Quorn Parish Council News

In the last issue of the magazine, I promised that I would tell you a little more of the run of the mill items dealt With by your Parish Council. Perhaps the best way to do this is to take you through a meeting. The one I shall be describing is fairly typical. and took place on Tuesday, 7th of May.

The meeting started earlier than normal, at 7pm, as this was the Annual General Meeting. The first item was the election of Chairman. Vice-chairman and Council representatives to the various bodies with which we have connections.

Happily, John Hutchinson was re-elected as Chairman. I am sure that most of you will know John, not only for his unstinting work for the Council, but for his dedication and help which he gives, not only to the village as a whole, but also in his own quiet way to many individuals in Quom. We are indeed fortunate in having him as Chairman yet again Tim Tyler was also unanimously voted in as Vice-charman again, an office which he carries out with due solemnity!
We have representatives on various commitees in the area, and most members accepted office on at least one of these.

There is a school of thought which is not in favour of committees, but one recent case showing their value springs to mind.

When the bypass was completed. the only way for our children to get to Humphrey Perkins School at Barrow was to go over traffic islands and along the raised footpath at the side of the main road. This was the County Council's "preferred route". This seemed to many of us to be dangerous. As a result. a committee was formed including members of Barrow Parish Council, and after a great deal of effort and time, the Department of Transport agreed to build, at considerable expense, the footbridge we now have. There is no doubt that had not this committee been formed, the footbridge would not have been built.

To return to our meeting, the next item was the presentation of the End-of-Year accounts. These showed our finances to be in a healthy condition with a large balance at the bank. However. much of this is to be used for Capital Works in the near future.

The minutes for two previous meetings were read and accepted. one meeting being specially convened to discuss the frontage of the new takeaway and fume extraction provisions. The meeting was pleased to hear that our objections had been upheld by the Borough Planning Committee, and that matters should reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Unusually, there was a large presence from the Quorn Football Club They were not happy that the Parish Council had asked that a trial period of six months be put on their permission, if granted, to extend the opening hours of their club house at their splendid new ground off Farley Way. The Council had requested that condition in case there were any problems.

The football club was not happy with this decision, and had approached several members with a view to having this request removed. Members of the public are not normally allowed to speak at meetings, but their feelings were put by Borough Councillors Shepherd and McCaig to the meeting.

The Borough Councillors told the meeting that if complete permission was given, any problems arising could be dealt with by either the Borough Council, the Highways Department, or the police. In the light of this, members might have liked to withdraw their six month trial suggestion, but they cannot reverse a decision for three months, and the application was due before the planners on the following Thursday. In the light of this, members instructed their Borough Councillors to inform the planners that they had no objection to the extension of opening hours.

PC Flower attended and gave a brief report, including the most recent crime figures, but for you to keep up to date. please join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

Space does not permit describing the whole of this typical meeting. but you are all welcome to come to any of the meetings, held normally on the first Tuesday of the month.

As a final note, by the time you read this item, there will hopefully be a fine display of planters in the village Although these are paid for with your parish 'rates', a debt of thanks goes to Parish Councillors Ivan Bexon. Margaret Gamble and Jo Backus for their intense efforts to beautify our village.