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Can you help us provide a recreation facility for all residents of Broomley & Stocksfield
to use and enjoy.
On 21st October, the new toddler area at Branch End was officially opened.
Thanks are due to Anne Davison and her Regeneration Group. Without their
sterling efforts over the past months, this project would not have been completed.
Thanks are also due to all those funders and individuals who have contributed
to the £50,000 required to achieve this new play area.
This super new Toddler Area is Phase I of the redevelopment of Branch
End Play Area, and we now need to look at providing exciting equipment for
slightly older children, 8-14 years old, but this will cost in the region
of £50,000.
- Are you a Stocksfield parent/grand parent/resident?
- Do you have children in the 8-14 age group?
- Could you help the Regeneration Group fund raise and apply for grants?
The sooner we raise the money, the sooner more up-to-date equipment and
facilities for older children can be purchased and installed.
In addition to the new equipment, the Parish Council will be looking into
the possibility of providing an additional entrance to the Play Area, the
costs of which will be outside the regeneration project. Also planned is
a Sensory Garden and again the costs of this will be outside the regeneration
project.
If you can help with fund raising or would be interested in joining the
Regeneration Group or the Sensory Garden Group and help with the planning
and fund raising for the second phase of the renewal of this popular play
area, please don’t wait to be asked. contact the Clerk to the Parish
Council 01661 843114 in the first instance.
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Parking outside Branch End Play Area
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At the recent Parish Council meeting, concern was expressed for the safety
of children leaving the Play Area. It was reported that cars were being parked
on the pavement adjacent to the traffic island and the play area gate blocking
the access to the Play Area and posing a safety hazard to both pedestrians
walking past the play area and children leaving the area.
When visiting the
Play Area please do not park on the pavement near the gate.
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Anne Davison
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 Councillor Anne Davison has advised the Parish Council that due to pressure
of work she is resigning from the Council in December.
Anne joined the Parish Council in May 2002 and since that time has worked
tirelessly to bring our two play areas up to 21st century standards. Without
her efforts, drive and enthusiasm, the new toddler equipment at Branch End
Play Area in particular would not have been installed.
Many people will be unaware that Anne has been involved with the regeneration
of Branch End Play Area several times and the equipment that was installed
there many years ago was done so as a result of her contribution to that
project.
The Parish Council will miss Anne’s dedication and enthusiasm and
takes this opportunity to thank her for her contribution over the past four
years, and to wish her well in the future.
It has been agreed to co-opt a new parish councillor for the remainder
of the term. The Council is now actively seeking new candidates for the next
session starting in May 2007. Please see above for more details of how you
could join the Parush Council.
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Would you like to be a Parish Councillor? Are you interested in influencing
what goes on in our Parish? Have you time to give for the benefit of the
Community?
It seems a long way ahead, but in May 2007 the entire Parish Council will
come to the end of its term of office, and several of the current Councillors
will not be standing for re-election. Some of these councillors have served
the Parish for very many years and feel that it is time to move on. Their
colleagues and the residents of Stocksfield are very grateful for the time
and effort that they have put into the role.
So how does this affect you?
It means that you need to find some new councillors!
In the interests of democracy, it would be good to have an actual election,
so more than 12 nominations would be welcome. Would YOU help your community
in this way? Can you suggest someone who would, with a bit of encouragement?
What does a Parish Councillor do?
The Parish Council meets each month
except August, on a Monday evening; we also have several advisory groups
made up of councillors and residents with particular interests, and they
meet in between the monthly meetings.
In the current year, these groups are responsible for:
- Footpaths & Environment: the maintenance of footpaths (not
street pavements) and gardens, verges, planted areas etc; consideration of
wider environmental issues.
- Leisure Facilities: management and maintenance
of the Sportsfields, and policy for other leisure facilities.
- Play
Facilities: management and maintenance of Branch End and Guessburn (Kate’s
Plain) Play Areas.
- Planning & Highways: making recommendations
on planning applications, monitoring the condition of highways and pavements,
and commenting on various consultative documents issued by the planning authorities.
Councillors are also involved with the production of a new Parish Plan,
a new walks leaflet, and Information Card; the development of a new footpath
on the South Bank of the River; the regeneration of Branch End Play Area
(phase 2) and the develop- ment of a Sensory Garden at Branch End Play Area;
the regeneration of the Multi Use Games Area, and the Stocksfield in Bloom
Project.
How much time does being a Parish Councillor take?
Two or three meetings
a month, plus some paperwork, and phone calls from people who want your help!
As a councillor takes on more responsibility, leading one of the advisory
groups for example, obviously this time increases.
Do I have to live in the Parish? How old do I have to be?
