East Clandon Parish Council
Annual Report  2010-2011

On behalf of the East Clandon Parish Council (ECPC), I have pleasure in welcoming you to our Annual General Meeting.  This is the moment when we review our 2010-2011 operating year and to report on progress on various projects.

Finances
The Parish Council’s finances are in good health reporting a total reserve of £3,783 and shows an increase of £917 on last year.

Our income for the year was £9,220 and comprises three major on-going sources:

  • the Guildford Borough Council precept of £6,178 an increase of 4%,
  • two forms of income directly from the parish – the tennis court subscriptions of £1,042 and the rental of Tunmore Fields at £1,500 per annum.

And other grants

  • the closed Churchyard grant of £200

Our outgoings total £8,362:   In the year 2010/11 the ECPC funded

  • various playground repairs, maintenance of grounds & equipment, verges and open spaces
  • development of the enhanced village website
  • printing of village welcome packs
  • maintenance of the village pond
  • stipend for the Parish Clerk.

Village Open Spaces & Maintenance
The village is most fortunate to have the services of Jim Bacon, a long-time village resident.  He does a superb job of tending our open spaces, through snow, wind, cold, rain and sun and is also our tree warden.  Another village resident also plays a major role in helping to maintain our village services and to support Jim – Ray Corstin - and we thank him for his huge energy and setting an example of community spirit. Peter Smart - Guildford in Bloom Award 2010

Again, these efforts from all our villagers resulted in our winning again the Guildford-in-Bloom SILVER award, an advance on last year’s Bronze! 

Another villager, Peter Smart, won the overall BEST in COMPETITION award and the GOLD for his wildlife garden. 
Many congratulations!

Village Projects

  • Village Street Party to celebrate the Royal Village Street Party sceneWedding:
     The Parish Council awarded £500 towards a hog-roast to help make this jolly event accessible to all our villagers and their families on a blissfully warm Saturday 30th April. Community spirit in abundance again – with bunting and live music, sponsored by our neighbours - Hatchlands Park, the delicious hog-roast provided at cost by Mark Williams of the Queen’s Head Pub and salads by our village ladies.  Thanks go to all who moved 140 chairs & 30 tables from West Clandon, hung the bunting, decorated the tables, provided interim music, cheerleading & dancing, to the amazing organising committee of Bug Robertson, Elinor Hogarth, Gayle Leader, Simon Wood and Arthur Hunking and all our fantastic villagers. 
  • IT Projects

The Village’s New Website: This is now live and a hugely useful and interactive tool for the villagers. Grant funding was received from Surrey County Council due to the efforts of Paul Richardson who masterminded this project with Peter Smart and Chris Harlow and helped it to go live in June last year.

Village Googlemail: Our great communication tool is superbly managed by Peter Smart & Chris Harlow, and enables rapid communications within the village.

  • Wildflower Meadow & Walk - grant funding: The Big Lottery Fund has awarded the village £2,690 to create a Wildflower Meadow and Walk on The Common to increase further our biodiversity and to continue to improve our environment.  The work will begin in November 2011.Ray Corstin sitting on an item of litter!
  • Village Litter Day: Thanks go to Georgina Mercer for organising a very well attended day last November.  This evidenced community spirit on a drizzly day enticed by the thought of delicious cakes, the wearing of fluorescent flak-jackets and an impromptu gathering in village hall.
  • Back Lane Pond: To add to this attractive asset in our village and to its wildlife, the pond continues to receive specialist management.
  • Tennis Court: Liz Ross is to be thanked for her energy in keeping our village court spic & span and in managing the membership and its important income.
  • Village Emergency Plan: Ray Corstin has been the driving force behind this plan which collates the facilities and people who will be at the centre of any emergency or disaster planning and which will be a reassuring back-up should we suffer such an event.
  • Hatchlands Park Angling Association: Thanks to Simon Wood for his commitment and to the National Trust which means the village has this lovely amenity using the Sheepwash Pond at Hatchlands. 
  • Snow Clearing: Thanks to Skip McMullan for his help with snow clearing during our unusual snow episodes in November & December and to become our Snow-warden.
  • Police Information Evening: This had a good turn-out - approx 25 villagers came to hear PC John Terry talk.
  • BT Race to Infinity competition: There was a great village response to this appeal to challenge BT into providing us with better high-speed broadband. It seemed as if 90% of villagers responded.  More work is being done during 2011 to make HSBB a reality.
  • Kissing Gate Repair: Thanks go to Paul Richardson who organised to repair this Victorian gate on one of our village walks.  

Planning Applications
There have been noticeably fewer Planning applications in the year.

An application for Hilltop Farm for 2 x gypsy pitches etc on Greenbelt and Surrey Hills AONB & AGLV land was refused by Guildford Borough Council after an astounding objection campaign led by villagers with 169 objections listed, giving force to GBC’s refusal.

We are pleased to report that work has progressed on two major projects in the village - Clandon Manor Farm and also Home Farm Barns – both when complete benefit the village.

Looking Ahead

  • High-Speed Broadband (HSBB):  Working with BT and Surrey County Council, we are asking to become IT guinea pigs to help develop a strategy to empower our village with effective HSBB. We await news as to how we can progress this issue.
  • Localism Bill: the new government is currently promulgating this bill which will have an impact on how much say our little village community can have on issues affecting it.  We await further advice as to how we can actively engage in this.
  • Village of Year Competition: We have entered the village into this 2011 competition.

Meeting Attendance
The ECPC has met 9 times during the past year and Councillors’ attendance is high.

Thanks
Our grateful thanks go to Georgina Mercer, our Parish Clerk, who had managed to juggle a new baby son alongside her valuable support for the ECPC, but now has stepped down to further her legal career. We thank her for her work and energy and wish her well in future.

We are delighted to welcome back Mary Leech who has kindly agreed to return as Parish Clerk.  Thank you for joining us again, Mary.

Also, I would like to thank Arthur Hunking for agreeing to continue in his role as our internal auditor and for completing the audit so well and quickly.

We also thank Adrian Thompson for continuing to be involved with arranging & distributing the Village Welcome Packs to new villagers.

Finally, I would like to thank my ECPC colleagues for their superb advice and support and in particular for their energy in attacking all the tasks which they undertake for our village. They (and all other villagers who have played their roles and whom I have not mentioned by name) are examples of people with great community spirit. Thank you all.

Sibylla Tindale
Chairman East Clandon Parish Council
Dated: 25th May 2011

Previous Years' Annual Reports

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ECPC Annual Report - 2010/11

ECPC Annual Report - 2009/10

ECPC Annual Report - 2008/09

 

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