The added workload from planning applications and another flooding incident have pushed our council's resources to the limit this past year. I will discuss these issues further, but first, I want to thank our council manager, deputy, and councillors for their hard work and dedication. Their detailed reports for Blaby District Council Planning were thorough, even though B.D.C. approved all new developments without addressing infrastructure concerns. Also, my thanks to the outside staff who work tirelessly in all-weathers to maintain our village.
Planning
Has dominated council thinking over this last year as we tried our best to represent the councils and residents’ views. Firstly, we saw Foston Road approved without any reference to the ability of Countesthorpe’s to cope with the added influx of people. In the council’s opinion the village infrastructure was already at breaking point without any additional influx of people although we are always mindful new houses are necessary, somewhere. Our roads, Health Centre, parking and schools are all being stretched to breaking point so our objections to these developments should not be called NIMBYISM, but a reasoned and sensible assessment of the village as it is now.
The Willoughby Road development was approved by BDC based on the chair's vote, despite the area's flooding and sewage issues. There was again no mention of infrastructure considerations by B.D.C. Our government has stated that infrastructure should always be considered, but B.D.C Planning do not appear to address this in their decisions.
Flooding
Mennecy Road residents have experienced flooding twice in the past year due to water from private fields. Initially attributed to storm Henk which was considered a one in a hundred-year event, however, another severe flood occurred in January this year. A meeting in March with our County Councillor, residents (of Mennecy Close) and Davidson's builders resulted in a plan for two balancing ponds with flow restrictors to manage excess water. The Parish Council raised safety concerns about children near the ponds, but the developer assured they include escape routes; however, doubts remain. Let’s hope, when it eventually happens, flooding in that area will cease.
Winchester Road has flooded twice since the new buildings were constructed, making it passable only with large vehicles. Willoughby Road also suffers during severe rainfall. The Parish Council has repeatedly raised these issues with the County Council and Flood Management, but no solution has been provided or even offered. Countesthorpe has been completely cut off for the second time in a year, highlighting the need for urgent attention from the authorities.
Estates
Meet monthly to oversee items needing maintenance and attention within the village. It’s a busy group who generally have a long agenda of items to look at and then report back to the full council for their comments and agreement before remedial action is taken. The chair of Estates and members keep a close eye on the village so anything needing council attention is quickly seen and wherever possible, corrected.
Buckingham Memorial
On November 7th, we enhanced the Buckingham Memorial and dedicated it with a service led by our Rector and Curate. The council responded to Birkett House's offer of their help, so we suggested the young people plant bulbs and flowers in the new planter. Following this several councillors walked down to our cemetery to place crosses on our war graves to honour those who have given their lives for us, the council has done this for many years. There are over twenty war graves although some are hard to find. St Andrews church supply the crosses and also join with the council in our act of memory and gratitude.
Christmas
Festive Fronts returned for its second year. 'Santa’s Sales Pitch' by Paragon Sales Solutions on Leicester Road won the commercial category, while 'A Christmas Display' on Heather Way won the residential category. The village had impressive displays that I was told uplifted many people's spirits. The council also upgraded the Christmas lights at St. Andrews and around the Village Hall.
Net Zero
We have a working group who are looking at ways to reduce carbon emissions. An Energy Audit told us that the Village Hall was under the expectations for carbon emissions for a building of its size. We are, though, currently changing all the lights and fittings (where necessary) to LEDs and exploring changing our outside equipment to batteries from petrol.
Emergency Planning
We have a small team set up to look at ways the council can help in an emergency. Often, we are led by B.D.C. or County councils so we are looking at ways we can continue that chain when required.
Cadent Gas
Throughout the year, various organisations have been conducting roadworks in the village. Cadent carried out essential work, followed by Severn Trent. Drivers often had to wait for the green light to proceed, having often been one of them I applaud their patience. Hopefully our long-suffering residents can now enjoy a time when our roads are not being dug up. Communication between organisations often appear inconsistent as roads were resurfaced and then almost immediately excavated again.
D Day and VE Day
In June last year our council along with the whole country celebrated the D Day 80th anniversary. We held an evening of reflection, thanksgiving and commemoration on the Centenary Paddock.
Our V.E. Day celebrations begin on May 8th this year on the Centenary Paddock with a time of Thanksgiving and Remembrance. On the Saturday we have planned a time of fun with a Picnic on the Centenary Paddock followed in the evening with one of our Rectors now famous quizzes in the Village Hall.
