Move to New Offices

We have now moved to our newly refurbished offices located at 2 Killick Way, next to the Library, and will be opening our doors to the public on a regular basis when we have settled in. We have a Meeting Room and Foyer area which will be available for the public to hire together with kitchen and toilet use. We are also interested in hearing from anyone who is interested in renting some office space. Now that the office has been refurbished we would be pleased to show interested parties around.

Please contact the Clerk for more details of the above on 01984 633979 or email willitonpc@btconnect.com

Have your say in your village services

Delegation of Services-  This is likely to affect the way that our public services are funded and managed, street cleaning, litter collection and grass cutting are a number of services that the District Council may cease to provide or deliver to a minimum standard.  The most urgent issue we have to address is public toilet funding as this is something that is likely to cease throughout the District unless Parish Councils consider providing these services within their finances or find alternative ways of delivering this service. Our Public Toilets currently cost over £12,000 per year to maintain and they are a facility greatly appreciated by many visitors to Williton and also many residents and we would value your views before making any decision which we must make in the not too distant future. 

WILLITON PARISH COUNCIL IS THEREFORE SEEKING YOUR VIEWS BY EMAIL IT TO THE COUNCIL BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2011

Please e-mail your views to willitonpc@btconnect.com

.

Do you want Williton to continue to provide public toilets for use of visitors and residents?  

If keeping the Public toilets involved an additional cost to you as a resident of Williton would you still want to provide them for use by visitors and residents?

Please detail any suggestions you may have as to how we can still provide the service but save money

Assistant to Parish Clerk

Williton Parish Council

requires a

Part-Time Administrative Assistant

to assist the Parish Clerk and to take on responsibilities for the  Council’s charities

12 hours per week including some evenings

Must be computer literate and a good communicator

For full details and an application form please ring 01984 633979 or email willitonpc@btconnect.com

Williton Fete

There was a good attendance at the annual village fete on the Recreation Ground on 9th July and all the various activities were enjoyed by many in the sunshine, including music by Above Defiiance. Thanks to the Village Hall Steering Group and their volunteers for their hard work in making the day a success.

Royal Jubilee - July 2011

We are hoping to organise an event to celebrate the Royal Jubilee next year and wish to hear from other village organisations who would like to get involved and offer ideas on how to celebrate this occasion.

If you would like to take part please contact the Clerk on 01984 633979 or email on willitonpc@btconnect.com

Hinkley C Development

The Planning Meeting for the Hinkley C Preparatory Works will take place at the District Council Offices on 28th July

Street Art 2011

The Parish Council are organising another Street Art competition this year to take place on 1st October. The theme for the competition will be Vintage Transport. The teams will be made up of 4 people with at least one member being a resident of Williton, who will also be the team leader. Teams will be expected to provide their own paints and brushes and the Council will provide the boards at Bellamy's Corner. 

As well as the Street Art Competition, we will be organising a Children's Painting/Drawing competition to be displayed in the foyer of our new Parish Office in Killick Way. There will be prizes for the competitions and we hope that you will want to take part.

For more details please contact the Parish Office on 01984 633979 or email willitonpc@btconnect.com.

Office to Let

Work has now started on the new Parish Office in Killick Way. We are hoping to move in September. As part of the work there will be an office available for start up businesses at a low rent. Details are listed below.

Commercial office accommodation and parking space within a central location in Williton.

Williton Parish Council as part of its local business enterprise intitiative has created 150 sq ft/14 sq m of commercial office space within its new Killick Way Parish Office.

This office accommodation has been created to help stimulate an enterprising and entrepreneurial culture in Williton and assist local people in creating their own jobs.

The Parish Council is interested to hear from local people who intend to start up their own businesses or who are looking for office accommodation to expand their current operation.

Lease charges are on a sliding scale and are dependent on the maturity of the applicant's business. The type of business undertaken shall be compatible with the aims and objectives of the Parish Council in satisfying Priority Objective A of the West Somerset Economic Strategy.

