Williton Window - Article to appear in March's edition

We are currently undertaking lots of research relating to forthcoming issues and events and I am delighted to update you with our progress.

Williton Community Hospital

Thanks to all of you who have provided the Parish Clerk with information relating to your hospital experiences.  Representatives from NHS Somerset and Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust attended our Parish council meeting on Monday 6 February and the meeting was well reported on the front page of the West Somerset Free press on Friday 10 February.   It is clear that our hospital is held in high regard in the community and our concerns are being listened to.  We are assured that we will keep our hospital and that more outpatient services will hopefully be provided for local people if bed space is reduced and it looks as though Grace’s Room will get a reprieve.  It is still vital that you keep letting us know your personal experiences relating to lack of treatment/ refusal of admission at Williton.  All this evidence will enable us to make sure that the NHS make their future decisions using the best information possible.  Either deliver information by hand to our Parish Office Killick Way or email the Parish Clerk on willitonpc@btconnect.com or phone on 01984 633979

Olympic Torch

The torch will be in coming to Williton on Monday 21^st May – timings still top secret but the village is preparing for the event and more news will be announced soon.   We hope to get bunting and flags out again in readiness for this and the other Jubilee events following on later in the year.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

The Parish Council hosted a well attended and successful village meeting to discuss possible plans for this event.  Lots of Village organisations attended and a second meeting is due to take place on 27  February to finalise activities for the weekend and Bank holidays.  Williton will definitely have a formal celebration on Monday 4 June and will participate in the National Beacon lighting at 10pm that evening.  Daytime events and other activities over the Jubilee weekend and bank holidays will be decided at the next meeting and information will be publicised though posters, the local press etc so watch this space!!!!  ANYONE ABLE TO HELP WITH THE ORGANISATION OF ANY EVENTS PLEASE DO CONTACT THE PARISH CLERK - willitonpc@btconnect.com or 01984 633979

High Speed Broadband for Somerset

Somerset and Devon have recently been successful in obtaining a £50 MILLION public funding for provision of High Speed broadband.  We need to show that we have the demand for this so please see below how you can complete the survey and participate.............

From 6th February, information leaflets will be sent to 26,000 business and residential addresses in 10 sample areas across Somerset and Devon. People at these addresses will then be asked to respond to a survey through a follow up phone call. There will also be features in local newspapers, radio and TV programmes, to reach people who are not in one of the sample areas.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST ON LINE AT www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk  or PHONE the dedicated hotline on 0844 463887. The findings from this survey will be analysed later in March

Street Art Competition

This is due to take place on Friday 11- Sunday 13 May 2012.  This theme for this year is ‘Williton – past, present and future’.   The competition is open to individuals and groups. Anyone interested in helping or participating please contact the organiser, Councillor Angela Wood on 01984 639050.  

Pedestrian Crossing in Long Street

Somerset County Council has allocated finance for some type of pedestrian crossing to be sited in Long Street and is currently conducting surveys regarding the positioning of the crossing.  More information to follow soon after surveys completed.

A plea from your Groundsman regarding dog litter on the Memorial Ground

All dog walkers please collect dog litter and deposit in the special waste bin provided at the Robert Street entrance – please do not use the ordinary litter bins.

Street Art Competition 2012

You may have seen details of the Street Art Competition in the West Somerset Free Press. 

It will take place at Bellamy's Corner on the 11^th 12^th and 13th of May, and is open to individuals or teams to try their hand at Street Art.

We already have three teams signed up!!

We are going to erect a 'street' of house facades, giving teams 8 x 8 feet to play with. The theme is going to be ‘Williton: Past, Present and Future’. It's up to you to make of that what you will – use old or present images of Williton, a Banksy type image, some crazy, abstract art, time travelling into the future, your own imagination is your limit. Judging is by visitors, who can purchase tokens to post for their favourite images. The money we make on judging will go to the Williton Community Hall charity.

