Chair’s Report to Council on the Council Year 2006-07
Chair’s report to Council on the Council Year 2006-7
Shortly after the year began, the entire council went on an away day at the Winterhill Conference Centre. We all came away with our enthusiasm for our task as parish councilors refreshed and renewed.
At the end of the day we left with a set of priority projects for the coming year. How well we achieved our ambitions as we saw them last year is the first part of this report.
At the away day it was almost unanimously agreed that our major task was to achieve a smooth succession to the clerk’s post, following the planned retirement of Patrick Langston in March 2007. This has been completed very successfully. The entire council contributed to a redefinition of the clerk’s post, emphasizing the increasing managerial aspects of the post, and the recruitment and selection process proceeded more or less smoothly, culminating in the offer of the post to Bill Dawson in time for an orderly and seamless transition of duties between January and March of this year. Patrick remains as a consultant on financial matters until September.
We have made slow progress toward two of the other priority tasks we set ourselves in June: finding appropriate office and meeting space accommodation and carrying out a parish appraisal, and these must remain priorities. The Council and the Parks Trust are however agreed that redevelopment of the Oldbrook Centre site to provide better community centre facilities and modern office accommodation, financed by housing, would provide the best current solution to the problem, if it were possible, and examining the feasibility of the scheme is now well under way. Similarly, though the Parish Appraisal has not yet started, a consultant has been chosen, a timetable set, and, if contracts can be agreed, we can look at publication of the report in the New Year.
Our progress toward Quality Council status (another June target) has not been smooth, either. However, the imminent election of councillors to vacancies will remove the last obstacle to gaining that status, and will be followed by an immediate application.
But many other key projects identified in June have been achieved:
Oldbrook councillors have shown the way to those in other grid squares in holding regular surgeries.
The Parish Council made extensive and trenchant comments on the growth proposals for Milton Keynes.
We have started inter-agency work in the health field by hosting sexual health drop-in sessions for the African community on Thursday afternoons.
Planning has started for a Parish Festival in 2008.
The Oldbrook Centre has been refurbished, at least in part.
The obelisk is ready for installation as soon as our partner (Milton Keynes Council) allows it, though if delays continue we may have to rethink our plans for it.
After June and throughout the course of the year, new ideas have come forward and been implemented. We are in partnership with Milton Keynes Council and the MK Play Association to provide training for future youth leaders. We have established a parish youth web site. These ideas are a logical extension of our continuing work with children and young people, which last year included Parish Fun Days on every grid square in the parish during the summer holidays, along with football and basketball coaching at Meadfurlong and Willen Schools and grants to activities for 4-7 year-olds. We continue to support the Springfield Initiative, and the Children’s Fund’s activities in the parish.
The council has recognized that the parish’s older citizens have unfilled needs too and have just started a pilot project with Age Concern that will start to meet those needs, and identify directions for further work. Our Thursday morning walking group is used as an example of ‘best practice’.
We continue to fulfill our role as a conduit to channel public concerns, through the much commended Spotlight series, through public meetings in all but one of our grid-squares, and through consultations on particular issues and developments (for example in Campbell Park and Oakgrove).
Our partnership working remains at the core of what we can achieve, and we have worked together with Milton Keynes Council, Thames Valley Police and Bucks and MK Fire Authority. This has resulted in for example the “kangaroo runs” on Fishermead following the recent outbreak of arson attacks, and the re-landscaping in Kernow Crescent, Fishermead. Partnership working will also bring government funds for deprived areas into Fishermead and Oldbrook through regional and local agencies.
The parish will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the New City with especial vigour thanks to our funding of a parish choir to sing specially composed music, and of projects to produce works of art – banners and murals – to commemorate the event.
The Drinking Control Zone has completed its lengthy progress through the legal obstacles to its implementation.
Our allotments are being refurbished (new toilets and footpaths) and remain well used.
The parish made grants totaling over £35,000 last year. These included some of the activities mentioned above, but also included £500 to support a Credit Union, and grants to schools. We also part-funded the fire-work display in Campbell Park.
I have almost inevitably missed something out – it is difficult with so much going to be sure of being comprehensive.
Finally none of this would have been possible but for the hard work of the entire council – I won’t single out any individuals because every councillor contributes to their utmost in whatever is the most appropriate way. However , the council should recognize the contribution over many years of Brian Barton, who retired in December following a move to distant Heelands, and welcome Larry Harris as an Oldbrook councillor in his stead.
Similarly the success of the council is due to an extremely hard-working staff, and we must thank all of them. I shan’t repeat all the plaudits for Patrick Langston on his retirement as clerk, though they were all merited, and merely note the arrival of his successor, Bill Dawson, who has already made a distinct impression in his short time with us.Chair's report to Council on the Council Year 2006-7
Shortly after the year began, the entire council went on an away day at the Winterhill Conference Centre. We all came away with our enthusiasm for our task as parish councilors refreshed and renewed.
