Blaby Topic

Blaby Parish Council

Newsletter Issue 08: April 2005

Parish Council Precept 2005/06
The PRECEPT is the Parish Council’s demand placed on Blaby District Council for monies with which to operate during the financial year. For 2005/06, Blaby Parish Council will receive £137,691.00. Budgets have been agreed as follows:-
Wages/Salaries 81,050.00
Meeting Room Hire/Stationery etc. 4,400.00
Allotments Committee 2,085.00
Cemeteries Committee 5,495.00
General Purposes Committee 4,500.00
Parks Committee 20,530.00
Planning Committee 300.00
Staff & Finance Committee 24,880.00
Contingency 5,000.00
Savings Accounts 15,000.00 *
Wigston Road Car Park (Contingency) 2,500.00
165,740.00
Less Estimated Income 28,049.00
£137,691.00

* The Parish Council has savings accounts for projects and anticipated expenditure. Monies are added to these accounts from the Precept funding:-
Cemetery Extension 3,000.00
Christmas Lighting 1,000.00
Equipment Replacement 10,000.00
Safety Surfacing 1,000.00
£15,000.00

Grant Applications
For the 2005/06 financial year, the Council has set £600.00 aside for “Grants to Other Bodies”. If your organisation is in need of a small grant, please put your request in writing, with a copy of the group’s most recent audited accounts, and send it to 13 Western Drive, Blaby.
Closing date: 31st May 2005.

Vacancies on the Council
There are two vacancies for Parish Councillors. Anyone who wishes to serve the community should contact the Clerk on Leicester 2784728 for further information.
“YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU”.

Christmas Competitions – Winners (2004)
1. The winner of the Christmas Shop Window Display Competition was Age Concern, Enderby Road.
2. A new Competition was devised; the “Bright Lights of Blaby” Competition. The winners were Mr. & Mrs. Holt, 44 The Crescent.
Blaby Parish Council congratulates the winners and wishes to thank everyone who took part in helping to make the season brighter.

Police File
In this issue, PC Nick Taylor (845) introduces himself as the second Beat Officer for Blaby & Whetstone, working alongside PC Nick Ward. PC Taylor says he welcomes his new role and a chance to tackle some of the local issues affecting the quality of life in Blaby. Having grown up in Blaby, he is aware of the changing times which have impacted on village life; such as the current, alarming trend of anti-social behaviour. This behaviour has mainly been fuelled by alcohol; in many cases, this is under-age drinking. The Police are taking vigorous steps to stamp out
the practice and to identify shops breaking the law. Locally, alcohol outlets are vigilant and refuse to sell to under-age persons. Anti-social behaviour has also resulted in the use of Dispersal Orders. An Order enables the Police to obtain details from persons dispersed, refusal of which can lead to arrest and prosecution. From January, in Blaby alone, 20 Dispersal Notices have been given, with 9 warning letters being sent to parents and one arrest for failure to comply with an Order.
Some fixed penalty tickets have also been issued (e.g. youths caught urinating in the street and persons buying alcohol for under-age drinkers). The latest Order has enabled the Police to identify the core of local troublemakers. PC Taylor accepts that most youths will be doing nothing wrong. The aim is not to make criminals out of youths, but to target the hardcore. He says there is still much work to do and many people are still experiencing problems, but together we can win the day and make Blaby a safer, nicer place in which to live.
PC Taylor will be happy to discuss any problems in person or over the telephone. The non-emergency Police number is 2222222. Alternatively, use the Voicemail system, 0116-2485675 (ID No. 0845) or for PC Nick Ward (ID No. 1716). PC 845 Nick Taylor

Social Events
In order to raise its profile in the Village, the Parish Council is organising a series of Social Events. If you attend any such event, do speak to your local Councillor and find out more about the “grass roots” authority that keeps your Village up to scratch.
CAR BOOT SALE. Planned for Monday 2.5.05 at Glendale, Leicester Road. Look out for the adverts!
QUIZ NIGHTS. Two successful evenings have been held. More are planned.
GALA PROCESSION. Despite the problems of holding parades in these health and safety conscious days, the Parish Council is looking at what is involved in holding a parade, prior to the Gala on Northfield Park, on Saturday 11.6.05.

