News
Please click on the links below:
- Yellow Line Audit
- Big Tidy Up results!
- Quality Status
- Cemetery Memorial Testing
- Street Watch Scheme
- Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire?
- Grant Applications
- Launch of the Stotfold Town Plan
- Youth Shelter - Riverside Playing Field - now in place!
- Town Councillor Surgeries
- Police Surgeries
- Temporary Road Closures
- Childcare Questionnaires
- Queen's Award for Voluntary Service to the Stotfold Mill Trust
YELLOW LINE AUDIT
The Recreation Grounds, Public Lands and Lighting Committee have recently carried out a 'yellow line audit' and have suggested to Highways that the following roads should have yellow lines: Brook Street junction with Hitchin Road, Hallworth Drive junction with Hitchin Road, Church Road junction with Regent Street, Coppice Mead junction with Brook Street, St Mary's Avenue junction with Church Road, Church Road junction with High Street, and The Green junction with Rook Tree Lane.
Highways have advised that each request requires a site visit to collect data on road safety, congestion relief, capacity improvement, environmental impact, promotion of integrated transport, improving accessibility, Council policy, and cost. Taking these factors into account, they feel that the proposals would not provide sufficient benefit to the community to justify the cost of implementation. If residents have any comments regarding this outcome, they should direct them to Highways.
BIG TIDY UP RESULTS!
On Sunday 18th July 2010 Stotfold residents and Town Councillors volunteered their time to take part in Stotfold's Big Tidy Up event. We had quite a good turn-out, with most of the major roads, and some of the minor roads, being litter picked.
I can advise that this year we collected a total of 17 bags of litter from around Stotfold! The weary workers were invited back to the Council Chamber for well deserved tea and biscuits, and certificates of thanks were given.
Our thanks go to Mark Thomas Plumbing for donating the protective gloves, Terry Seymour Electrical for donating the refreshments, Central Beds Council for providing the litter pickers, and to the hard working volunteers who took part in the event.
We look forward to holding an equally successful event next year, and look forward to the help of more Stotfold volunteers!
QUALITY STATUS
We are proud to report that the Town Council has been re-accredited Quality Status. This accolade recognises that the Town Council consistently achieves national standards set to prove that the Council is an active, professional and competent body to work with and provides a quality service to the residents of the town.
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Cemetery Memorial Testing
A visual and hand test of the memorials in the cemetery, Mill Lane, Stotfold will be carried out during the month of August 2010.
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Street Watch Scheme
Bedfordshire Police is in the process of setting up a Street Watch Scheme for Stotfold. This is a nationally recognised scheme, originally set up by an independant organisation, and will be endorsed by the Government. Bedfordshire Police have identified Stotfold as an ideal place for the scheme as there is a high number of antisocial behaviour incidents, and there is a good community spirit. The scheme is open to anyone aged between 18 and 75. The Stotfold scheme needs 8 volunteers who are willing to patrol their own community to provide a visible presence, community reassurance and to engage with the issues that most undermine their own communities. You will be asked to commit 2 hours per month, and must have your own mobile phone. This will be a self tasking group and will be feeding the Police information on problems in the area, and if the volunteers see an incident they are to call the Police and not intervene.
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Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire?
It has been mooted by a member of the public that Stotfold ceases to be within the Bedfordshire county boundary, and is included within the Hertfordshire county boundary, and we would like to test the public perception on the matter. Please let us have your views by writing to the Council or sending an email to enquiries@stotfoldtowncouncil.gov.uk
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Grant Applications - change to next submission date
Stotfold Town Council invites local voluntary organisations to make application for grants that will directly benefit Stotfold, or part of it, or all or some of its inhabitants. Applications from individuals will not be considered.
The total amount for distribution will be allocated twice yearly - April and September.
Those wishing to apply for a grant can download the application form and guidance notes here, or telephone the offices for a paper copy on 01462 730064.
Following the recent consideration of the first half of grant allocations this year by Council, it has been agreed that in future the Establishment Committee will undertake this responsibility and forward their recommendations to full Council. The timetable by which you should ensure your application reaches the office has changed.