For more details please contact Williton Parish Council on 01984 633979 or apply in writing to the Clerk to the Council, 4 Priest Street, Williton, TA4 4NJ or email willitonpc@btconnect.com

Williton Masterplan

The Draft Williton Village Masterplan is now available on the District Council website. The consultation period ends on 22nd July. Just complete the Consultation Feedback form and return it to the District Council. All details can be found on the following link
http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/masterplan

Christmas Decorations competition

The winners of this years Christmas decoration competition is 32  Shutgate Meadow with second prize going to 26 Doniford Road. The winner of the best decorated shop window is Motorline. Congratulations to all our winners. The prizes will be presented at our meeting on 7th February.

Message from Somerset Waste Partnership

This week

SWP will deploy all available resources this week in an effort to maintain collection services and to catch up on any areas missed.

The advice to residents remains to place recycling and refuse out when safe to do so. SWP will aim to return to pick up fortnightly collected materials within five working days and weekly collected materials within two working days.

But with the situation complicated by Christmas and New Year changes to the schedule, if disruption prevents a full catch-up this week, homes missing collections may not be collected until their next scheduled pick-up in the first week of January.

SWP severe weather guidance sets out what will happen if collections are missed, including crews working overtime and on Saturdays to try to catch up on missed collections.

 

SWP advice

Key advice points from SWP include:

• If collections are missed, efforts will be made to return to pick up any refuse or recycling as soon as possible.

• If a weekly collection is missed, householders should put it out for collection for the next two days (excluding Sundays). If a fortnightly collection is missed, it should be put out for the next five days (excluding Sundays). In both cases, if not collected within the advised time, put it out for the next usual collection day, providing it is safe.

• Additional waste and recycling materials will be accepted on delayed collections. Extra refuse should be placed in black sacks and extra recycling in carrier bags put out with boxes.

• No catch-up services will be provided for garden waste or clinical waste collections missed because of severe weather, and these collections may be temporarily suspended to focus resources on restoring waste and recycling collections.

• Recycling centres can take recycling and waste if collections are missed but it is best to check to ensure the centre is open before travelling.

• Residents are urged to check that neighbours, especially the elderly or vulnerable, know what arrangements are in place.

• During severe weather, daily updates on the situation are posted on the SWP website at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk.

• Follow us on our @SomersetWaste Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/somersetwaste, or Facebook  at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Somerset-Waste-Partnership/128826580486763

 

Holiday collection changes

The changes for collections affected by the Christmas and New Year holidays have already been listed on the SWP web site. In summary:

• Usual collections and catch-ups continue up to and including Friday 24 December.
• With one exception, all collections from 27 December to 7 January occur one day later.
• Exception is Friday 31 December, whose collections will take place on Sunday 2 January.
• Normal collections resume on Monday 10 January.

 Bins and boxes

SWP is advising householders to keep bins and boxes in a sheltered spot, where possible, such as in a shed, garage or the lee of the house, will protect them and their contents from freezing.

If a bin or box does freeze, please do not try to release the contents with boiling water (this will freeze, too), by hitting it (frozen plastic shatters more easily), jumping up and down on the bin contents (this risks serious injury), or forcing the lid open (allow lids to de-frost naturally).

Do not worry if the contents of the recycling box, such as paper, get wet. However, please keep dry any clothing and shoes (tied in pairs) by double bagging them.

Homes with coal fires must allow ashes to cool thoroughly before putting in the plastic wheelie bin. Ashes from wood fires can be used in home composting, but do not home compost coal ash.

 Keeping informed

 

During severe weather, daily updates on the situation are posted on the SWP website at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk.

Follow SWP on the @SomersetWaste Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/somersetwaste, or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Somerset-Waste-Partnership/128826580486763

All Somerset media are informed of the latest situation.

Residents can always call or email their district council customer services.

Williton Christmas Festival

Don't forget the Williton Christmas Festival taking place on 8th December. Parade through village 6.30pm from Danesfield. Please visit the Council chamber where there will be many stalls.

Winter Service update 2pm 7/12/2010 from Somerset Highways

The forecast for today is variable cloud cover this afternoon and also the chance of some mist or freezing fog patches persisting in places. Road Surface Temperatures are currently below zero in places. Later in the afternoon, during the evening and overnight Road Surface Temperatures will remain below zero with the chance of some icy stretches where roads are damp. Freezing fog patches will appear in places.. It will be mainly fine  tomorrow morning.

