Retirement party for Pat
Pic: Pat Towson (left) and Library Manager
Sandra Moore at Pat's retirement evening at Birstall library.
FRIENDS AND colleagues from the library
said goodbye to Birstall library assistant Pat Towson, who retired
last month.
Pat (60) has worked at Birstall library for 26 years and her
co-workers past and present joined her at the library for a special
evening to mark her retirement.
Pat said: "I feel a little sad to be leaving but I have
had very happy times working here and have made some valued friendships.
I will miss the Birstall public - meeting them and helping them
was the part of the job I really lied."
Library Manager Sandra Moore said: "Pat is very hardworking,
always there and you can count on her to come in even when she's
unwell. We will all miss her, she is very professional but very
good fun."
Pat and her husband John live on Blenheim Road and have lived
in Birstall for more than 30 years. She has four grandchildren
and hopes to spend more time with them in retirement.
Kids’ festival fun
CHILDREN AT Birstall Rainbows Nursery on
Wanlip Lane had fun dressing up to celebrate Halloween and Diwali.
Nursery Manager Paula Wright said: "Halloween was a great
day as all the children and staff dressed up as scary monsters,
witches, pumpkins and spiders. We had a lovely spooky lunch of
fingers, ghostly mash and witches brew (sausages, mashed potato
and beans). We made jack o lanterns and painted, glued and drew
scary pictures."
For Diwali, the children wore saris, ate curry, poppadoms, naan
bread and rice for lunch, and enjoyed party games and dancing.
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Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on November 14.
Cllr Chris Clarke commented that when he was present at meetings
he was not made to feel welcome and when he left early, he was
criticised for not representing the community.
A resident of School Lane expressed his disapproval that the
Parish Council had submitted a planning application for a fence
along School Lane beside the playing field boundary without consulting
residents. Cllr Roger Wilson said there would be full and open
discussion and consultation before the Council took any decision
on the fence.
Ron Simpson from the Leicestershire & Rutland Association
of Parish Councils gave a report of current best practice regarding
Council agendas.
He said the function of the Agenda was to inform councillors
and the public of what is to be discussed at the meeting.
He added that the Agenda should provide enough information to
enable a councillor to perform any necessary research prior to
the meeting to enable them to discuss the matter at the meeting.
It should also enable a member of the public to judge whether
anything was to be discussed that might affect them.
He then referred to point 4 of the Agenda - Matters Arising,
and added that most parishes had dispensed with such an item
as it was often seen as an invitation to re-visit matters already
discussed at a previous meeting. He said that many parishes now
included, instead, a Clerk's Report, which detailed all outstanding
matters and how far they had been progressed. Before each meeting
the Clerk produced a printed analysis of which matters had been
completed with updates on those in progress.
Ron Simpson commended the Council on including an open session.
He said it was now seen as best practice to involve the public.
He added that it did need to have a time limit and that most
public sessions were not minuted.
Ron Simpson informed the meeting that it was now considered best
practice not to name any members of the public or councillors
in the minutes. This was largely due to the increased prevalence
of litigation following the Freedom of Information legislation
which now allowed anyone to obtain almost any document from the
council and possibly use it in court action.
Ron Simpson commended the meeting on the inclusion of the Police
Item. He added that many parishes found it difficult to persuade
the Police to attend. He suggested that it was placed nearer
the top of the Agenda, to save the officer's time.
Ron Simpson then referred to point 14 - Expenditure for Approval.
He commented that it should be clear what was to be spent and
on what. Ron Simpson then moved on to point 16: Confidential
Items. He said that the community should be aware of any matter
being debated in private. He added that the law stated that there
had to be a minute stating that 'issue X was discussed and it
was decided that...'
Regarding point 17, Correspondence, Ron Simpson commented that
most parishes now split this into two - those decisions requiring
a decision and those not. It was also best practice to list the
items.
Ron Simpson then moved on to point 20, Any Other Business, and
said that this heading was not seen much now. It was a generic
title and he asked how anyone would know what was to be discussed?
Cllr Roger Wilson thanked Ron Simpson and added that it had been
very useful - but he was concerned that any changes to procedure
could not be in contravention of standing orders and suggested
that changes to the Agenda be delayed until the standing orders
were reviewed next April/May.
Cllr Sue Gerard expressed concern at not naming people in the
Minutes. Ron Simpson responded that lawyers now said that the
Minutes should only record decisions made by the Council - nothing
else. They should not record discussion or argument.
Cllr Chris Clarke added that not naming names smacked of political
correctness and queried how voters could make a decision at election
time if they did not know what councillors had said at meetings?
Ron Simpson also added that many parishes now gave councillors
the opportunity to place written questions in advance. This saved
time at meetings.
