April 2019 Newsletter. It Could be a Lifesaver!

Well, spring has sprung, and I hope there is a spring in your step. We need your help.

The Parish Council has won a grant for a village defibrillator. It was not the cheapest option but the option recommended by paramedics in our village, offering the best back-up and training. The grant does not cover the whole cost: we will have to raise an additional £900. This will provide us with four year’s coverage and the defib will be sited in a very accessible position, probably on the front wall of the village school.

Fundraising starts now. A Justgiving site will come on stream before Easter. Otherwise donations can be delivered or sent to our Parish Clerk, Christine Pitman, at 24 Home Orchard, TA3 6TG.

The issue of the pavement along Village Road continues to irritate (to put it mildly). On advice, the PC thinks the best option is a petition to the Transport Department at Somerset County Council asking them to reconsider their priorities. If you can’t push a wheelchair or buggy on a pavement, something needs to be done! Volunteers needed to gather signatures.

Villages who have lost bus services are thinking about other options. At Blagdon Hill, and other villages nearby, they have gone for Community Car Schemes run by volunteers. The first thing a village needs to know is: Is there are real demand for such a service? Your Parish Council will be doing a survey shortly. When you get it through your letter box, please tell us if you see a need, and/or would like to be involved as a driver or user.

This is an election year for local councils. Your Parish Council will have vacancies in May. We need a council that can represent every corner of the village and every age group. Your village needs you! It is enjoyable and interesting work and you will learn a lot about your village. If you wish to put yourself forward, please tell our Parish Clerk, Christine Pitman, by emailing hatchbeauchamp.pc@gmail.com by May 1st.

We are opening a website page to promote village businesses. This is primarily to make people aware of job opportunities and because we have some very interesting businesses in our village. There is a different page for selling paid-for services such as B&Bs, catering, etc. The cost for that is £20 a year.

Many of you attended a meeting about the proposed plan for new houses down Station Road. There is no sign of a formal application as yet. We will let you know if and when there is a formal application and when your council will meet to discuss it.

Finally one or two of you noticed from your rates bill that your Parish Council contribution has gone up while, as we said, the Precept remains the same. Reason: the so-called “tax base” has changed, so the levy on each home has gone up slightly. The average contribution is £25 per household. If you don’t think you are getting value for money, I hope you will tell us….!

That’s all for now.