As we salted the pre-treated network last night and again this morning we are confident there is high residual salt and will therefore only treat the secondary network (F2's) this afternoon. The scouts will be out on the pre-treated network at 4.00 with crews ready to go at 4.45 tomorrow morning.
There have been enquiries about salt bins and replenishment. As you are probably aware it is the local communities who purchase salt bins and site them on the highway with our approval. At the time they are sited the local community are told we will fill them at the start of the season as we  record all locations on our Geographic Information System, (GIS). Once the local community start to use the salt we have no way of knowing how much remains and they are asked to let us know when stocks are getting low, not when they are empty, and we will try to replenish when we have resource available which during bad weather is not immediately as our efforts are concentrated on the pre-treated network.

This has worked well previously but with the bad weather over the last few years usage from the bins has increased and they are being emptied quickly, often faster than we can fill them. Replenishment requests should be directed to Somerset Direct (0845 345 9155) who can then pass locations on to the area offices for action when resource becomes available.
Sonia Davidson-Grant, Environment Director, has asked me to include a personal message from her in this update.
"I would like to personally thank you for your hard work and support in keeping Somerset moving and assisting our communities in these extreme weather conditions. Working together, we are making an important difference to many people's daily experience and protecting our local economy. "

Bakelite Museum Open Weekend

The Bakelite Museum has an Open Weekend this weekend - Saturday and Sunday, the 6th and 7th of November. Why not take your family to see this fabulous collection of items made from the precursor of plastic - Bakelite!

You will be amazed at the sheer number of different items that were made of Bakelite - everything from ashtrays to bicycles! And all of them come with the typical style of the era - see how your ancestors lived!

Please give your support for this wonderful museum, put together by Patrick Cook in an old mill on the western edge of Williton (past St Peter's Church). Although this weekend is free, Patrick and the Bakelite Museum need your support. He has been told that he must make some expensive improvements to the mill to cater for overweight visitors (Health & Safety of course), the mill not having originally been designed to cater for the less nimble amongst us. The idea is that you come and see how fantastic the collection is - and then go away and tell your friends all about it!

While you are there, don't forget the tasty cream teas that they serve up - with home made jam and fresh Somerset cream! Worth the visit alone - and ample reward for the short and pleasant walk to the mill.

Steam's Up

I think the last two months have been the busiest I have ever been - getting the first Steam's Up off the ground, and the accompanying Street Art competition - and fitting in a bit of paid work, and a couple of trips abroad with my work!  It's all over now, and we have the results!

Around 140 photographs of steam and diesel engines, landscape and people were printed out and displayed in the Council Chamber of WSDC. This was just the final short list, prepared by the judges, George Reekie of Taunton Camera Club, and Don Bishop, a well-known local professional photographer. They then went round the displayed images and chose the winners and runners-up in each category.

That's Jacob Fuller, by the way, the winner of the Junior section from Bishop's Lydeard. Runners up in that category were 2nd: Damian Slade, and third Jacob Fuller again. Damian Slade also had a highly commended photo.

In the Steam Category, Craig Hutchings from Taunton won first and second place with a couple of stunning photos. Third came Mark Pike, and Brian Burrows and Michael Quinn photos were highly commended.

The Diesel Category was dominated by Mark Pike, from Poole in Dorset, with just Ian Smith squeezing him out of second place.

In the Landscape category, the winner was Simon Osborne of Frome, followed by Mark Pike, again and Penny Chambers in third place.

The People Category had some great images.  The winner here was Dawn Hartley, from Minehead. All the winners were presented with Graphic Designer Pro 6 software, donated by Xara, the software that I used to churn out the 140 A3 glossy images that we displayed - and many of the posters! Second place in this category went to Martin Hope, with Michel Lowe third, and both Justin White and Mark Pike - yet again - highly commended.

The other star of the show was the Oce.ColorWave 600 colour printer, being demonstrated by Ian Guiver, from Oce.Besides printing out the winning photos in A0 format, Ian worked flat out printing jumbo sized images for any visitor for just the cost of a small donation to Oce's favourite charity.

