Parish Council

Neighbourhood Planning

The government has determined under the Localism Act, passed in November 2011, to give greater control over housing and planning decisions to local communities.  Town and Parish Councils that want to undertake this new responsibility for shaping the future development of their community are being invited to create a Neighbourhood Plan for their area.   If a parish does not have a Neighbourhood Plan in place, decisions for that area will continue to be taken by the County, without reference to the preferences of residents.

A Neighbourhood Plan must be based on extensive consultation with residents, businesses, local organisations and planning professionals, and must conform to County and National planning policies.  A completed Neighbourhood Plan will only come into force if it is accepted in a referendum of Parish residents.  If accepted, a Plan will have force of law until 2031.

Eardisley Group Parish Council has set up a Steering Group of Councillors in preparation for making a Neighbourhood Plan, if residents of the 3 Parishes want one.  During the first 2 weeks of February, Councillors will visit every home in the Group area to offer information about Neighbourhood Planning and to ask residents to agree to the PC making a Plan.

The implications of not having a Plan will be long-lasting and could be serious.  Therefore the Parish Council strongly recommends that you say YES.

For further information about the Steering Group and other matters as they arise, please visit the Neighbourhood Plan page.

January Parish Council Meeting - Public Participation Period

No items were raised in this section. However, Martin Jackson plus members of Herefordshire Council's flood prevention team, and Andrew Lea-Jones plus one other Amey traffic speed management person spoke before the meeting was convened. In both cases there was lively discussion involving members of the public. Allan Lloyd spoke about Health Authority matters.

November Parish Council Meeting - Public Participation Period

The only item in the public participation section was the statement that Whitney needs to meet with Martin Jackson regarding ongoing issues around flooding. Other comments by members of the public were included in the relevant sections of the agenda and not in the public participation period itself.

Senior police and Safer Roads Partnership officers attended, and spoke at the beginning of the meeting. They discussed many aspects of road safety and speed management, including saying that the Safer Roads Partnership had approached Herefordshire Council regarding moving the 30mph signs at the north end of Eardisley further to the north e.g. to near the old police house on the east side of the road, and putting in a footpath from Upper House Court to the village.

September Parish Council Meeting - Public Participation Period

The following points were raised by a large number of residents who attended this meeting:

• The delay in publishing PC meeting minutes from one meeting until they are ratified in the following one means that residents attending PC are not informed about what has happened in the previous meeting.
• Residents of Upper Court are anxious that nothing is being done about vehicles speeding in and out of the north end of Eardisley.
• Some residents of Winforton are dissatisfied with the process by which the speed limit was reduced to 30mph in their village. Others are delighted and want the new limit to be enforced.
• Police are not attending EGPC meetings often enough to ensure a good exchange of information in public.
• Bus services in the Eardisley area, as outlined in a new brochure, are inadequate compared with the service to similar sized Herefordshire villages.

Notes from recent PC and related meetings:

Wind Turbine Transport

The campaign continues. Scottish Power's Planning Permission Application is still with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change at Westminster. The Pentre Tump Application is being investigated by Powys. Both Applications have been opposed by Herefordshire.

Speed Indicator

The Parish Council owns 2 Interactive Speed Indicator devices for use in the three parishes.  They are moved around to sites at each end of each of the villages regularly.  The devices not only indicate vehicle speed to the motorist, they also collect up to date speed information for the three parishes which can be assessed for enforcement purposes. 

The Parish Council purchased this equipment in response to resident concerns over speeding in the three parishes.

Sandbags

A supply of sandbags is kept at the following places for any resident who might need some:

The Fire Station, Eardisley. Contact Phil Eggerton - 327394

Willersley Court, Winforton. Contact John Morris - 327289

Lower House, Whitney-on-Wye. Contact Alan Watkins - 01497 831396.