Parish Councillors
have to live within 3 miles of the Parish. The minimum age is 21.
What Next?
If you are at all interested, do come to a Council Meeting
during the next few months to see what goes on and what we are currently
involved in. Talk to one of the Councillors about what they do, or ask the
Clerk for further information. If the Clerk knows by the middle of March
that you have decided to put yourself forward as a Parish Councillor, she
will ensure that you receive the necessary paperwork, which comes from the
Returning Officer at Tynedale Council when the election is announced. Alternatively,
anyone can of course respond to the official notice of election which will
appear in the Hexham Courant and be displayed on Notice Boards in the Parish.
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Stocksfield’s Scout Post celebrates its 5th Birthday!
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 Following
the positive response last year, Scout Post is again available to deliver
your local Christmas cards to addresses within the NE43 area only - from
6th December. Last collection 5 p.m. 18th December. The Scouts are asking
for a donation (minimum 10p) for each card posted and would like to acknowledge
with gratitude, the help of the two Post Offices who have generously agreed
to accept a Post Box. The Scouts hope you will be pleased with the service
they are offering and equally pleased to support the young people as they
endeavour to raise funds for their new Scout Hut. If there are any queries,
please phone Philippa Harpin, 01661 84230.
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Website News
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If you would like items
about your organisation included on this website please contact us by e-mailing
here. We don't know everyhthing that is going on in Stocksfield,
unless you tell us. So please e-mail us!
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Kate's Plain
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At its recent meeting the Parish Council was disappointed that once again
it was necessary to spend money repairing the fence at Kate’s Plain.
This
is the third time that this fence has been repaired since it was installed
in 2004.
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Broomley & Stocksfield Parish Council
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The Parish Council meets on the first Monday of the month in the Community
Centre at 7.30 p.m.
Members of the public are always welcome to attend Parish Council meetings.
Public Participation is always included on the agenda. You can contact the
Clerk, Margaret Williams, Tuesday and Fridays on 01661
843114.
Click on the 'Dates Of Meetings' button above for more information.
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Broomley Woods Footpaths
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A representative of Allendale Estates met with
the Footpaths Group of the Parish Council recently. The Group was advised
that the Estate was aware of the use of a site near the railway bridge adjacent
to the Broomley Road by cyclists. There had been some vandalism elsewhere
in the woods and fires had been seen. Concern was also expressed about dogs
at times being out of control and leaving the boundaries of the community
woodland to the danger of sheep and other livestock. The Group was also advised
of the Estate’s concern that the unauthorised felling of trees had
left branches and tree trunks impeding the footpaths. The representative
warned that the Estate is to start felling in parts of the woods in the next
few months.
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Broomley & Stocksfield Parish Plan 2006-2016
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As reported in the last issue of NE43 News the work on the Parish Plan
slowed down during the summer, partly due to holidays and partly due to the
ill-health of one of the councillors leading the project.
The full working group has yet to meet, but at the time of writing we
can report that plans for a circular walk along the south bank of the river
are being developed and talks are being held with the land owners, tenant
farmers and the County Council to progress this project, which has now become
a project outside the Parish Plan remit. Suggestions are also being considered
to develop a nature reserve/conservation area around the new ponds at Merryshields
and again discussions with interested parties are underway. If you would
like to be involved with these projects, do contact the Clerk to the Parish
Council in the first instance.
Members of the Parish Plan Group have met with representative students
from Prudhoe Community High School and together will formulate a questionnaire
to attempt to identify the needs and aspirations of the young people of our
Parish.
Similarly our older residents have been asked for their views on the Parish
and what we need to be looking at in the future.
It is hoped that by the time you read this the Parish Plan Working Group
will have met again to consider the results of their initial enquiries and
to take the project forward in order that we may draw up a document which
the Parish Council will be able to work with in future years.
If you would like to be involved with the drawing up of the Parish Plan,
or if you have views which you would like to air, please do not wait to be
asked. Contact the Clerk to the Parish Council in the first instance and
she will be happy to put you in touch with the Group.
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Traffic Speed on the A695
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 At the recent Parish Council meeting, it was reported that following a
meeting between Parish Councillors and a County Council officer, Northumbria
Police had carried out a survey of the speed of traffic travelling past Broomley
School.
Northumbria Police have advised that the results of the survey indicate
that "85% of the vehicles
travelling this route are doing 33 mph or under".
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Multi-Use Games Area, Stocksfield Sportsfields.
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For the past few years, the Parish Council has been increasingly
concerned about the condition and safety of the MUGA - Multi-Use
Games Area (5-a-side pitch) - at the Sportsfield. This facility is now more than 20
years old and badly in need of improvement.