That's Simon Osborne with his winning entry in the Landscape category - the glowering skies behind the signal box reflected the lousy weather that accompanied the first day.
We ran  a local competition alongside the photo competition, assisted by 10 businesses in Williton, who each donated £10 towards a prize for anyone who could find, and correctly identify, 10 photos of trains. I drew the winner from the collecting box at the end of the exhibition - 4pm on Sunday - watched by a couple of young lads, one or two others, and the Parish Council helpers.  I asked the young lad his name. 'Stephen' he said. Right, I'll see if I can feel your name out of this pile. I closed my eyes and put my hand in -and drew out his entry form! He had all the answers right, as well.  Not only that, he had arranged with his friend to share the money if he won!  We were delighted to give it to him (through his mum, of course). A dream ending to a great exhibition.  Those who entered, won, attended, or wished they had entered, all said they would like to see it back again next year.

Here's young Stephen Parsons who made a great finale to an excellent exhibition!

Street Art Competition

You may have seen details of the Street Art Competition in today's West Somerset Free Press. We wanted to offer something for locals to do, whilst we are hopefully inundated with Steam railway enthusiasts, so we are running a competition for teams of up to 4 people to try their hand at Street Art.

It will take place at Bellamy's Corner on the 1st to 3rd of October, and is open to anybody who would like to try their hands - we already have one team of 'seniors' 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 Steam - obviously. It's up to you to make of that what you will - a natural shot of a steam engine, a Banksy type image - or some crazy, abstract art.  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 charity.

Each facade is being sponsored by a local business, who have kindly helped to pay for the 'village'.  It's going to be a fun weekend.  If you want to get involved and help us out, we have a meeting scheduled for next Monday at 7pm at the Wyndham Arms.


We have also ordered some t-shirts to go with each event - the Steam's Up Photo competition in West Somerset House, and the Street Art Competition. They will be available in Gliddons very shortly -and they look great!!

If you want to take part, pick your team, give it a name - don't hang about - and book your facade!

New Councillors Required

We are entering a very interesting stage on the Council with the EDF project and our Steams Up competition.

If you would like to get more involved and join the Parish Council we have two vacancies. Please contact the Clerk for more details.

Community Support Meetings about EDF

 Consultations have commenced in earnest, now that we have more precise details about what EDF would like to do. Besides the chance to grill this Saturday at Danesfield school with EDF, another round of Community Support meetings are being held throughout West Somerset, with ours in St Peter's School again on the 27th of July.

I have pasted the list of meetings, and some links that Guy Braga reckons you take a look at. 

In the meantime, we now know where EDF would like to place the Park and Ride in Williton -  the next field along from Mamsey House on the A39. It is designed to minimise the number of people coming from the Minehead area to work at Hinkley Point, by putting them on buses before they reach Williton.  I believe that could be a big mistake. There are likely to be far more coming from Taunton, as they try to reach Hinkley Point avoiding the gridlock that is Bridgwater is going to become for the next 10 years or so. That means, as I mentioned previously, both cars and the buses to replace them driving past Bellamy's Corner.

Here's the Community Support email.

Open community support meetings to discuss proposed new Hinkley Power Station associated development

Sedgemoor District Council and West Somerset Council are giving support to communities to understand EDF’s second stage proposals for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.  EDF has already consulted communities in the spring about their initial proposals for developments of worker accommodation, freight handling and transport routes associated with the site. Sedgemoor and West Somerset Councils helped generate responses to these proposals from a broad range of community stakeholders.

Community Support meetings to help communities interpret and discuss EDF’s now revised ‘Second Stage’  proposals will be organised in July and August by Sedgemoor District Council and West Somerset Council. These events will take place in community halls of key parishes to be affected by the proposed building of a new power station. The Community Support meetings are open to all to drop in any time between 6pm and 8pm on the dates highlighted below. You will be offered the opportunity to discuss with others in the community how the EDF proposals may affect your parish areas. Technical specialists working with the Councils will be available to give advice and listen to your views.

