Parish Chairman’s Notes
Readers’ attention is drawn to the notice in this magazine, on social media and elsewhere advertising the CCA extraordinary meeting to be held on 6th February at 7:30 in the Village Hall. While the CCA and the Parish Council are completely separate bodies, CPC and the parish community as a whole has a strong interest in its fortunes. If the CCA were to collapse through lack of volunteers and trustees to run it then the Village Hall would have to close. On the other hand, this is an opportunity to bring new people and ideas to ensure the Hall (and any future replacement or upgrade) continues to serve the needs of all in the community as well as providing accommodation for the Pre-School as it does now. I would urge as many people as possible to attend on the 6th.
Please also answer the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire on the future of the Hall, if you have not already done so. This can be found at https://form.jotform.com/222703407013341 or in hard copy from the Post Office/shop.
The last Parish Council meeting took place before Christmas on 19th December. The next is due on the 30th January and then 27th February. Meetings are usually on the last Monday of the month in the Village Hall at 7:30 and are open to the public.
Highlights from the December meeting included:
The draft of the Capel Neighbourhood Plan is with the Borough Planning department we expect their response in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, members of the Working Party are reviewing the text in preparation for Regulation 14, which is the first consultation stage.
Meanwhile we await the Borough’s more considered response to the Inspector’s Initial letter which gave TWBC the option of dropping the proposal for a development in Tudeley and asked for major modifications in East Capel. For the Council’s Initial response published just before Christmas, please see the link in the Borough Councillor’s report.
We now have funding for the Electric vehicle charging scheme which will see initially two EV charging points by the entrance to the Village Hall. We expect this work to go ahead shortly.
The Cricket Club have been offering a ‘warm space’ in the Pavilion on alternate Friday afternoons from 1-5pm. There was a good take-up on Friday 30th December with residents (and some dogs) taking advantage of the tea and biscuits for a chat.
Hugh Patterson