PROVISIONAL BUDGET 2015/16
At its meeting held in January, the Parish Council provisionally approved its budget for 2015/16. Formal adoption of the budget is expected to take place at its meeting on the 3rd February 2014.
The primary source of income for most Parish Councils comes from the Precept, which is a local tax collected by the District Council on behalf of the Parish. This money is required to run the council and pay to maintain and improve the facilities, activities and services that local Parish Councils provide and is normally the operational cost difference between expected expenditure and income in any one year. A proportion of this money is prudently held in reserve for either future planned projects and/or unexpected events. If formally adopted in February, the Precept for Burton Joyce residents will be £77.38 per household for the year – a modest increase over the previous year. A more detailed summary of the budget will be made available in the next Parish magazine.
PROPOSED NEW FLOODLIT 3G PITCH
A working group of the Parish Council is now actively putting together a business plan to support the funding application in respect of a proposed new floodlit, 3G pitch at the Poplars Sports Ground. The deadline for submission is 31st March 2015. Key tasks to be achieved by that date are to identify additional funding sources and revenue streams, to survey the site, approve the preliminary design and establish build costs of the new facility and to receive the necessary planning permissions. Once the business case has been completed it will be considered for approval by the Parish Council. Community support is a vital component for the future success of this project – local clubs have already committed £15k towards the annual income from the 3G facility, current projections suggest that there needs to be income of at least another £5k per annum. Any clubs, businesses or individuals who wish to register an interest in either using a 3G facility, offering sponsorship or in helping with fundraising activities should contact the Parish Office in the first instance.
CHRISTMAS FAIR 2015
Following the success of last year’s Christmas Fair, the Parish Council has agreed that the 2015 Christmas Fair will be held on Saturday 5th December. Due to the popularity of the event anybody interested in helping on the day or having a stall at the Fair should contact the Parish Office as soon as possible.
VILLAGE VENTURES
A Community Theatre Working Group has been established to support an increased programme of performance events in Burton Joyce. An application has now been submitted for membership to the County Council sponsored Village Ventures. Further details will be provided in a future issue.
LOCAL ELECTIONS
Parish Councils are at the heart of the communities they serve. In Burton Joyce the Parish Council maintains, manages and improves facilities for local residents such as the Cemetery, allotments, Poplars Sports Ground and the Grove. It has recently taken on services previously provided by the County and Borough Councils, such as the cutting of grass verges and it continues to explore ways in which it can offer more services locally and more efficiently. In partnership with local schools, businesses, clubs and societies Parish Councillors and staff work hard to improve the lives of people living in Burton Joyce – for example, the Parish Council spear-headed a recent campaign to try and prevent approval for the extraction of minerals from across the river at Shelford which, should it go ahead, would bring increased flooding risks, a substantial increase in heavy traffic through the village and loss of a beautiful landscape. On a lighter note, the Parish Council provides the village’s floral displays throughout the summer, the Christmas lights throughout December and the very successful Christmas Fair and Bonfire/Firework Display events which bring the whole community together.
In May 2015, it is not just the General Election that will be taking place but elections for a new Parish Council too. If you are interested in serving your community and would like to find out what it means to be a Parish Councillor, contact the Parish Office in the first instance for an informal chat.
Members of the public are welcome to attend meetings of the Parish Council and its committees – copies of all agendas and minutes are available on line at www.burtonjoyceparishcouncil.org.uk
Or from Jackie Dawn, Parish Clerk at the Parish Office, Library Building, Meadow Lane, Burton Joyce, Nottingham, NG14 5EX. Telephone 01159 314084.
E-mail clerk@burtonjoyceparishcouncil.org.uk