Dates of Community Support Meetings:

27^th July – Williton, St.Peter’s CE Primary School, Doniford Road, TA4 4SF

3^rd  Aug – Stogursey, Stogursey Victory Hall TA5 1PR.

5^th Aug – Cannington, Cannington Village Hall, TA5 2HE

11^th Aug – Bridgwater, The Exchange, Committee Room, Bridgwater, TA6 4RR

17^th Aug – Bridgwater, Sydenham Community Centre, Bridgwater, TA6 4QZ

18^th  Aug – North Petherton, Community Hall, TA6 6QA.

19^th Aug – Otterhampton, Otterhampton Village Hall, TA5 2QS

26^th Aug – Burnham-on-Sea, The Princess Hall, Burnham-on-Sea, TA8 1EH

The consultation period for EDF Energy’s second stage proposals closes on 4 October 2010.

For more information on the community support meetings please telephone Guy Braga at the Community Council for Somerset 01823 331222 or visit the Community Council for Somerset website: www.somersetrcc.org.uk/community_engagement/hinkley  (at the time of this e-mail the webpage is currently being updated).

 or email hinkley@somersetrcc.org.uk

For additional information on the  proposals for Hinkley power station visit the District Council or EDF websites:

www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk       

       

 www.sedgemoor.gov.uk

www.edfconsultation.info

BBC Somerset - some tips.

If you are ever invited on to a discussion for BBC Somerset Radio here's a handy tip.  When you get a chance to ask your questions, bung all you want to get across in the first one. You won't get a chance to ask a second.

We had Richard Mason on the Matt Faulkner show this morning, and he invited contributions from ourselves, as well as Cannington and Bridgwater representatives - prior to the EDF launch of their plans and the start of their consultation process.

Without seeing the plans - not out till tomorrow - I can state that there will be no building of accommodation blocks in Williton or Cannington. Bridgwater will get the lot. There will be a reduced size, temporary, Park and Ride to the West of Williton, although they didn't state exactly where. We shall find out shortly. 

I didn't get a chance to ask why the West of Williton - and in view of the Bridgwater representatives statement that Bridgwater will be even more 'grodlocked' with the current proposals, I am concerned that we shall now get Taunton workers making their way to the A39 via Williton instead of via the M5 - hence up the A358, and past Bellamy's corner on the way to the Park and Ride, and through Williton again on the buses. Doubling the problem!

Not to worry - yet!  We have a chance to make our views known to EDF when they start their consultation process - the first on July the 17th at Danesfield School, between 10am and 4pm, and the second when, (we hope) they will come to our Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting on the 2nd of August  at 6.45pm at Danesfield School again. Same procedures apply for this - you ahve to submit your questions beforehand and have limited time to speak, to give more people a chance - but at least, this time, we have some more concrete proposals (not intending to be a pun!) , and are able to formulate some appropriate response.

More details, and links to the documents released by EDF - and also to documents supporting our arguments put forward to EDF by ourselves and other Parishes - will be posted within the next day or so.

Williton Fete and Show

Make a date - Saturday, the 10th of July at the Memorial Ground.
Williton has its' fun event, the Williton Fete and Show, starting at 2pm, with loads of fun events and attractions.

Come and watch an Aikido demonstration, or Sumo Wrestling, take part in children's races (if you are young enough, that is!) try your hand at Archery, or just sit and enjoy a sumptuous cream tea! Special Attractions for dog lovers include a Gun Dog Scurry, and a Dog Show and Dog Agility Display.

There will be a heap of other sideshows, stalls, car boots, a bouncy castle, and a barbecue - and you could always try your luck in the grand draw. If you are a dab hand at crafts, or if you have particularly green fingers, you could enter your creative efforts - vegetables, home baking, crafts, flowers, preserves and phographs in our competition, with show cups for each class.

And, of course, the Williton Fire Tender and Crew and the Police will be in attendance.

You can get a schedule from Davies Newsagents, J.Jones & Son, or Chanin & Thomas. Entry is 50p per adult and children go free!

If you want to book a pitch yourself, you can do it through Alison Calloway, 01984 639116

All proceeds in aid of the Village Hall.