Burtonews BURTON RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the Sixth Edition of Burtonews I hope you find it a good read – there is a lot going on at present and no doubt there will be new issues to tackle in the coming year. Please note the date and time of our AGM and come along if you possibly can – the more the merrier! This also goes for membership of the Association. The more members we have, the more clout we have when dealing with Cheshire West and Chester Council and other large organisations to protect or
promote the interests of the village and its residents. For the latest news from time to time, visit the Association website: www.burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk Michael Redmond Chairman
OCTOBER 2019
Annual General Meeting The 29th Annual General Meeting of the Association will take place at Gladstone Village Hall on Thursday 17th October starting at 8pm. All local residents are cordially invited to join your committee and fellow members. Complimentary coffee, tea and biscuits will be served.
Burton Manor - back in business The restoration of the main (Westerly) section of the Manor is now complete and the Manor and its immediate grounds including the Walled Garden has been acquired by the Russell Taylor Group. Internally, the Manor is now a functioning office providing a superb working environment. The treatment of the dry rot in the easterly wing is nearly complete and this has enabled the extensive rebuilding work to commence. The staircase, devastated by dry rot, is being rebuilt using patterns taken from the original staircase. Planning Consent has been granted for the rebuilding of the front boundary wall incorporating a pedestrian gate which will provide safe access for local residents approaching the Manor from the village. Local stone masons continue the mammoth task of repointing the sandstone wall with lime mortar, replacing damaged stone as they go. The stonework for the new entrance is currently being cut and the entrance should be complete in the next few weeks. The refurbishment of the large pond which forms the centre- piece
of the Mawson Gardens has been completed and the pond has been re-stocked. The Restoration Company continues to work closely with the Friends of Burton Manor Gardens to improve the grounds generally. Most of the paths have been re -laid and a new store for use by the Friends is being built in the Walled Garden using waney edge larch cladding and a slate roof. The refurbished café is trading briskly and appears to be well used and enjoyed by local residents. Business is expected to be even brisker once the new pedestrian entrance is in place.
Construction of the new houses comprising the enabling development for the restoration of the Manor is expected to start shortly.
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BURTON RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
Who are we? Burton Residents’ Association is run by a committee of local residents. The Committee meets regularly to monitor proposed developments in or in the vicinity of the village, including local planning applications. Cheshire West and Chester Council take into consideration any comments the Association has on proposals which may affect the village and its residents. Several members assist the local police team with Speed-Watch activities in a bid to help reduce excessive speeding through the village. Chairman: Michael Redmond contact: 336 3643 chairman@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk Secretary Renee Syme contact: 336 5852 secretary@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk Treasurer: John Farrell treasurer@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk Members: Nick Deyne, Donald Howell, Steve Lord, Peter Nicholson, Jan Peters & Mark Watts The Association is committed to protecting and promoting the interests of the village and its residents. If you would like to comment on any of the issues in this newsletter, or you wish to raise a matter with us, please contact; chairman@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
DUNSTAN LANE – 40MPH Following concern expressed by a number of members about the speed of traffic in Dunstan Lane, the Association took the matter up with the Highways Department of Cheshire West and Chester Council in February 2018. The Principal Engineer agreed to arrange for a Speed Limit Assessment to be undertaken by the Council’s Road Safety Team and this was eventually completed in June 2018. The Report recommended a speed limit of 40mph along the entire length of Dunstan Lane from the A540 to the present 30 mph sign and after due process this was agreed by the Council and approved by the Police in January 2019.
The Association prepared a consultation document in the required form and copies were circulated to all relevant Dunstan Lane residents. 71% of the residents supported the proposal and the signed consultation documents were lodged with the Council for further processing. Later, the Association paid the Council £635.63 representing half the cost of introducing the new 40mph limit which it is hoped will be imposed in the next few weeks. The Association wishes to record its thanks to the Council Officers for their help and guidance in dealing with this matter.
The Association was then required to consult all residents and businesses on the length of Dunstan Lane affected and to act as Promoter of the speed limit proposal. As Promoter, the Association was further required to undertake to pay half the Council’s costs.