PCSO Mark Butler addressed the meeting and conveyed apologies
from PC Jamie Hughes who was ill. He reported the following:
o an arrest to be made tomorrow in connection with graffiti in
the village
o plain clothes officers had been patrolling the village recently
following damage to the playing field. A suspicious car had been
stopped and searched on Curzon Avenue and the two occupants questioned.
They were from Liverpool and said they had been 'rabbiting' on
the park. They were not detained as nothing was found.
o two cars full of youths were recently stopped and one car was
seized as it was not insured.
Duncan Mann, the practice manager at Greengate Medical Centre,
addressed the meeting to convey the Centre's objection to the
application by T Mobile to erect a transmitter outside the Centre
on the grounds that it was detrimental to the amenity value and
posed the risk of interference with medical diagnostic equipment.
Art exhibition attracts hundreds
BIRSTALL ART Society's Exhibition was a
resounding success when they staged their 11th annual show of
paintings at the Birstall village hall on Saturday November 5
to Monday November 7.
'Sitters' by Marion Smith
The opening ceremony this year was performed by The Mayor of
Charnwood, Councillor Roger Wilson and the Mayoress Mrs Sheila
Wilson.
Exhibition organiser Fred Parrott said: "The Mayor said
some very kind words about the pictures and the music being played
by Jake Phillips and Judith Lord."
He added: "Our five sponsors again donated vouchers for
the winners of various categories and the results were judged
by David Weston, Peter Sumpter and Tim Fisher, all well known
local artists."
Pic: Mayor of Charnwood Roger Wilson (left)
and Society Presiden Norman Sims
Pic: 'Fruit Bowl' by Margaret Pritchard
Pic: 'Colourful Man' by Katy Van Geffen
Pic: Jake Phillips & Judith Lord
The results were:
o Best Watercolour was won by Keith Newton for 'Evening Tide'.
Judged by Tim Fisher and prize sponsored by The Art Society
o Best Oil was won by John Beckett for 'Falls of Bruar'. Judged
by David Weston and prize sponsored by Gadbsy's
o Most Imaginative was won by Derek Walsom for 'Landscape III.
Judged by David Weston and prize sponsored by Glenwood Interiors
Ltd.
o Best Still Life was won by Margaret Pritchard for 'Fruit Bowl'
Judged by Peter Sumpter and prize sponsored by The Studio partnership
o Best Landscape was won by Bill Benbow for 'Swan Theatre'. Judged
by Tim Fisher and prize sponsored by John E Wright.
o Best Waterscape was won by Bob Harkness for 'Highland Tranquillity'.
Judged by Peter Sumpter and prize sponsored by Europond.
o Best Picture in Show was won with 45 votes by Mike Nutting
for 'Lynmouth'. Judged by all our visitors. 10 pictures each
received 20 votes or more.
The raffle for Brian Thatcher's watercolour 'Lakeland Scene'
was won by Mr Beane of Syston.
Fred said: "Thanks go to the 780 visitors to the show and
the many businesses in and around Birstall who displayed our
posters.
Special thanks to The Posy Bowl who helped brighten up the venue
with all the lovely floral displays kindly loaned to us for the
four days. May the Birstall community spirit flourish for the
future."
Planning applications
Severn Trent Water Ltd - erection of nine buildings. Severn
Trent Works, Fillingate, Wanlip
Mr J Eld - erection of extensions and alterations to dwelling.
26 Tempest Road
Mr & Mrs Andrews - erection of single storey extension to
side of dwelling. 17 Poplar Ave
Mr & Mrs C J Knowles - single storey extension to side of
dwelling and replacement pitched roof over rear extension. 5
Westgate Ave
Midshire Homes Ltd - erection of one dwelling with new vehicular
access. Land r/o The Cottage, School Lane.
B S Homes - site for erection of 4 houses and 4 flats. Land Adj
to 21 Rosetree Avenue
Jelson Homes Ltd - erection of garage building to incorporate
electricity sub-station. Land at Hallam Fields
Mono Roofing Ltd - erection of galvanised fence and gates (2.5m
high), jackleg cabins with toilet facilities and storage container.
Depot, Meadow Lane
Mr & Mrs R Patel - erection of single storey extension to
rear of dwelling. 11 Barngate Close
Mr H D Burke - erection of detached dwelling and garage and detached
garage for no.48 with access to Walnut Avenue. Land r/o 48 Greengate
Lane
Mr Sola - erection of two dormer windows and roof extension to
rear of dwelling. 28 Clarke Grove
Mr & Mrs Holland - erection of extension to side of dwelling.
32 Saltersgate Drive
Royal Bank of Scotland - installation of handrail and two external
lights. National Westminster Bank Plc, 659 Loughborough Rd
Mr S Prime - change of use of domestic outbuilding to orthodontic
studio. 15 Perseverance Rd
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