Notton Parish Newsletter December 2008 Editorial Welcome to the December 2008 edition of the Notton newsletter and a Happy Christmas to you all. Highlights of this newsletter include a report on the recent Notton Bonfire, the latest developments regarding play areas and information on the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. Notton is a low crime area but to help ensure it remains that way the Parish Council would like to see a Neighbourhood Watch presence in every street in the parish. Could I also take this opportunity to remind readers that if they are organising events in the Parish to make use of the Community News section of the Wakefield Express. It’s a good way of advertising events here in our neighbouring communities. The local correspondent who covers Notton (along with Havercroft, Ryhill and Walton) is Michael Shaw who can be contacted at michael_shaw1@btinternet.com or on 01226 722953/07824 421980 As always if you would like to contribute to a future edition of the Notton newsletter then please let me know. The next newsletter will be out in March with the deadline for contributions being Fri 27th February. Chris Pilkington (01226 700260) Notton Parish Council Contractors have been busy over the last two months constructing the new play area off Hudson Avenue. This is now complete, although it is to remain fenced off until January to let the grass grow. A set of goalposts has still to be put up on the field near the western boundary for kickabout play. At the same time the Council has arranged for the bollards at the end of The Oval to be taken down and a line of posts put up to allow vehicles access to the allotments. It is hoped that this will prevent people driving on the field or the play area. The Council is also working with the Village Hall on a funding application for extending the existing Playground on the cricket field, behind the Hall. If successful, work will begin in the Spring. Please help to support the application by signing the letter of support in the Village Shop. The Council has had a presentation from Insp Bailes of West Yorkshire Police who explained the new Neighbourhood Policing arrangements. She also outlined the Safe Scheme whereby local Councils could purchase extra policing time in their areas. However the Council is unlikely to take this any further having balanced the need against the cost to a small Parish. Contact details for the Police: Emergencies 999 Non-emergencies 08456 06 06 06 Neighbourhood Policing Team 01924 293256 and email at wakefield.rural@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk Still on policing matters, we have our local PCSO, James Smith, whom you may have seen in the village, and we are pursuing the reactivation of the Neighbourhood Watch. We would like to thank Mrs J Booth who has acted as Watch Co-ordinator for many years. Further information about Neighbourhood Watch can be found in the article below. The Parish Council is to pay for a seat to be put up near the shelter on Bleakley Lane, near the junction with Bleakley Terrace. Unfortunately, because of various delays in installing power to the new site, the District Council are unable to provide a Christmas Tree at Old Royston this year. Arrangements will be made to have everything ready for next year. Speeding traffic in the parish remains a concern, and whilst we don’t want to see any accidents if you are involved in any incidents or are aware of any please let the Parish Council know so that we can inform Wakefield Council and West Yorkshire Police. This could help to strengthen our case for appropriate traffic calming schemes because the criteria for prioritising schemes include the number of accidents which have taken place. Peter Taylor – Chairman (01226 722155) Notton Neighbourhood Watch A newly appointed member of the Neighbourhood Policing Team for the Wakefield Rural Area, Richard Fisher, has taken over the role of Neighbourhood Watch Liaison Officer. The main aim of Neighbourhood Watch is to establish a good partnership between the Police and the local community by mutual co-operation, and assisting each other to:- a) Reduce the opportunity for crime in the area. b) Reduce the fear of crime in the area. c) Report to the Police any suspicious incidents or activity, which may help prevent or detect crime in the area. d) Enable residents to tackle local problems. e) Raise awareness of crime prevention measures. f) Let offenders know that people in the area care and look out for each other Apart from providing links and a partnership with Police, Neighbourhood Watch can offer a better