Blaby Parish Council’s Activities since
Newsletter Issue 7 (October 2004)

Anti-Social Behaviour
A “mini” public meeting was held “to consider residents’ concerns re anti-social behaviour on The Crescent, Western Drive, the garage site (rear shops) and the green area”. The meeting, with residents, the police and the Blaby District Council Community Safety Officer, was a positive one. It seems to have been effective in countering a number of nuisances.

Cemetery Extension (Mill Lane)
The Council has been working for a considerable time on this, its major project of the year. Quotations were sought for a detailed design, which will be used as a tender document for work required to open No. 5 Cemetery for burials. The design contract was given to Arthur Amos Associates at a cost of £9900 + VAT. Both a topographical survey (levels/physical features) and a ground investigation have been carried out. The final design will include:- removal of the pond, a Children’s Area, and a Cremation Area. Gardened graves will be allowed.

Rest Garden, Leicester Road
The refurbishment work has been completed. The Council was able to re-use two seats, but unfortunately, two very old seats were beyond saving. Chamneys’ Nurseries has donated a seat in memory of a late employee, and a fourth seat is being sponsored jointly by BRAG, the Heritage Group and Blaby Lions.

Traffic Lights, Blaby Village Centre
A site meeting was held in December with the County Council to discuss the filtering of vehicles through the junction. The County Council has agreed to install a new “loop” to facilitate traffic turning right from Leicester Road into Enderby Road without conflict. Work should be completed by the end of the financial year.

Lighting – Blaby Village Centre
Due to the Parish Council’s persistence, the lighting will be upgraded.

Tree Work, Northfield Park
Essential work has been carried out to ensure
that the poplars along the Leicester Road
boundary have a longer life.

Street Orderly
The litter-clearing service will continue from 1.4.05, at a cost of £6.37 per hour. The Parish Council buys in the services of Blaby District Council for 12 hours per week.

Allotment Rents (Enderby Road/Blaby Bypass)
The land is owned by Trinity College, Cambridge. The rent paid by the Council has been increased from £450 to £500 per annum. The Council has increased the rent to tenants by 50p per plot per annum.

Quality Council Status
Blaby Parish Council is working towards achieving Quality Council status. It hopes to be in a position, immediately after the May 2007 election, to meet the criteria.
Diary 2005 (All meetings are open to the public)
Meetings are held at the Social Centre and commence at 7.30 p.m.:-
10th May 9th August
14th June 13th September
12th July 11th October
Monthly meetings of Committees are held. With the exception of a Planning Committee that meets at 7 p.m. before the Council meeting, Committee meetings are held at 13 Western Drive. For a complete schedule of meetings, please apply to the Clerk, Leicester 2784728.

A Summer Competition
It has been suggested to the Council that it holds a Summer Competition of “Summer flower displays (front of house)”. If there is sufficient interest, the Council will
consider organising such a Competition. If
you are interested, please contact the Clerk.

Parish Council Surgeries – 2005
Not everyone can attend the evening meetings of the Parish Council. The Council will therefore be holding Saturday Surgeries at Blaby Library on the following dates, from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. If you have a problem or a query, and you live in Blaby Village, there will be a Member of Blaby Parish Council to help you:-
23rd April 25th June 20th August
21st May 30th July 24th September

Audit of Accounts (2003/2004)
The audit was completed and the accounts signed off by Hacker Young (Auditors) on 14th September 2004. The Auditor raised no queries.

Councillors’ Allowances & Expenses, 2004/05
. Allowances claimed : NIL
. Expenses claimed : NIL

Community Slot
A cri-de-coeur from the “Blaby Courier”
The 1st Blaby Courier was issued in September 1972 by a team of enthusiastic volunteers. Since then, it has flourished, steadily increasing in size and spreading its readership to the neighbouring villages of Glen Parva and Whetstone. Sadly, as time has moved on, the paper has suffered from a decrease in help, and volunteers with a knowledge of I.T. are desperately needed to ensure that production continues. If you feel you would like to try a new hobby in journalism, please contact Stuart on 0116-2771249 or Frances on 0116-2776574 for more information and a friendly welcome into a real community project.
Frances Smith

Obituaries
The Parish Council offers its condolences to the families of Mr. Donald Miller (Parish Councillor, 1973-79) and Mr. Herbert Walker (Parish Councillor, 1973-85).

Printed by Blaby Parish Council
13 Western Drive, Blaby, Leics., LE8 4FR.
Tel. 0116-2784728
Email: blabyparishcouncil@tiscali.co.uk