Parish Council (PC) Chairman’s Blog – February 2023
Christmas seems like a distant memory, and though I hope you all had an enjoyable one, it’s good to see signs of spring around.
In my last update, I mentioned an upcoming meeting with WCC Cabinet Member for Transport (Councillor Mike Rouse) regarding the Active Travel Corridor (ATC). I’m pleased to say that the meeting took place towards the end of last year, the picture below having been taken in the Woodbury Lane section of the ATC.
Left to right: Councillor Rob Adams (Wychavon District Council), Councillor Linda Robinson (Worcestershire County Council), Councillor Mike Rouse (Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Transport), Councillor Kevin Fincher (Chairman Norton-juxta-Kempsey Parish Council).
The purpose of the meeting was to show first-hand the outstanding issues pertaining to the ATC in its section between St Peters and Worcestershire Parkway Station. In brief, these are:
- The need for waist-high, way-finder lighting in the lower section of Brockhill Lane as it emerges from the bridge over the A4440.
- The condition of the Grade II listed (by curtilage) wall running along the upper part of Brockhill Lane, the restoration of which WCC has taken responsibility for.
- Traffic calming in Church Lane.
- The lack of a footpath in the narrowest part of the ATC after the Woodbury Lane humpback bridge at The Retreat.
Since the meeting, WCC has proposed lighting between the A4440 bridge and the bottom of Brockhill Lane, which doesn’t reflect that lighting is mostly needed in the dark, lower section of Brockhill Lane, not in the open field as you come off the bridge. The PC has informed WCC of this and hopes to hear a new proposal at our next meeting. Regarding the other items, we continue to push for feedback.
You will hopefully recall that within the last two years, we asked you to input and vote on a Neighbourhood Plan. The intent was that this would predict our land usage in the parish for future development, green space, etc…, and until recently it has allowed us to refuse planning applications that didn’t fit with it. However, in the last few months, a large turnover of people within the Planning Department at Wychavon District Council (WDC) has led to a different interpretation of the rules, the consequence being their endorsement of planning applications where previously the Neighbourhood Plan would not have allowed.
The Parish Council is in dialogue with the Chief Executive of WDC regarding the matter, since not only does this make us question Government advice that we should have a Neighbourhood Plan and the considerable time and effort put into producing one, but also potentially the effective use of public money used to produce it. I feel this will be the topic of future blogs…. watch this space.
So, having described ongoing issues that require resolution with both the County Council (ATC) and District Council (Neighbourhood Plan), it does seem disingenuous at times that three levels of local government cannot agree to act in the best interests of the communities they represent. As the lowest tier and closest to the community, the Parish Council will continue to push for what we feel is important for the community, but that only works if we are well informed of your needs, and supported by you when we need it; keep talking to us!
I’m pleased to say that there seems to be positive news regarding Worcester Norton Community Interest Company (WNCIC) and the lease it continues to seek from Worcester Norton Sports Club Ltd (WNSCL). It’s not in place yet, but I’m hopeful that in my next communique, I’ll be able to offer some good news.
Ending as I started, on a spring theme, the PC is intending to ‘re-wild’ some of the hedgerows it has control over and sow UK native wilds flowers, so we’re hoping that there will be plenty of colour later in the year.
Other Parish information, including a full schedule of events for both the Parish Hall and the Sports Club, can be found at the links below, or on the Parish noticeboards:
www.nortonjuxtakempseyparishcouncil.org
www.facebook.com/NJKParishcouncil PC.
https://www.facebook.com/nortonparishhall
http://www.nortonparishhall.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/worcesternortoncic/
If you have any comments regarding what you would like to see in our subsequent updates, please do not hesitate to let us know.
Cllr Kevin Fincher
Chairman