quality of life for those living in the Watch area by reducing the fear of crime. It makes sense that people will feel less apprehensive about leaving their homes and property if there are a number of good neighbours around who are ever alert and watchful. A number of insurance companies recognise the success and importance of Neighbourhood Watch by offering customers up to a 10% discount off their premiums for house contents and sometimes vehicle insurance. Notton village currently has 14 active Neighbourhood Watch schemes running which cover –Applehaigh Court, Applehaigh Lane, Beck View, George Lane, High Ash Close, Ingswell Avenue, Ingswell Drive, Manor Close, Notton Lane, Navvy Lane,(Although we have a co-ordinator in these streets, it does not mean that the whole of the street is covered). With Richard’s assistance, it is our intention to cover the whole of Notton village, so that eventually each and every house will be part of a Neighbourhood Watch. A Neighbourhood Watch scheme works by one person agreeing to be the Watch Co-ordinator, this person will be the link between watch members and the Police. To establish a scheme, no less than 5 households to a maximum of 20 must participate. Each co-ordinator must have access to a telephone line or Email address so that the police can supply pertinent information, such as crime that is occurring in the immediate area. After the inaugural meeting (which will be launched by Richard), each scheme must have a minimum of one meeting a year in order for the scheme to continue to be registered with the West Yorkshire Police. If you are interested in becoming part of a Neighbourhood Watch and are prepared to attend a meeting, please can you contact Richard Fisher on 01924 295451. Please also let the Parish Council know. This is the telephone number of the Neighbourhood Watch Office at Normanton Police Station. If it is not answered personally, please can you leave your name, address and telephone number on the answer phone service and it will be picked up and dealt with by Richard on his return to duty. Notton Village Hall Management Committee Progress is being made with the proposal to extend the children’s play area. We have decided that rather than replace some of the things on the existing play area we are going to extend it with a type of adventure playground containing mounds, logs, a small fort and a climbing net. The plans have been drawn up by Wakefield Council and we are at the first stage of application for a grant. The existing play items are to be repainted to make the whole area a nicer place for the children to play. All these works are also being coordinated with the Parish Council. Along with the play area we are applying for a grant to renovate the existing cricket pavilion. This is in its early stages but if granted it will improve the area and facilities. We have also placed an order to carry out land drainage works to the cricket field. This will be piped into the ditch which was cleaned out a couple of months ago: the work will be carried out as soon as conditions allow. As the hall is now a very nice, modern building it is being used and hired regularly. The village hall Committee are now using funds to try and bring the outside sporting facilities up to the same high standard. Hopefully at the end of all this we will have a good football pitch, cricket pitch and pavilion and a nice play area to match our already good tennis courts. To be successful with grants we have to show that we have involved all the villagers. In the village shop we have put up a notice asking people to sign to show that they are aware of what’s being planned and support the proposal. I would be grateful if you could demonstrate your support by signing. Since the last news letter we have had our Bonfire and Fireworks display - again it was a big success and some 3500 people attended. Unfortunately this year the wind was blowing the smoke towards the crowd so it was very smoky, but that’s the first time in six years it has blown the wrong way! Hopefully next year it will blow the other way again. The night raised £10252.39 towards the Village hall and Charities. This year we have given £750.00 to the Wakefield Riding for the Disabled and £750.00 to the Forget-me-not Trust, a new charity raising money for a new hospice for terminally ill children. We have also given £500.00 to the village shop in appreciation of them handling presales tickets for the event. The date for next year’s event is the 7th November 2009 with the same times - bonfire lit 7.00pm and fireworks 8.00pm. The Village Hall is being used more