Annual Parish Reports 2021

Chairman’s Report 2021

Welcome to the Annual Meeting of Heath and Reach Parish Council 2021

This report is published on a significant day for us all as lockdown restrictions are further lifted to allow shops – and our village pubs! – to open outdoors. It is another forward step in a long journey which has seen villagers pull together in the face of Covid. As PC chairman, I have been moved by the spirit of volunteers who have run a foodbank service and organised pharmacy collections on a weekly basis. Like everyone, I hope today’s landmark reopening is the beginning of end of a traumatic year for us all. While Covid has dominated our lives, the PC’s members have been hard at work across other areas.

Sports and Recreation:

The play area at Thrift Road has now reopened (since March 26th) and is being well used. I know the closure was a source of some frustration, but it was in line with what were then high rates of Covid cases in Bedfordshire. I hope villagers have also seen the new tables at Thrift Road, which are steel construction and designed to give years of use. This area is always popular and it is good to see it being used as restrictions lift and the weather improves.
The Parish Council has paid for new lights at the tennis courts at Bryants Lane, and there is a new defib emergency box fitted to the gym there. The trim trail continues to be well used and the grounds and courts are being used regularly by Woburn and Wavendon FC, and other clubs.

Speed Watch:

The volume of cars going through the village clearly over the speed limit continues to be a concern. Cllr Martin Boyden, a former police officer with traffic unit experience, is leading on this work for us and we are pressing both the Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire and Central Beds Council to step up their work on enforcement. In one week there were more than 70,000 traffic movements through Heath and Reach over the speed limit, and we cannot let this continue until an inevitable tragedy results.

Finances:

Subject to audit, the Parish Council has again kept within budget and has only had to increase the precept by less than one per cent (0.9 per cent). We are acutely conscious that many household budgets have come under particular strain during lockdown, and this very modest rise will allow the Parish Council to carry out its duties for the next year.

Filming:

You may have seen reports in local newspapers and on social media that the quarry by Bryants Lane is being used for a major Hollywood film. I couldn’t possibly comment other than to say two things – the film company have made a generous donation to the village for the use Bryants Lane car park, and I know many of you will have had contact from the company over potential (and hopefully brief) disruption. While the Parish Council sought assurances overnight time filming and noise, I hope you will agree it is an accolade for the village to be a film set! On a related note, the Parish Council continues to work with quarry operators along with our standing role of ensuring – alongside Central Bedfordshire Council – that operators keep to their planning schedules.

Councillor vacancy:

One councillor has had to step down for family reasons, so there is a vacancy on the Parish Council. We are always keen to hear from people who can contribute, so please let us know if you fancy a spell on the PC. It is not a big commitment, but what you do makes a real difference to the village. Talk to me or any of the current councillors for an informal idea about the role of the PC.

Finally, thanks to my fellow councillors and the Clerk for their efforts over the last twelve months. Your time and sometimes unsung efforts really do make this a village people want to live in.

Richard Thyer, Chairman. 12th April 2021