At the end of the day we left with a set of priority projects for the coming year. How well we achieved our ambitions as we saw them last year is the first part of this report.
At the away day it was almost unanimously agreed that our major task was to achieve a smooth succession to the clerk's post, following the planned retirement of Patrick Langston in March 2007. This has been completed very successfully. The entire council contributed to a redefinition of the clerk's post, emphasizing the increasing managerial aspects of the post, and the recruitment and selection process proceeded more or less smoothly, culminating in the offer of the post to Bill Dawson in time for an orderly and seamless transition of duties between January and March of this year. Patrick remains as a consultant on financial matters until September.
We have made slow progress toward two of the other priority tasks we set ourselves in June: finding appropriate office and meeting space accommodation and carrying out a parish appraisal, and these must remain priorities. The Council and the Parks Trust are however agreed that redevelopment of the Oldbrook Centre site to provide better community centre facilities and modern office accommodation, financed by housing, would provide the best current solution to the problem, if it were possible, and examining the feasibility of the scheme is now well under way. Similarly, though the Parish Appraisal has not yet started, a consultant has been chosen, a timetable set, and, if contracts can be agreed, we can look at publication of the report in the New Year.
Our progress toward Quality Council status (another June target) has not been smooth, either. However, the imminent election of councillors to vacancies will remove the last obstacle to gaining that status, and will be followed by an immediate application.
But many other key projects identified in June have been achieved:
Oldbrook councillors have shown the way to those in other grid squares in holding regular surgeries.
The Parish Council made extensive and trenchant comments on the growth proposals for Milton Keynes.
We have started inter-agency work in the health field by hosting sexual health drop-in sessions for the African community on Thursday afternoons.
Planning has started for a Parish Festival in 2008.
The Oldbrook Centre has been refurbished, at least in part.
The obelisk is ready for installation as soon as our partner (Milton Keynes Council) allows it, though if delays continue we may have to rethink our plans for it.
After June and throughout the course of the year, new ideas have come forward and been implemented. We are in partnership with Milton Keynes Council and the MK Play Association to provide training for future youth leaders. We have established a parish youth web site. These ideas are a logical extension of our continuing work with children and young people, which last year included Parish Fun Days on every grid square in the parish during the summer holidays, along with football and basketball coaching at Meadfurlong and Willen Schools and grants to activities for 4-7 year-olds. We continue to support the Springfield Initiative, and the Children's Fund's activities in the parish.
The council has recognized that the parish's older citizens have unfilled needs too and have just started a pilot project with Age Concern that will start to meet those needs, and identify directions for further work. Our Thursday morning walking group is used as an example of ‘best practice'.
We continue to fulfill our role as a conduit to channel public concerns, through the much commended Spotlight series, through public meetings in all but one of our grid-squares, and through consultations on particular issues and developments (for example in Campbell Park and Oakgrove).
Our partnership working remains at the core of what we can achieve, and we have worked together with Milton Keynes Council, Thames Valley Police and Bucks and MK Fire Authority. This has resulted in for example the "kangaroo runs" on Fishermead following the recent outbreak of arson attacks, and the re-landscaping in Kernow Crescent, Fishermead. Partnership working will also bring government funds for deprived areas into Fishermead and Oldbrook through regional and local agencies.
The parish will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the New City with especial vigour thanks to our funding of a parish choir to sing specially composed music, and of projects to produce works of art - banners and murals - to commemorate the event.
The Drinking Control Zone has completed its lengthy progress through the legal obstacles to its implementation.
Our allotments are being refurbished (new toilets and footpaths) and remain well used.
The parish made grants totaling over £35,000 last year. These included some of the activities mentioned above, but also included £500 to support a Credit Union, and grants to schools. We also part-funded the fire-work display in Campbell Park.
I have almost inevitably missed something out - it is difficult with so much going to be sure of being comprehensive.
Finally none of this would have been possible but for the hard work of the entire council - I won't single out any individuals because every councillor contributes to their utmost in whatever is the most appropriate way. However , the council should recognize the contribution over many years of Brian Barton, who retired in December following a move to distant Heelands, and welcome Larry Harris as an Oldbrook councillor in his stead.
Similarly the success of the council is due to an extremely hard-working staff, and we must thank all of them. I shan't repeat all the plaudits for Patrick Langston on his retirement as clerk, though they were all merited, and merely note the arrival of his successor, Bill Dawson, who has already made a distinct impression in his short time with us.
CP Parish
Parish Manager