Library
Our library has grown since 2016. We provide children's groups, an adult coffee and colouring group, free internet, copying services, and events throughout the year, especially in summer. Managed by Sophi and dedicated volunteers, we now accept up to date book donations and offer a free jigsaw exchange. Visit our website for more details.
Parking
During this year, our Health Centre implemented an out of hours policy that permits parking for only two hours, with no return within twenty-four hours. Previously, it was communicated to the council that parking would be free outside of working hours and on weekends but that never materialised. Additionally, the influence of companies specializing in camera enforcement of parking fines was also noted at the Co-op car park where the allowed parking duration was reduced from two hours to ninety minutes, one presumed they were not getting enough money through fines. We will not be installing cameras in our car park.
Youth work
We continue to employ two youth workers who work two days a week all year apart from December and January. Two or three of our councillors meet with them roughly every three months. We certainly don’t get the complaints about our young people we had before we employed these two youth workers. We get feedback from them on a monthly basis.
Village Hall Charity Trustee
A trust was established to oversee the land on which the Village Hall is situated. A trustee has been serving on the Village Hall Committee to ensure its proper management. However, the trustees now consider their presence unnecessary, given the council's effective management of the trust. Consequently, the council and the trustees are working collaboratively to transfer full responsibility of the trust to the council. The trustees believe this transition is appropriate and have confidence in the council's capability to manage the trust efficiently.
S106 funding
Weve just about run out of this money which is offered to councils after a development has taken place. (S106 is part of planning legislation. It enables local authorities to require developers to set aside monies to mitigate the impact of their development.) We have now added new cremation plots and plantings in the cemetery, and a new planter in the Centenary Paddock, Over the last few years additions have been made to both of our playground sites costing many thousands of pounds along with much of the transition from a barren field to a new usable burial area alongside our current cemetery.
Communication
Our website holds a growing wealth of information, detailing who is who and who is responsible for what and their responsibilities. Along with our notice boards, the council’s website and Meta (F.B) site keep residents informed. We do not have the resources to respond to comments on our Meta site though.
Opinions are fine but please contact our office (2779518) for accurate or updated information before posting, as some things posted are merely gossip and incorrect and sometimes cause distress and even anger among our residents. If you have an axe to grind, please make sure you hone it on truth, if not, other people can get hurt, and that’s never funny.
Finance
Our costs of employing staff have increased due to National Insurance being raised. Just like every other organisation. We also have the very strange set up of our own budget must be set before the staff pay negotiations have been completed so we often must work on ‘best guess’ which is far from satisfactory. This year we have raised our budget by 6.8%. I have always believed % increase can be confusing. Last year the requirement for each household was £164.56, this year it is £175.68 which is a £11.12 increase for the entire year. Basically, this means the Parish Council looks after the village and its contents for a cost of just under 48p a day for a Band D property, which I don’t think is too bad.
We have also changed our broadband and telephone provider saving us in the region of £2,000 each year. Alongside this we had not been credited with some of the money due to us for our solar panels as we had an issue where only some of the panels had been registering their inputs. One of our councillors has doggedly followed this up and the council is to receive over £6,000 from historical arrears.
Et al
There is, of course so much more but the snippets I have written should underline what a busy life council staff and councillors have running the parts of the village we are responsible for. What of the future, you may have read that Local Government is being reorganised so where that ends up heaven only knows but it would be good if local Parish Councils had more authority to impact what happens in their village rather than have authorities over us who have little knowledge of our concerns and aspirations.
Thank you, Councillors,
I have now chaired the Parish Council for thirteen years, overseeing around 150 council meetings and numerous others. During my tenure, I've witnessed many changes in the village and council. We've gone from using secateurs to cut hedges to modern equipment with well trained staff, experienced almost a complete staff turnover, and now operate like a small business rather than a council. We are fortunate to have such dedicated staff and councillors who know whatever they do or say will be wrong to some people and right to others.
I have not lost my enthusiasm, energy or interest but I have come to believe it's time for me to step down and pass the role to someone else. I thank everyone who has contributed over the years to running our council professionally, both paid and unpaid and in their support and their trust in me. I am happy to still offer my time and experience to the council in whatever way councillors feel is most helpful to the council though.
Just as a reminder the chair of the council does not dictate policy, that is always done by the full council, nor should the chair try to mould councillors into their way of thinking, that is against the law. The chair is there to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and make sure the council is run professionally, this I sincerely hope I have managed to do.
Revd. Mick Gillespie: April 2025