trees or what to replace them with if they are not protected and felling is seen as the answer, as done recently in the village. All felling and work to protected trees on private land requires approval from the City Council.

Highways Depot.

Last Autumn, the Council was consulted on an application for major alterations to the highways depot which included proposals for the reopening of the rear access onto Guilden Sutton lane for cars. This was closed, except for emergencies, when the dual carriageway was built and an access was provided off the A55.

The Council objected to any change in the use of the exit and argued that no
information had been provided which was sufficient to demonstrate any change in circumstances since the condition was imposed.  Adjoining occupiers raised similar concerns and the application was withdrawn.

New plans have now been submitted which do not involve the rear gate.

Message In A Bottle' scheme

This scheme, sponsored by Chester Lions, is being promoted throughout Chester district. It is aimed particularly at vulnerable people but all residents could benefit.

It consists of a plastic bottle in which is stored personal details such as details of medication, contact numbers etc. This is kept in the fridge with a sticker on the fridge and on a prominent spot elsewhere in the home alerting emergency services that the bottle is being used. They can then have the information if people in at the property are unable to communicate due to illness, etc. The Parish Council has obtained a limited number of bottles which will be available at the next council meeting at the Village Hall at 7.30pm on Monday, February 6. Any remaining bottles can be obtained by contacting any member of the Council.

Home insulation.

Chester City council is offering free home insulation to all homeowners. It follows the Government’s intention to cut Britain's carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050. In an effort to reach this target substantial government funding is now available to provide grants to householders to insulate their homes, reducing the amount of fuel used per household and so reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

The city council is further supplementing these grants so that all householders can have free cavity wall and loft insulation. In most cases this insulation will be free although larger houses or homes with extensions may incur a small cost. The Town Hall is offering a £100 grant off an already discounted price which should mean that cavity wall and loft insulation should cost homeowners nothing.

For an information pack please call Cath Forkin at the city council on 01244 402423.

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Information. The Council's e mail address is info@guildensutton.org.uk and its web site is at www.guildensutton.org.uk

Future meetings: Future meetings of the Council are due to be held in the Village Hall on Mondays 6 February, 6 March, 3 April, 8 May, 12 June and 17 July, 2006. Provisional dates have been agreed for 11 September, 9 October, 6 November and 11 December, 2006. Residents are welcome to attend and all are preceded by public speaking time.

Contact Councillors Bob Armitage 300528, Pat Astbury 318276, Ron Bayton 301286, Danny Fisher 301398, Derek Hughes 300185, Trisha Paterson 300307, Julie Proudlove 300318 and Gail Young 301558 or the Clerk, David Norbury,

1 Orchard Croft, Guilden Sutton, CHESTER, CH3 7SL, 300783. Cllr Astbury 318276 is the Local Bus User Contact and Brian Lewin 301501 is the Parish Paths Warden. The Parish Tree Wardens are Cllr Ron Bayton 301286 and Mr Alan Young 301558.