Rushden and Wallington Parish Council

MINUTES' HIGHLIGHTS 5th April 2017

Summary of Minutes for Rushden Parish Assembly on 6 April 2017

The District Councillor reported that the Council will be making a decision next week on whether to go ahead with the local plan.  If the decision is made to go ahead, it will then be submitted for public examination. 

Plans for a ‘Community Minibus’ for local villages are nearing completion and it is hoped that the service will start soon.  It will only continue if sufficient people use it.  

The plan to combine Refuse and Recycling services in North and East Herts should start next year.

The County Councillor explained that the Council continues to face significant financial challenges.  Further savings of £75million have to be made by 2020.  The small increase in Council Tax includes 3%, ring fenced for social care.                                                                                                    

Maintenance of roads has been a priority, including street lighting.  The LED lighting programme is continuing and sympathetic heritage lighting in the villages is scheduled for this year.

Residents are pleased with the fence along the River Beane, but wanted to ask the Council to ensure that the verge on the opposite side of the road is cut back every year to stop traffic from being pushed further out into the road, thus forcing traffic from the other direction to drive closer to the new fence.  The Parish Council will continue to press for this to happen.                                                                                                                                                                              

It was stated that a static caravan has appeared near to the previously proposed travellers’ site.  The Parish Council were asked to raise this with East Herts to find out whether it should be there.                                                           

The culvert and ditch in Bennets Lane needs to be inspected.  It seems that it is blocked and this results in the road becoming like a river in heavy rain.  A request will be made for this to be done.