Each facade is being sponsored by a local business, which has kindly helped to pay for the 'street'.  It's going to be a fun weekend.  If you want to get involved and help us out, we have a meeting scheduled for Tuesday 10^th April at 7pm in the Parish Council Offices.

April will be an opportunity to view Williton’s rich, historical past displayed in the Parish Council Offices.  Anyone with photos to share of the village and its community, Diamond Jubilee photos of 1897 would be particularly welcome, or any interesting historical stories, please take them to the office during March.

If you want to take part, pick your team, give it a name - don't hang about - and book your facade! For more information contact the Parish Office on 01984 633979.

Queen's Jubilee Celebrations

A meeting was held on 23rd January 2012 with interested parties to discuss ideas for the Jubilee celebrations. Many ideas were suggested and representatives from various groups and organisations from the village agreed to take some of these forward. 

The next meeting will be held in the Parish Office on 27th February at 7pm to which you are all welcome to attend and offer your help and suggestions.

Williton Window - Article to appear in February's edition

Health matters have started the Parish Council off for the New Year. Our January meeting saw us appealing for information from you about your hospital experience. We are losing bed space in Williton Hospital and the Parish Council feels that it should be retained. Let us know if:

1. you, or your relative, had to go to either Taunton (Musgrove Park) for a problem when you felt your needs could be cared for in our local Williton Hospital.–
2. you, or your relative, has been discharged from hospital before you were ready to go home and then found yourself back in hospital within a few days?

Please let us have your experience: this has to be actual cases not hearsay, with dates etc. – we will keep your identity confidential.

Write to – The Parish Clerk, Williton Parish Council, 2 Killick Way, Williton. TA4 4PY

It is hoped that there will be representatives from the NHS Trust present at the next Full Council meeting on 6^th February to discuss this matter and there will be a 30 minute session before the meeting where the public can speak provided they have given notice to the Clerk. Please ring the office on 01984 633979 should you wish to do so.

The Parish is working to co-ordinate events for the Diamond Jubilee. Only by working together as a community can we move forward on this one. Please let us know if your organisation is doing anything for this. We know that the schools are having a ‘Street Party’ for their children on Friday 1^st June – watch the Parish Office window for news of what else is going on.

We have been talking with the District Council about services that we might lose within the next twelve months. As a Parish we cannot pick up everything but we will try to deliver help where we can.

Something for the children: the Parish is looking towards replacing and providing some new play equipment in the next financial year.

Street Art: we are planning to stage this on the weekend of 11^th May with the theme being Historic Williton. Cllr Angela Wood is co-ordinating this, if you want to be involved please contact her via the Parish Office.

Williton Hospital

We have received many letters, emails and phone calls from the local community voicing their concerns at the decision of the NHS Authority to close a ward at Williton Hospital. We are presenting these concerns to NHS officials who will be attending the next Parish Council meeting on 6th February. This meeting will be held at the Council Chamber and will start at 6.30pm to give the public a chance to ask questions before the start of the meeting. If anyone wishes to speak could they please contact the Clerk beforehand on 01984 633979.

Somerset County Countil Proposed Reduction in Subsidised Local Bus Services

Somerset County Council is consulting the public on a reduction in subsidies in the local bus services and are asking for people’s views by way of a public survey. To complete the survey please log on to www.somerset.gov.uk/bussurvey. The  deadline for the responses to the survey is 20^th January 2012.

Hinkley Point C - DCO Examination Phase

EDF's application to the IPC for permission for two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point and associated development has been accepted for examination. The application is available to view on-line and copies are available at the District Council offices but the IPC are encouraging people to register online. To assist people with the registration process the IPC has arranged a series of drop-in events. The nearest drop-in point will be at West Somerset House in Killick Way Williton on Friday 9th December. Presentations will take place at 2pm, 4pm and 7pm. 

Representations to the IPC need to be submitted by 23rd January 2012. EDF will provide information about the application at a public exhibition at Danesfield School on 7th January between 10am and 2pm.

