LATEST GRAPEVINE REPORT (FEBRUARY/MARCH) FROM BRADFIELD PARISH COUNCIL CHAIR CLLR. K. WYNN:

Happy new year one and all, I hope that 2023 is shaping up well for you.

In December Bradfield Parish Council signed up to the Civility & Respect Pledge. The Council believes now is the time to put Civility and Respect at the top of the agenda and start a culture of change for the local council sector. Bradfield Parish Council will:

• Treat all councillors, clerk and all employees, members of the public, representatives of partner organisations and volunteers with civility and respect in their role.
  
• Put in place a training programme for councillors and staff.
  
• Sign up to Code of Conduct for councillors.
  
• Have good governance arrangements in place including, staff contracts, and a Dignity at Work Policy.
  
• Commit to seek professional help at early stages should civility and respect issues arise.
  
• Commit to calling out bullying and harassment if and when it happens.
  
• Continue to learn from best practice in the sector and aspire to being a role model / champion council e.g., via the Local Council Award Scheme.
  
• Support the continued lobbying for the change in legislation to support the Civility and Respect Pledge including sanctions for elected members where appropriate.
  

District and Parish Elections 4th of May
Elections will be held this year in the Tendring District for all 48 District Councillors and 264 Parish Councillors. Nomination packs for those wishing to stand will be available in early February, and a briefing for candidates will be held in Clacton Town Hall on the 16th of February 2023. If you would like to attend, please email elections@tendringdc.gov.uk. Further information will be available at www.tendringdc.gov.uk/elections. Key dates for the May elections:

Nominations will close at 4pm on 4th April 2023
Last day for new applications to the register - 17th April 2023
Last day for new or to change existing postal votes - 18th April 2023
Last day to apply for proxy vote - 25th April 2023
Polling Day - 4th May 2023

Mill Lane Cemetery
Bradfield Parish Council is requesting the assistance of all Mill Lane Cemetery grave and memorial owners / next of kin to help us ensure that our records are correct and up to date. We would be grateful if you would contact the clerk via e-mail on clerk@bradfieldparishcouncil.org.uk or via telephone on 07851 760264.

The King's Coronation
Due to a request from the palace that no beacons are to be lit as part of the celebrations for the Coronation of King Charles, the council has decided to pare back plans for the village celebrations.

Approximate proposed timings for the King's Coronation evening event would be:
5pm - Open, bouncy castles, face painting & Tendring Brass Band, maybe Piper Bob could have a short slot.
6pm - Psycho Dehlia (band)
7pm - Bouncy Castles close
9pm - Close

There will be various food and drink venders selling their wares throughout the evening with a bar in the village hall. If you would like to be involved in the planning and or can offer assistance on the day, then please contact Karen Burton at karen-leigh.burton@bradfieldparishcouncil.org.uk. The working party will generally be meeting at the Village Maid on selected Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm. These will also be advertised on Facebook.

Highways
A working party has been set up to look at the state of street signs in and around the village with the aim persuading Essex Highways to replace and clean wherever necessary.

The council recently reviewed a speed and volume survey that was carried out in September on Straight Road - these surveys have been carried out annually for the last 3 years with the exception of when the covid pandemic was at its height. The 2022 survey showed that the overall volume of vehicles using the road was slightly down on the 2021 survey, but still considerably more than the 2019 survey. This is due to the increase in residents and other associated traffic from the new housing developments in Mistley using the road to access the A120. The average daily speed over 7 days was 39mph and the average daily 85%ile was 47mph.

At the request of a parishioner the council considered applying for parking restrictions along Steam Mill Road. The council resolved not to take the request further.
The North Essex Parking Partnership and Local Highways Panel have agreed to install timed parking restrictions (yellow lines), on the Wix Road sliproad, and on Heath Road outside the Village Maid.

Planning
22/01792/OUT Outline Planning Application with all matters reserved, Erection of Five Bungalows, Land off Barrack Street Bradfield Essex CO11 2RB. This application was refused by the Planning Committee in December. It remains to be seen if the developer appeals this decision.

Boules Pitch
The council have had a rethink about this proposal and decided that if this project goes ahead, it will be at the smaller size of 12 metres x 3 metres as it was felt that the 15m x 4 metre would be too dominating. Approximately £7000 from the Solar Farm community benefit fund has been set aside for its installation, but he council would very much like to hear your views as to whether you think we should progress this project, and if this is something you would use?
Please contact me at kreon.wynn@bradfieldparishcouncil.org.uk with your views and we will also be running a poll on Facebook.

Recreation Ground
You may have seen that the noticeboard for the use of the BVH has been installed on The Street and that the field gate next to the recycling bins has now been moved to behind the village hall.
Please also note that the two green glass recycling bins now both take mixed glass.

Finance
As at the 14th of January 2023 the current account held £4,510.84 and the savings account £92,053.65. The earmarked reserves stand at £47,824.24 and general reserves £32,732.28 which is there for use in case of emergencies.
At their meeting in January the Council agreed to request a precept for the 2023 / 2024 financial year of £70,800. The agreed precept of £70,800 equals a £142.77 parish council tax payment per annum for a Band D property, a £7.46 increase (5.5%) from 2022/23. The council have tried to keep the increase to a minimum, but with rising fuel costs etc. an increase was unfortunately inevitable.


Kreon Wynn
Chairman of Bradfield Parish Council