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Welcome to our web site
We are very sorry to report the death of Parish Councillor Basil Whittington on 20th May 2013.
22nd June 2013 – 2.00PM – 4.00PM – FREE – WEST DEAN CELEBRATES………THE LAUNCH OF THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY, COMPLETION OF THE BREAM PLAY PARK AND OPENING OF THE REFURBISHED ROOMS AND NEW CORRIDOR. INCLUDES ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN INCLUDING BOUNCY CASTLE, FACE PAINTAING, READINGS, STALLS AND REFRESHMENTS. ALL WELCOME. West Dean Parish Council Here you will find information about what’s happening in West Dean as well as details of the council’s work and how you can contact us. If you have any questions or would like to suggest something new for this site please contact us at admin@westdeanpc.org.uk West Dean Parish is divided electorally into 5 wards with a total of 15 councillors to represent electors as follows: Ellwood and Sling Ward 2 councillors The Council meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 7.00pm. Meetings are held at various venues around the parish. Every Council meeting begins with a Public Open Forum to enable electors to ask questions or comment on matters that affect the Parish. The Council is fully committed to representing and serving the people and communities of West Dean. PARISH NEWS!! SHEEP ISSUES - CONTACT INFORMATION FOR REPORTING SHEEP NUISANCE AND ANIMAL HEALTH ISSUE CAN BE FOUND HERE INVITATION To members of businesses, churches, tenants associations, youth forums and primary care trusts who work or volunteer in the areas of Berry Hill, Christchurch or Edge End in the Forest of Dean. West Dean Parish Council is embarking on a Neighbourhood Development Plan for the above areas. This Plan is a new statutory procedure which results ultimately in a legally binding development plan for the area, following a local referendum. As such, it is a very important local event which has the potential to affect anyone associated with the area.
A Steering Committee (maximum of 21 people) has been formed (supported by the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council), which consists of Parish Councillors, Coleford Town Council, community representatives (FANS), local schools and sports clubs. It also includes the Homes and Communities Agency (government agency) which currently owns the Five Acres site. The first meeting took place on 21st March. There are still places on the committee, and it was identified that there were areas of local representation missing.
If you or a representative of your organisation are able to attend the next meeting on 24th Juneat Berry Hill Rugby Club at 6.00pm, you will not only be very welcome, but have the opportunity to be part of a ground breaking process which will have a lasting legacy on your area. If you wish to find out about the following meeting, or would like to find out more in general, or you think we have missed out a group you could represent, please contact Dave Kent, Clerk to the Parish 01594 564484 or admin@westdeanpc.org.uk
Cllr Tim Gwilliam, Chairman, NDP Steering Committee
•NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN The Parish Council’s bid to develop a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) for a designated area of the Berry Hill and Christchurch Wards was approved by the Forest of Dean District Council on 17th January 2013. This means that the Parish Council can now proceed to consult with the local community to draw up the Neighbourhood Development Plan. An NDP gives the community certain rights to influence the sort of developments that are permitted in its area. As the future of the Five Avres area is uncertain, this will be a powerful instrument to enable the area to be developed in the way that the local community wishes. The NDP will build on the success of the influential community group FANS (Five Acres Not For Sale) and its close working relationship with the Parish Council. For further information, including a map and description of the designated area and information about the consultation process, please click on ‘Neighbourhood Development Plan‘ on the left of this page. •WEST DEAN PARISH COUNCIL SUPPORTS FANS (Five Acres Not for Sale) – The Council at its meeting on 27th June 2012 decided unanimously to support the local campaign to preserve the educational, sporting and leisure facilities at the Five Acres campus and to get answers to questions on future plans for the site. For a new update on plans to honour Berry Hill playwright Dennis Potter, and further information on the progress of the campaign, please visit the FANS page on the banner to the left of this page. •ASSET OF COMMUNITY VALUE – West Dean Parish Council has now registered the Five Acres College site as an Asset of Community value, reflecting the educational, leisure, sporting and cultural importance of the site. This registration means that should the land be offered for sale in the next 5 years, the Parish Council will have the opportunity to bid for the land in a six months period. This registration, however, does not oblige the land owner to sell the land or to accept ant particular bid for it, or the Council to make a bid for it.
•Village web sites: for information about West Dean villages and what’s on, please visit one of the following web sites. 4 Villages (Clements End, Ellwood, Little Drybrook, Sling) click here Yorkley click here Pillowell http://Pillowell.webs.com •West Dean Parish Council Newsletter: The Parish publishes its newsletter 4 times every year. The newsletter is also published on this web site. The Spring edition was published on Wednesday 15th May. It was provided as an insert in all copies of the ‘Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review’ delivered to addresses in the Parish that day. Copies should be available in shops and community areas, but if you do not have the opportunity to get your own copy please contact the Parish office. •Highways: The Parish Council’s Public Safety have responsibility for all highways matters. If you have a complaint or comment about any highways issues, please contact the Clerk. A register of highways faults, including road surface and drainage concerns, signage, speeding concerns and other safety issues is maintained in the parish office, and a regular meeting every has been initiated between the Parish Council and the Gloucestershire County Council Highways Department. If you would like to report a problem, you can report direct to GCC Highways (08000514514) or through the West Dean Parish Council. •The West Dean Centre hosts Bream Methodist Church. See ‘West Dean Centre and Gosling Cafe’ link to the left. •For the 23 Bus Service (Coleford to Gloucester via Sling, Bream and Lydney) timetable, effective from Sunday 4th March 2012, Monday to Friday service click here, Saturday service click here , Sunday service click here. •Parish Plans: The Council has embarked on an extensive programme of community consultation to develop a Parish Community Plan. With support from the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, five Neighbourhood Steering Groups have been set up to find out local views, through questionnaires, public meetings and presentations. The five groups are (i) Bream, (ii) POVY (Pillowell, Oldcroft, Viney Hill, and Yorkley), (iii) the 4 Villages (Ellwood, Little Drybrook, Sling and Clements End), (iv) Berry Hill & Christchurch and (v) Whitecroft & Parkend. The first four groups have reported and Whitecroft & Parkend will report soon. Responses will be consolidated into an overall Parish Plan, to help determine the Council’s objectives and priorities over the next few years. •Snow Wardens: Volunteers in Whitecroft, Ellwood, Sling, Pillowell and Berry Hill have been issued with West Dean Parish Council grit spreaders and supplies of grit to keep streets passible and safe in snow and ice. Volunteers are still required for Yorkley, Parkend and Bream. Please contact the Parish office. •The next Council meeting is at the West Dean Centre, Bream, on Wednesday 29th May 2013. There is always a Public Forum preceding the Council meeting to which residents are invited to attend and speak. From February to July 2013 the Council is taking its meetings around the Parish. Please watch this space for details of venues and dates. For details of the agenda, please click on ‘Council Meetings and Minutes’ link to the top left of this page. Agendas are usually published around 5 days before the meeting. This site was last updated 24th May 2013.
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