Chairman’s Report 2010/2011

The Chairman’s Report was presented at the Annual Parish Meeting of the Council on Monday, 16th May, 2011. It appears below:

In what seems to be a very short period of time I find that I am writing my annual report for a third year and reflecting on the activities of Billing Parish Council, particularly over the past twelve months.

Once again I must congratulate and thank all persons involved in Billing Parish Council for their contribution over the past twelve months whether they be Councillors, the Clerk, the Green Space Manager or volunteers who help out with Pocket Parks, litter picks etc.  I would like to give an additional mention to both Debbie Nichol and Peter Gable who for personal reasons have had not been able to involve themselves in Parish matters as much as they would have liked over the last twelve months and we wish them both well for the coming year.  Thanks also to Peter Stevenson who has decided to stand down after contributing greatly to Parish matters. We hope Peter will continue to assist us with his research and document précising skills.

During this last year the Council has, along with almost everybody else, had to deal with trying times in respect of financial matters but has shown that tight control and good management of budgets, with cost effective spending has and will continue to produce good results for the benefit of the Parish.

As well as utilising our own financial resources the Council is currently working hard to obtain a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The grant, if successful will be spent on restoring the Ha-Ha wall which forms the boundary of the churchyard to St Andrews Church at Great Billing. Linked in with this project will be the opportunity for volunteering and for learning skills such as dry stone walling. The Women’s Institute are working on compiling an oral history of the Parish from which it is hoped to eventually produce some interesting publications. There is a wide scope of interest with the history of Great and Little Billing going back as far as the Domesday Book and Ecton Brook and Bellinge evolving as examples of modern day history in the making.

Under the guidance and control of the Green Space Manager much work continues to improve areas of the Parish owned by the Parish Council. Old and long established orchards on The Leys are being re-discovered and opened up for the benefit of all. The Pocket Park and sports field at Great Billing have also undergone some urgently needed work and despite the fact that we had to lose a favourite Ash tree, due to its condition, it will become apparent very shortly the benefits this work will bring.

Nine new specimen trees made up of Oaks, Downey Birch, Sweet Chestnuts, Hornbeams and Copper Beech have been planted in The Leys to replace diseased horse chestnuts that have been lost. Celebration Avenue through The Leys now comprises of 22 native red berried Rowans and with just six left for dedications more should be planted next winter.

John Marlow and the Green Space Manager have together completed a tree survey on the newly acquired piece of land adjacent to St Andrew’s church and we await agreement for the proposed works from the Borough Council’s arboriculturist. Specialist trees will be retained including a majestic old lime. This will be another project managed by the Green Space Manager.  The Green Space Manager’s role and associated responsibilities continue to grow and it is not always obvious to all how much co-ordination and organisation the role demands.

In Little Billing the comparatively new Pocket Park is being excellently steered by Michael Clasper and his team and they are reaping the benefits of obtaining a number of grants from different sources to fund the plans for the area.

Working together with local Borough councillors and the Environment Agency the lake in Little Billing off Fishponds Road has been dredged and cleaned; work continues to improve the surrounding area, which on one side includes the Little Billing Pocket Park.  The aim is to restore the area to what many people remember as its former glory.

With the determined drive of Steve Ward the Community Payback Team has done some very valuable work in Ecton Brook, particularly around the lake at the end of Sheerwater Drive. We aim to request the resources of the Community Payback Team in further projects during the coming year.

The Annual Fayre continues to be popular and well attended and this year’s event will take place on Saturday 25th June.

Both the Pavilion and sports fields continue to be extremely popular and the senior football team, The Elwes Arms FC concluded a successful season by winning their league and running out as successful cup finalists.

Michael Clasper has once again produced a year’s worth of very informative and interesting Parish Bulletins which are very well received throughout the Parish.

During this year the Council has awarded three Community Awards to persons who were considered to have contributed greatly to life within the Parish. The presentation of a small plaque, as a token of appreciation, was made to both Bipin Patel and Raj Patel, local shopkeepers in Ecton Brook with in excess of 50 years combined service to their local community, and to Andrea McAuliffe on her retirement after 28 years at Bellinge Community House.  

I will conclude my report by again thanking everybody who has through the year played some part, big or small in what I consider to be once again a very successful and rewarding year for Billing Parish Council and hope we can all look forward to an equally successful year ahead.

Steve Rockall

May 2011