The Parish Council along with Blaby District Council and Leicestershire County Council are working towards a time when the proposed Country Park becomes Countesthorpe Country Park and open for general use. We are gradually working through a timetable (click to view) of action points before any handover can happen. We all have to be mindful that dates can slip if the developer has not ensured the park is in a fit state for handover or indeed, if the requisite number of houses have not been sold to trigger handover.
By the end of February, we will also begin to outline how a ‘Friends of the Country Park’ can be formed and involved. We already have lots of interest from residents but would ask them all to be patient as there are lots of Legal,Health and Safety and Risk Assessment issues to be confronted before any group can be set up.
The next parish event to explore the draft design and progress will probably be in early April when a day or evening will be set for information and comment. We will continue to keep residents informed through the timetable, which will be updated as and when changes are made in the meantime if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact our parish office.
Countesthorpe Country Park -
Decisions --
posted December 1th 2011
Blaby District Council offered the Parish Council an alternative to owning the Country Park and that is for a very long term free lease. The reasons for their offer are:
BDC will have financial capacity to support the Parish.
Such a partnership would benefit both parties and confirm BDC’s commitment to the park for the long term.
Reputation protection for the Parish.
Investment potential for the future – permit access to both Parish and District grant opportunities/possibilities.
Costs for transfer met by BDC.
BDC can maintain the watercourses.(lagoons separately controlled)
Maintenance issues can be addressed jointly.
106 money ring fenced with money spent controlled by the Parish Council.
Length of free lease to be determined.
Parish Council will have final say on design and activities.
After a good discussion where ownership or leasing was discussed the Parish Council gave their backing to long term lease with BDC still retaining ownership. This depends on the conditions of the lease being agreed by the Parish Council. A meeting will take place shortly between the Parish Council and BDC to begin this process. The Parish Council will have overall say on what is in the Country Park. The draft design is already underway.
Separately the Parish Council unanimously agreed to allow a skate park somewhere on the Country Park. This decision was taken to allow the skate park people to apply for grants in the knowledge they will have land to build the skate park on. The skate park will be no cost to the parish, although a small donation may be given, the rest will be raised from grants by the skate park people.
There was also a lengthy discussion whether horses would be allowed on the Country Park as no bridle way currently exists on the Park. Options were looked at to see if horse riding could be accommodated but in the end the Parish Council agreed by a large majority not to allow horses on the Park when the land is handed over by the Developer.
The Parish Council are trying to use the money that comes with the land for design and all the necessary maintenance costs to benefit as many people as it can. Horse riding would have incurred very large costs and benefited very few people. This was just one of many reasons why the Council took the decision they would not allow horses in the park.
These decisions needed to be made now to give direction to the design for the Country Park, which is already underway.
Annual Christmas Spectacular --
posted December 7th 2011
Entertainment from the U3A Hand Bells, Leysland singers, Countesthorpe College singers, WWW singers plus The Wigston Brass band followed by Simon Stokes with his Talking Rhythms ensured the Christmas Spectacular on December 1st was a night to remember. Free punch, soft drinks and mince pies were then handed round to everybody.
The event was started from the Paddock at 06:15 with a rocket exploding in the sky immediately followed by the church bells and the switching on of the new Christmas lights. (Doubled from 2010) A procession from the Paddock led people into the already packed church. It is estimated over 400 people attended this year which was up from last year’s bitterly cold December evening.
Community displays from Countesthorpe and Foston Heritage Group, Countesthorpe Twinning Association, Hedgehog Rescue, Countesthorpe Community Fund, Royal Air Force Air Cadets, Blaby Meridian Rotary Club, and Countesthorpe Scouts were new additions this year.
The event is organised by the Parish Council with the help of the local churches and is designed to try to bring village residents together in the run up to Christmas. Sadly this year Greenfields were unable to take part due to a previous booking.
There is a tin collection which is given alternatively to Air Ambulance and Help the Heroes. This year it was the turn of Air Ambulance and just over £207 was collected.
The Parish Council would like to thank all those who helped in organising this event and to those who took part your efforts are really appreciated.