and more and is a very nice facility for all of us to use. We will continue as a Committee to keep the hall and surrounding area up to a high standard for you all to use. If anybody has any ideas or anything else they would like to see happen then do not hesitate to contact me and I will put it before the Committee. As a Committee we are always happy to welcome new members to help and support us and bring fresh or new ideas to enhance the Village Hall and the community. The next fund raising event is the Christmas Ball on the 6th December 2008, which will have happened by the time you read this. If you want to know what other events are programmed they are usually advertised in the village shop. Alan Shand (Chairman) 01226 724513 Notton Players “NO PANTOMIME NEXT YEAR – BUT - WE ARE NOT DOOMED” We needed to have more people on board in order to stage a pantomime and we held an ‘open’ meeting recently at the village hall, but sadly it was attended by only a few people. As a result, we took the decision NOT to hold a pantomime next year. However, we decided to book the Village Hall for an event next March that we can run with our limited number of members. The event will be an evening of original sketches when we pay tribute to everything from Casablanca to Chicken Licken plus other entertainment with supper, a bar and dancing to finish. So please put this date in your diary NOW ! Saturday 21st March 2008 Thank you David Sturdy (07702 286774) Whist Drive On cold winter nights why don’t you join us in the Village Hall for a friendly game of Whist? If you don’t know how to play we will teach you, so do not worry – meet new people and old friends on Wednesdays monthly – all for £2 each. Dates for your diary: 10th December 7th January 4th February 4th March All sessions at 7.15 pm for a prompt start at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. “Wednesday Night is Whist Night” Jean Duncan (01226 722229) Website Have you checked out the new Notton website yet? Find it at www.community.notton.org.uk : it is being set up by Colin Bryant to gradually replace the old www.notton.org.uk site. If you have anything to publish then email Colin at through the website – advertise your Village Hall acivities here! Activities in Notton Village Hall Dog Training Contact Mrs Kolkowski 01924 252107 every Monday 6.45 – 9.00pm Kindermusik Contact Jo Booth 01226 724414 term-time Tuesday 10.00 – 11.00am Aerobics Classes Contact Liz Champion07730 572035 term-time Tuesday 7pm -8pm Self-help Embroidery Contact June Clark 01226 722346 term-time Wednesday 1.30 – 3.30 Weight Watchers Contact Sue Watkins 01924 259142 every Wednesday 6.00 – 8.00 Whist Drives Contact Jean Duncan 01226 722229 1st Wednesday of the month 7.30pm Self-help Flower Arranging Contact Hesse Tate 01226 709399 term-time Thursday 1.30 – 3.30 Children’s Ballet Class Contact Claire Barlow 07976 911296 every Thursday 4.30 – 6.00pm Yoga Contact Julie Winham 01226 728227 every Thursday 7.00 – 8.00pm Parish Council Meeting Contact Caroline Smith (Parish Clerk) 01226 382360 (also see the Council noticeboards) 1st Thursday of the month 7.30pm Wine Club Contact Bob Stevenson 01226 722385 Last Thursday of the month 7.30pm Self-Help Art Class Contact David Cliff 01226 726844 every Friday 10.00am – 12.00noon From the Parish Council Minutes of May 1904: The following resolution was passed by the Council and forwarded to the Board of Education in London: “That for the benefit of children in Rural Districts the Masters of Schools shall be instructed to allow children to be absent from school for the purpose of setting or gathering potatoes, and the time so well spent to be considered as part of their tuition.” Parish Council Contact Details Caroline Smith (Clerk) Cllr Peter Taylor (Chair) 48a, Wakefield Road 1 High Ash Close Staincross Notton Barnsley Wakefield S75 6JY WF4 2PF Tel: 01226 382360 Tel:01226 722155 E-mail: cjs48a@tiscali.co.uk Cllr Chris Pilkington (Lib Dems) - Vice Chair Cllr Maureen Eames 41 The Oval 9 Midland Cottages Notton Navvy Lane Wakefield Old Royston WF4 2NX Barnsley Tel: 01226 700260 S71 4EE E-mail: chris_pilkington@hotmail.co.uk Tel: 01226 722963 Cllr Stephen Selby Cllr Eleanor Turner 3 Hudson Avenue 84 George Lane Notton Notton Wakefield Wakefield WF4 2NY WF4 2ND Tel: 01226 728551 E-mail: stephenselby@hotmail.com District Councillors Contact Details Cllr Maureen Cummings (Lab) Cllr Graham Isherwood (Lab) Tel: 01924 363165 Tel: 01977 602172 E-mail: mcummings@wakefield.gov.uk E-mail: gisherwood@wakefield.gov.uk Cllr Susan Lodge (Con) Tel: 01924 250809 E-mail: susanlodge@wakefield.gov.uk 1