Those wishing to apply for the Town Council grant funding should submit their application packs to the Council office by 10th September 2010
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Launch of the Stotfold Town Plan
At its full meeting on Wednesday 7th October,
Stotfold Town Council formally adopted the Town Plan, as proposed by the Steering Group.
The report and action plans will now be published and distributed to the relevant authorities and organisations.
All households will receive a copy summarising the main actions proposed in the March edition of the Stotfold News, and a full copy of the draft document is available on the Town Plan page of this website, or it can be viewed at the Council offices. The recently completed final document will shortly be available to download from this website, and in the meantime an email copy can be sent on request.
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Youth Shelter - Riverside Playing Field
The Town Council has recently received a request from a group of young residents, assisted by Central Beds Council Youth Worker Nicola King, for permission to site a youth shelter at the Riverside Playing Field. The group attended a meeting of the Recreation Grounds, Public Lands and Lighting Committee and a full Council meeting to outline their reasons for the request and to discuss with Members where the shelter could be sited - close to existing lighting and CCTV systems for safety, taking into consideration the amenties of local residents, and maintenance arrangements, etc.
The group have been successful in obtaining funding from StreetCred to purchase and install the shelter, which is now in place and available for all residents and visitors to use.
Please take care of your new facility, and remember that it is not a climbing frame!
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Town Councillor Surgeries
The Town Council holds regular Councillor Surgeries, where two Councillors are available for each session to assist residents with queries relating to matters in Stotfold. Room 2 of the Simpson Centre will be made available and will provide privacy for residents attending. Residents waiting to see the Councillors may use the Council's foyer, where seating and useful literature is provided.
The sessions are alternate morning and evening dates on Tuesdays throughout the year:
14th September 2010 10am - 12pm
9th November 2010 6pm - 8pm
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Police Surgeries
Our Neighbourhood Beat Manager, PC Lee Pruton will be holding Police Surgeries on the following dates:
Friday 3rd September 2010 2pm - 4pm Tescos Fairfield Park
Friday 1st October 2010 3pm - 5pm Co-Op
Street Meets will also be held across Stotfold. Street Meets are targeted to specific streets so that they can address any issues that are affecting that particular area.
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Temporary Road Closure - Astwick Road, Stotfold
To carry out patching and surface dressing works it is expected that up to three separate road closures will take place on the above road during the period between Tuesday 1st December 2009 and Tuesday 30th November 2010. Road closure 1 (up to THREE DAYS between Tuesday 1st December 2009 and Thursday 31st December 2009); Road closure 2 (up to THREE DAYS between Thursday 1st April 2010 and Wednesday 30th June 2010); Road closure 3 (up to THREE DAYS between Tuesday 1st June 2010 and Tuesday 30th November 2010). Closure times will be between 7.30am and 6.00pm. Specific dates and times will be advertised locally closer to the time.
Temporary Traffic Lights
Central Bedfordshire Highways have advised that a 3 light traffic signal will be operating at the junction of High Street/Queen Street from 23rd August 2010 for up to 7 weeks to carry out carriageway repairs.
Childcare Questionnaire
Central Bedfordshire Council is asking parents and carers what support they need to assist with childcare so they can work, or undertake training or study that will enable them to work in the future. There are four questionnaires in the consultation, which will be available via the council's website http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/. The questionnaires are airmed at parents, childcare providers, childminders and employers to feed into the report and the results of the consultation will guide the Councils statutory Childcare Sufficiency Report for 2011. All responses will be treated in confidence. For further details about the consultation call: Catherine Lydon, Project Officer for Childcare Sufficiency Assessment on 0300 300 5732.
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Queen's Award for Voluntary Service presentation at the Mill
On the evening of the 30th July, the Chairman of Stotfold Town Council, Cllr Brian Collier, welcomed the Queen's representative Sir Sam Whitbread, KCVO, Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire to Stotfold for the presentation of the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service to the Stotfold Mill Trust. This award, equivalent to an MBE for an individual, recognises the work of all the volunteers who have given their time and effort to this project. It has been estimated that this effort amounts to a value of £750,000. The Town Council congratulates and thanks the volunteers for what they have done and will continue to do for the Mill.