Official Office Opening

The Official Office Opening will take place Saturday 10th December at 10pm. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP will unveil our plaque to commemorate the opening of our new office and community building.

Williton Window - Article to appear in December's edition

We have moved into the new office and are now fully open for business. The building will be formally opened on the 10^th December 2011 at 10am by our sitting MP Ian Liddell-Granger. You are welcome to come and support the occasion. We are anxious to encourage you all to make use of the building, should you wish to use it for meetings or social events you can contact the office on 01984 633979 or e-mail willitonpc@btconnect.com Some of you will be aware that the RBL Branch/Ladies Section have already made use of the facility. It is hoped to organise art exhibitions, and window displays. Please contact the office if you are interested or there are any other ideas you would like to be considered. The Council has a web site (www.willitonparishcouncil.org) and if any local businesses, shops, bed and breakfast or pubs would like a free listing please contact the Clerk.

The Christmas Festival will take place again this year on 8^th Dec 2011. If you are interested in taking part or helping please contact Graham Bigwood on 633650. Our best home Christmas decorations and best Shop Display will be judged on the 19^th Dec. Prizes are 1^st - £30, 2^nd - £20  and 3^rd - £10.

You will all be aware of the planning for the new building of the Hinkley Point C Power Station. As it is within a 15 mile radius of Williton, the Parish Council is consulted at each stage of the application and we are asked to make representation and comment on your behalf. This can be issues of road transport to environmental permits to discharge radioactive waste or cooling water and liquid effluent. If any of you have any concerns over these issues and you wish to discuss or put points forward before the deadline of 15 December, there will be a Council surgery at the Parish Office between 11am and 1pm on 12 December, when we will try to help with your questions or if we do not have the answer, we can ask on your behalf.

Other matters that we have been dealing with on your behalf include the issue of devolved local facilities. The potential closure of toilets, the task of cutting grass areas and the emptying of the dog bins are included and discussions are ongoing with the District Council. We hope to be able to give you more details in the next issue.

The Trustees of the Memorial Ground have a working group looking at the ground and the play area and ways of getting more use out of it. We have already made inquiries to try and improve the facilities in the play area, to that end we are asking for your constructive ideas that may be considered during this consultation period. If you have any, then please contact the Parish Office.

Whilst on the subject of the memorial ground, the issue of dog fouling has become prevalent and also vandalism in the Childrens play area. Please clean up after your animals, it only takes a few minutes and leave the area clean for others to use. Children can pick up some serious infections as I am sure you are all aware.

Finally, winter is on the way and the Parish Council has obtained 10x20 Kilogram bags of salt for path clearing. Should you require a bag, when the time comes, you should contact the Clerk.

We would like to offer our congratulations to Jenny Gibson, editor of this magazine, for her Chairman’s Award for Services to the Community. Thank you Jenny for your tireless work.

I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Parish Council, to wish you a safe and Merry Christmas.

Cllr Robert McDonald

Parish Council Surgery

One of the important issues being discussed at our Parish meetings at the moment are the consultations on the various environmental permits that EDF Energy has submitted to the Environment Agency in preparation of their planned development at Hinkley Point. More information on these applications can be found on http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/132474.aspx. The deadline for your responses to these applications is the 15th December 2011.

We are holding an open Surgery in the Parish Office on Monday 12th December between 11am and 1pm, if you would like to call in and discuss ways of responding to these applications with one of our Councillors, and any other parish matters that you be interested in or are causing you concern.

Williton Parish Walks

Williton Walks

This month the walk will be held on Saturday 19 November starting from the Memorial Ground. Please meet by the beacon at 2pm. We will walk to Sampford Brett via Aller Lane. From Sampford Brett we will walk to Woolston and Cottiford before returning to Williton by walking back through Sampford Brett making this a figure of eight walk.

If you would lilke any further information please ring Elizabeth Peeks on 632318.