Notes from Parish Council November meeting 2011

Marc Johnson from Community Action Northumberland gave a presentation on a new initiative detailing local accessibility plans regarding services and transport in a specified area.  As Bamburgh has a predominance of elderly and retired residents it has an increasing population that require local public transport to doctors, dentists, chemists, banks, hospitals, library etc. A meeting inviting all interested parties will be held on December 5th 5pm in Bamburgh Pavilion to discuss in more depth this and related topics with officials from County Hall.  It was suggested that this could be a topic on the agenda of the next Community forum to be held in Bamburgh.

High on the agenda was the organisation of the Bamburgh snow clearing teams, should we need them this winter.   There has a been a response to the fliers distributed to some households in the village but if a household has not received one and would like to join a team they can contact a Parish councillor as the more help the parish can muster, the better.  Once the 6 sand/grit bins are in position the teams can be coordinated to clear the centre of the village initially and then divide into their own specified areas for snow clearance.

Bamburgh Garden Guild offered to plant Rugosa rose bushes to act as wind breaks at the 2 planters in Links road.  The guild feel the plants in the troughs would have more success if there was this protection,  the council were grateful to accept this offer.

It was noted that the grass verges at the Lucker road entrance to the village had not been reinstated by the Mizen Court developer and there was no obvious sign of replanting the 500 spring bulbs in the verges damaged by the site traffic.

Heritage and Clue trail collecting boxes had been removed from shops for the winter but one had been left at Wyndenwell should visitors wish to purchase leaflets during the winter period.  The boxes will be returned to all the shops for the spring half term holiday.

Polite Police notices asking vehicle drivers not to park partially or wholly on pavements and not to obscure dropped kerbs with their vehicle seemed to have had an effect and wheel chair/zimmer frame users plus children in push chairs were finding it easier to access all areas of the village.

Preparations for the Queen’s diamond jubilee and the Olympic torch bearing, both to be held in June, are going to promote Bamburgh world wide and therefore need the whole village community to work together to make both dates very special.

The Parish Council hope that organisations and individuals within the village will come up with some wonderful ideas on designing the days around the village and the castle.

The Heritage project has had positive feed back from the heritage lottery fund so slowly but surely this idea should progress with the whole community having a close involvement.

The Parish Council are anxiously  waiting  to hear from County Hall with regards to the next step to be taken regarding Bamburgh car parking this is especially important in 2012 when obviously the village will have a huge increase in parked vehicles for the two  special June dates.

The foot/cycle path from Seahouses to Bamburgh should also be established before summer 2012 as there has been a heavy increase in cyclists and walkers during the past year and this will increase further next year.

It has been noted that the sign directing cyclists at Blacketts corner is pointing in the wrong direction and has led to much confusion by many cycling groups.

The council received comments on services residents say are ‘second – to- none ‘  from certain departments in Northumberland county council.

The grass cutting, public litter bin clearing and refuse collecting teams work with great care and thoughtfulness to keep Bamburgh clean and tidy and they go ‘that extra mile ‘ when Bamburgh village holds its annual public events.  Working alongside Bamburgh’s excellent village warden Harry they all deserve special thanks.  

The next meeting will be on January 16th 7pm in the Pavilion