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The Parish Council and users of the Sportsfield have, together, formed
the MUGA Regeneration Group which has the aim of providing a new pitch with
a synthetic turf games area that can be used by several sports both as a
training facility and a pitch. Such a facility will serve the residents of
Stocksfield for many years to come BUT the cost will be over £148,000.
In order to attract grants from major funders the Regeneration Group has
to provide evidence that it has the support of the whole community, and to
demonstrate this support the Community needs to raise a share of the costs.
Anything that you as individuals can do to help would be much appreciated.
Firstly however to kick the fund raising drive off the Regeneration Group
is organising a RUN-RAFFLE.
Do you need to work off all that Turkey, Christmas Pudding and those Mince
Pies!?
The MUGA Regeneration Group is inviting everyone to take part in the MUGA
RUN-RAFFLE on Saturday 30th December between
10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
How does it work?
There will be three different running courses
The Toddle/Doddle The Family Relay The 'FUN' run – and
you can bring the kids to push (them and you) round or even join in!
There will also be organised walks – for those without running shoes.
There will be an entry charge, and you can get your friends and family
to sponsor you – sponsorship forms are available. Each entrant will
be allocated a raffle number which will be entered in the draw for a host
of excellent prizes, hence the 'run-raffle' to be drawn at 8pm
that evening at the Cricket Club. Entry forms are
available from the Cricket Club and all the local shops, or e-mail Chris
Catnach, or telephone the Parish Clerk on 01661 843114.
Even if you feel that you cannot run we still need other help. Sponsors,
prizes, marshals and helpers are all required. So if you would like to spend
a fun morning watching others work off their energy and Christmas dinners,
or could donate a raffle prize, do contact Chris Catnach.
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Healthy Walks - new day
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The Saturday Healthy Walk has been replaced by
a walk on Mondays. Meet at the Station Car Park at 10.00 a.m. Coffee will
be available at the Methodist Church between 11 and noon you don’t
have to have done the walk, so do pop in for coffee.
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Litter and Fly Tipping
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Recently concerns have been raised about the amount
of litter in our hedgerows. There are also concerns about Fly Tipping. Of
particular concern are the verges between New Ridley and Apperley Dene, the
roads around Broomley and the A695. If you are out walking please do not
drop litter, there are plenty of litter bins about the parish. Fly Tipping
can be reported to Tynedale Council (01434 652200) who will arrange for the
offending items to be removed.
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Are you arranging a Jumble Sale?
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What do you do with what is left at the
end?
The 1st Stocksfield Scout Group is seeking to provide
a service to the community & at the same time to raise funds for the
new Scout Hut.
At the end of your jumble sale, to avoid the need to take the unsold items
to the local tip, the Scouts will collect selected goods if they are bagged & left
at a pre-arranged point with easy car access – and we will supply
bags for this purpose.
It is important that only the following goods are included:
- clothes
including ties & belts
- shoes (but not roller blades)
- handbags
- household
linen i.e. towels, tablecloths & tea towels
- soft furnishings
i.e. curtains, bedspreads & cushion covers
- bedding including
blankets, sheets, pillow cases & pillows + duvets (but not mattresses)
- soft
toys.
We are not able to accept:
- bric-a-brac
- books
- children's
games or toys (except soft toys).
If you would like us to arrange collection, please contact Philippa
Harpin before the day of your jumble sale Tel: 01661
842 302, or by e-mail.
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Christmas Trees
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 The
Parish Council is very grateful to Broomley School and the Doctor
Syntax Pub for their support in the lighting of the Christmas Trees provided by
the Parish Council.
We are sure that they are much appreciated by residents.
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Contact details for Scouts & Beavers
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01661 843843
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01661 843405
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Delivery service scam
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A recent scam has occurred in the Berwick area, where a card has been
put through householder’s door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery
Service).
The card sugests that the company could not deliver a parcel and that
the occupier should ring 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number). If you ring
this number and hear a recorded message and your call has cost you £15.00.
If you do receive such a card you should ignore it and ring Royal Mail
Fraud on 0207 239 6655 or contact ICSTIS (premium rate service regulator)
at www.icstis.org.uk
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Blood Donor Sessions
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The next session will be held at the Community Centre on 16th February
2007, 14.30-19.00
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NE43 News
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 Published
by Broomley & Stocksfield Parish Council, 205 New Ridley Road, Stocksfield,
Northumberland, NE43 7QD
Tel/Fax: 01661 843114 E-mail
us
We hope that you have found NE43 News of interest. The views of contributors
to NE43 News are not necessarily the view of the Parish Council. Please let
us have your comments and contributions for future issues.
With best wishes for a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous
year in 2007 from Broomley & Stocksfield Parish Council.
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