Archive for category: News

You are invited to view an exhibition of draft proposals for around 10 new houses at Bockings, Church End.

DATE / TIME
Wednesday 18th September
7pm to 8pm

VENUE
Walkern Sports and Social Club
Jubilee Pavilion
High Street
Walkern
SG2 7NP

This is NOT an exhibition organised by the Parish Council. It is organised by the owners of the site and their architect

Walkern Parish Council Report

The Parish Council does not meet in August but this report covers some of the issues we have been dealing with over the last few months. The full minutes of the meeting held in July will be available on the Parish Council website and on the Parish Council Notice Board by Budgens.

Walkern Neighbourhood Plan

We are very pleased to announce that the Neighbourhood Plan (First Revision) has been adopted by East Herts District Council. This has been the result of a great deal of detailed work by Councillors and our consultant Jaqueline Veater. It was recognised that the Parish Council has made particular reference to the environment, green spaces and biodiversity in the update, including a new section on green corridors and a tree charter. It also includes requirements concerning new developments as well as those protecting the conservation area.

The plan will be used as part of the East Herts Development Plan, replacing the 2018 Walkern Neighbourhood Plan. All the documentation relating to the Plan is available on the East Herts District website or from the Walkern parish website by following a link under the NEWS heading

Walkern Parish Website

The Council has been aware that the website needed a complete overall and we are very grateful to Mike Allingham for taking on the task. The site has easy to follow headings concerning the work of the Council, for example planning applications, news and how to contact us. There is also information on the finance, governance and policies that should be made available to the public as well as the dates of Council Meetings, agendas and minutes.

Updating the website is ongoing; our aim is to make it as informative as possible as well easy to access

Parish Clerk

Residents may be aware that the Council has been advertising for a new Clerk in recent months. We were pleased to receive a number of applications and interviews have taken place in August. We hope to appoint a new Clerk in September as soon after the Parish Council meeting as possible.

Memorial Garden

The Council carefully considered a request from a resident about a possible pet memorial garden in the area. However, the rules and regulations concerning the putting up of plaques and the scattering of ashes are detailed and complicated. We have responded to the resident concerned that we are still in the process of creating a Peace Garden on the old Baptist Chapel site in Froghall Lane. The garden will have a bench and would be somewhere quiet and tranquil for residents, including pet owners, to sit and contemplate.

Development at Bockings

We were very pleased to receive an invitation from Rachel Furze, the newly appointed architect for the site to meet her and John Foks, one of the landowners, to discuss their new plans. These included an idea to protect the land at the side of the River Beane, the possibility of a single storey building on the garage site and the development on the paddocks to include a variety of styles that would fit into a rural environment. It was a cordial and informative meeting where an offer was made to hold a public meeting sometime in the future so that Councillors and village residents could see the proposed plans and ask questions.

The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday 5th September 2024 at the Walkern Sports and Community Centre commencing at 7.00 pm.

Christine Nudds, Parish Councillor

At the full Council meeting of East Herts District Council on Wednesday 24^th July, Councillors agreed to make (adopt) the Walkern Neighbourhood Plan First Revision. It now forms part of the development plan for Walkern Parish, replacing the 2018 Walkern Neighbourhood Plan.

The Walkern Parish Council Meeting was held on Thursday June 6^th 2024 at the Walkern Sports and Community Centre.

This report covers some of the issues we have been dealing with over the last few months. The full minutes of the meetings are available on the Parish Council website and on the Parish Council Notice Board by Budgens.

Co-option of New Councillor

I’m pleased to report that Reg Marjason, our finance officer, has now joined us as a Councillor. Reg has worked hard with the Council over the last few months preparing the accounts for an internal and external audit, as well as advising on actions that need to be taken to comply with AGAR (Annual Governance and Accountability Return.)

Walkern Neighbourhood Plan

We received notification in May from Laura Guy of East Herts District Council that the Neighbourhood Plan First Revision is being recommended for adoption by EHDC. A report is going to the Executive in June and will be presented to the full District Council in July. She also states that it has been recognised that the Parish Council has made particular reference to the environment, green spaces and biodiversity in the update.

Walk About Walkern

Several times a year groups of Councillors tour the village. We inspect the state of village assets and the general look of the area. Sometimes any necessary maintenance is carried out and paid for by the Council, for example the repair of the Book Exchange cabinet in the High Street playground. At other times, for example the cutting of overhanging hedges onto pavements, it might be the responsibility of individual householders. We also take note of issues that need to be dealt with by outside agencies, for example the Clerk will be contacting Highways about the replacement of the missing road sign at the corner of the High Street and Stevenage Road.

Residents can of course contact us to report similar issues at any time as we aim to keep Walkern a pleasant place to live.

War Memorial Bench

Council has been in touch with Walkern Hall to discuss the siting of a bench at the memorial. We need permission to cut back part of the hedge on their land so that the bench can be placed in a safe position. The response has been favourable so we hope that we can move forward with this project using money raised by the tombola at the Walkern Fair.

Campo Sancho Festival at Walkern Hall 26^th-28^th July 2024

This weekend family festival includes camping and music. We expressed our concerns about noise levels when we met the organisers some months ago and they agreed to have a higher level of monitoring of the sound from the music and people leaving the event.

The company are offering Villagers a discount code of 25% using the code:

SG2Local25%off

Use this code at

www.sanchopanza.org/campo-sancho

Retirement Village (Inspired Villages)

We would like residents to be aware of a Request for Screening Opinion that is now on the East Herts Planning Portal. This has come from Inspired Villages and their associated developers. Residents may remember a presentation from Inspired Villages given last year in the Walkern Sports and Community Centre.  The scheme is for up to 125 units with communal facilities. We urge you to look at the details for yourselves.

Log on to the East Herts Planning Portal

Click on the Blue Box which is headed “Object, comment or view a Planning Application Online”

Enter the reference 3/24/1061/SCREEN.

Select the green box called Search

This document is part of the pre-planning process. We have responded stating that an Environmental Impact Statement should be submitted and EHDC has previously refused a similar planning application from Inspired Villages.

Crime Report May 2024 Hertfordshire Constabulary

Walkern

Criminal Damage (Clay End) – Chain cut on locked gate

Criminal Damage-Vehicle window smashed

Criminal Damage-Van wind deflector pulled off.

There is a trend of offenders across the county trying vehicle, property and outbuilding door handles in the early hours of the morning and stealing contents where they are unlocked. Always ensure your vehicles and property are secured when unattended and all doors and windows locked, particularly overnight.

Please continue to report suspicious vehicles that you may see driving around the area. If you are able to record the make, colour, and registration number of the vehicle, that would be very helpful.

The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday 11^th July 2024 at the Walkern Sports and Community Centre commencing at 7.00 pm.

Christine Nudds, Parish Councillor