Parish Development Open Letter Jan 1998

The Parish Hall

We have reached agreement to sell the land next to the Parish Hall to a company with a good record of attractive developments who is also willing to undertake the Parish Hall modernisation. You should find details of the plans for the Parish Hall’s facelift elsewhere in the January Parish Magazine. If all goes well, work should start around the late spring of 1998.

We are also thinking about transferring the management of the Hall to CASCA. This would give the users of the hall a greater say in its running as well as improving our eligibility for grants. Again, more details elsewhere in the magazine. If you are interested, come and vote at the public meeting on 7 January.

The new Pavilion

After carefully listening to all points of view, we drew up a scheme for which we received conditional planning permission in October. I hope that those of you who were worried about inappropriate use of the new pavilion will be reassured by the conditions which include a ban on its use for non-sporting activities and restrictions on sound amplification systems.

We are now close to agreeing a lease with the Sports Club which we hope will protect the interests of the Parish and provide the Sports Club with a firm basis for fund raising and grant applications.

Council meetings

Although anyone is welcome to attend our meetings – the first Tuesday of the month – we have not had any formal rules for public participation. There is a feeling that it would be helpful for people to know that they could attend and have the opportunity to speak. We will be debating this at our January meeting – watch the February Parish Magazine for details. If you ever want to write in and ask us to cover an item please remember that the agenda has to be published five days before the meeting.

Web Site and Welcome Pack

We have published our meeting reports and much other local information on our web site. The Clerk Magazine reported in August 1997 that “One of the most lively web sites among Hampshire parishes is that of Compton and Shawford Parish Council near Winchester .. on which they have provided an attractive and informative guide for newcomers to the parish”. The same local information is also available as a small “Welcome Pack” booklet for newcomers – please let us know of anyone who would like a copy.