|
|
Meriden Park , Fordbridge
Annual
Report 2002/2003
Town and Parish Councils
were established over 100 years ago as the first tier of Local Government
providing local services and facilities paid for and controlled by
local people. Town and Parish Councils are widely acknowledged to
be closer to their electorate than any other level of Local Government.
Fordbridge Town Council was established in 1970 by Warwickshire
County Council and its services and facilities are an essential
part of the day-to-day life of Fordbridge. This Annual Report is
the first one published by the Town Council and hopes to provide
information for the electors of Fordbridge about the services,
facilities and achievements of the Council and also to assist in
raising the profile of the area. Please read on to discover more
of the work of the Council during the 2002/2003 year.
GARDEN COMPETITION
The
Council as part of its commitment to improve the local environment
and engender a greater sense of community and pride in the
local community revamped and relaunched its Garden Competition.
Over
20 front gardens from properties across Fordbridge were nominated
in three categories;House, Bungalow and Communal Garden. The
competition was judged by Mr. Alan Furness-Huson a consultant
for Notcutts
Garden Centre in Shirley and a former Parks manager for Solihull
Council. A successful presentation evening for the winners
was held in the autumn. The overall winner winning £100 of Notcutts
vouchers and the category winners £50 of vouchers each.
The winners were as follows:
Overall
Winner and Best House Garden - 53 Nineacres Drive
Best
Bungalow Garden - 39 Lambeth Close
Best
Communal Garden - Greyfriars House
The Council remains keen to support the four schools in Fordbridge
and their pupils. Part of this commitment includes awarding the
Fordbridge Prize to two pupils from each school. The Prize is awarded
to pupils nominated by the schools who have shown the greatest
effort, improvement or an all round contribution to school life.
The
Prize itself is a week at the Ysgol Natur Maengwynedd outdoor
activities centre which in some cases is the only holiday the
child may have. A presentation evening is held where the children
receive
certificates to celebrate their achievement and offers a chance
to meet the Centre manager. This allows the children to ask
questions and view slides to give them a taste of the exciting
experience
to come.
THE FORDBRIDGE CENTRE
The
Council owns The Fordbridge Centre, a community centre used
by a number of local groups providing a valuable service to the local
community. The Centre was recently extended increasing the
size of the function room for these groups and to attract a
wider
range of private functions. The extension also increased office
space allowing the Council to introduce new resources for the
benefit of the whole community.
A
partnership with Solihull Community for Voluntary Service,
the meeting room at the Centre has also become a base for meetings
for a number of local voluntary organisations.
SCHOOLS
In addition to the Fordbridge Prize/the Council continues to support
local schools and pupils by providing milk for all infant school
children at the local primary schools. This includes Hatchford
School after returning to local authority control in April 2000.The
Council also provides paper towels for the three schools which
have requested the service. All school children in Fordbridge were
also presented with a medal to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
LIGHTS
The
Town Council was again delighted to provide a Christmas tree
in the grounds of the Fordbridge Centre, decorated with lights.
The Chairman once again hosted a ceremony to switch on the
lights and the choirs from Bennett’s Well School were
present to sing carols to an appreciative audience.
Members of the local community were then given the opportunity
to indulge in a glass of mulled wine and mince pies.
TREE PLANTING
The Council commenced a programme of environmental improvements
at the end of the end of the 1999/2000 financial year by planting
a number of semi-mature trees. This programme was hugely expanded
during the 2000/2001 year, helping to improve the visual appearance
of Fordbridge and the environment generally. The programme continued
during 2003 with planting taking place at various sites along Bosworth
Drive. Planting has now taken place on three major roads within
Fordbridge.Further sites have been identified and will be planted
during 2003/2004.
RESIDENT'S
FORUM
The Council as part of a commitment to allow local people to voice
concerns to the relevant authorities established a Resident's Forum
during the year 2000. The Forum allows members of the public to
question the Police, Housing officials, Solihull Environment Services,
Borough and Town Councillors. The Forum is held quarterly and four
were held during the year.
FUN DAY
The Fun Day was originally held as part of the Council's Millennium
celebrations on August Bank Holiday Monday 2000.Free admission,
inflatable attractions, face painting, barbecue, mobile climbing
wall, fancy dress and penalty shoot out competitions and good weather
all contribute to a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon for the local
community. The event has been extremely well attended in all three
years.
CHAIRMAN'S CHARITY EVENT
The
Chairman's Charity event was held in April with performances
from a local band and two other locally based entertainers.
The event was extremely well attended contributing to generous
raffle
sales and a hugely enjoyable atmosphere and occasion. The event
together with earlier raffle sales, badge sales and donations
lead to £1,000.47 being raised for the National Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) .The money
was used
to
support the work of the Charity's Centre in Chelmsley Wood.
MERIDEN PARK LAKE
The Council has responded to the concerns of residents regarding
the state of Meriden Park Lake by funding a scientific analysis
of samples of water taken from the lake. Results were inconclusive
and have been passed to the Environment Agency for further investigation.
A visual assessment of the lake demonstrates clearly that a potentially
valuable amenity for local people is being wasted. The Council
will continue to pressurise Solihull Council to invest in and improve
the quality of the lake for the benefit of local people.
FORDBRIDGE CLUB FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The
Council as part of its ongoing commitment to young people
agreed to invest £30,000 in the Chapelhouse Boys Club over
three years. The initial sum of £10,000 was used to upgrade
the heating system and to replace the roof of the building. The
Club was encouraged to change its name to the "Fordbridge
Club for Young People" to reflect the wider community in which
it is based and also to make clear that the Club is open to all
young people. Lottery funding from the "Awards for All" programme
will provide Football and Basketball coaching for young people
and this will commence during Spring 2003.
LOCAL CAMPAIGNS
A very important aspect of the work of the Town Council is to
campaign for improvements to the area or to protect the area. This
type of work is essential when the Town Council is unable to assist
and the community must rely on an outside agency. This can take
the form of pressure to provide new or improve existing services
or facilities. The Council is also occasionally called upon to
fight to protect and retain existing services. A prime example
involved supporting parents at Bennett's Well School when plans
were made to change secondary school catchment areas which would
have sent local children on the difficult journey to Smith's Wood
School. The Council provided moral and written support to the parents
and provided a coach to take parents and children to lobby a Solihull
Council meeting. The campaign was completely successful and the
changes abandoned.
COUNCILLORS
List of Councillors who served during the 2002/2003 Municipal
Year
Howard Thomas (Chairman)
James
Moore (Vice Chairman)
John Alcock
Paul Brownhill (to November 2002)
Eric Collins
Ken Derrick
Keith Evans
Linda Hyde
Malcolm Hyde
Catherine McLaughlin
Jacqueline Moore
Alan Nash (from November 2002)
Florence Nash
Linda Sorrell
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL
NEIL MILLARD, THE FORDBRIDGE CENTRE, NINEACRES DRIVE, FORDBRIDGE, BIRMINGHAM, B37 5DD
TELEPHONE/FAX:
0121 770 0001
|
| |