Saint Nicholas’ Church; Friends, Fundraising and Faith layers in the weeks of a very cold spring as we waited for the boiler to be up and running! A HUGE thanks to everyone for the money raised and the vestry is now warm, light and usable for our children’s groups and for events in church. We have a wonderful team of volunteers who help with all the children and young people’s work who give generously of their time and talents to ensure the next generation hears and can respond to the good news of Jesus, it’s been so encouraging to see where activities bring all ages together and friendships have grown.
Over the last year at St Nicholas’ Church we have so much to be thankful for. There is so much going on with all ages, from the youngest to the oldest and as well as all the activities we have had the vestry refurbished so it’s fit for purpose and also the 45 year old boiler has been replaced! Our church members and many others have to be congratulated not only for the generous, amazing and creative ways in which the funds were raised to enable this to happen, but also for putting on extra
More recently, a half termly Café church in the Sports and social club has started…a space to come and talk about those questions and areas of faith that we often struggle with and think no one else does! Thank you to all who have knitted squares to make multi-coloured homemade blankets for the homeless in Liverpool and keep filling up the boxes in the porch. Every blanket delivered has been so happily received and we aim to keep knitting and sharing in this practical demonstration of love and care. Eleven of the children slept out in church again in December to raise money for homeless
projects with the Church Urban fund and managed to raise £1227.65p. Along with your regular donations to the food bank we continue to seek to bring practical support to those in need. As with most organisations we continue to address the constant financial challenges. The increasing number of people within the community who have joined our ‘Friends of St Nicholas’ scheme’ have helped enormously in providing much needed funds for the vestry refurbishment. The ‘Friends’ will also be called upon to help fund the need for us to now contract both the cleaning of the church and the grass cutting in the graveyard. For over 20+ years a committed group of volunteers have faithfully kept the church clean and more recently, the grass cut and have been enormously generous with their time and abilities. However, age catches up with us all and with no new volunteers coming forward we will have to find the funds to keep our beautiful church and church yard clean and tidy. If anyone would like to join the scheme please contact me via the website or on c.helm@burtonhurch.org.uk. Thank you, Rev’d Cathy Helm.
BURTON RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER BURTONEWS | 3
RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands Celebrating 40 Years of Conservation
The big news this spring at Burton Mere Wetlands has been the breeding egrets, with Cattle Egret and (the long awaited) Great White Egret both nesting in the heronry. The Great White Egrets successfully raised 2 young, and these were observed around the Inner Marsh Farm area for a few days after fledging, still begging for food from their parents. No Cattle Egret young were observed, but they can be remarkably elusive, and no young were seen last time they bred here either. It is quite possible that the Marsh Covert heronry may be the only woodland heronry in Britain to have Little, Great and Cattle Egret breeding amongst the Grey Herons. One or two other sites have had all 3 egret species breeding this year, but these have all bred spread out within wetlands. It was hoped that Spoonbill would also breed this year, with a pair appearing in May that started nest building straight away. The appearance of a second male however, appeared to upset the pair, and they stopped any serious nesting attempt shortly after. Here’s hoping they try again next year. A flock of 7 Spoonbill are currently residing at Parkgate, which also includes the failed breeders from the spring. The other new addition to the BMW breeding bird list is Bearded Tit with 2 pairs rearing 2 broods each in the reedbed. When they first appeared last October, we did hope that they may hang around to breed, but
Burton Mere Wetlands Visitor Centre
never expected such a great outcome as this. Our breeding waders had another very good year too, with breeding pairs and fledging success rates similar to previous years, with Lapwing numbers now significantly over 100 pairs at BMW. This autumn we begin an exciting project to upgrade the visitor facilities at Inner Marsh. This will include the installation of a new hide and an upgrading of the current path network to enable access for all, including a new board walk that will bypass the steps that are currently the only means of access to IMF. The project will take some time to complete, but once finished this will mean that all hides on the reserve will be accessible by wheelchair or mobility scooter. This whole project has only been possible by the generosity of our supporters, which for me makes this project even more special. As part of our 40th birthday celebrations the Wirral Wader Festival took place at BMW on 31st August. As well as a celebration of the internationally important wading bird flocks that make their home on the peninsula’s coastline in autumn and winter, it offers a chance to admire and learn more about the populations of breeding wading birds like avocets and lapwings that the reserve is so important for. Stalls and activities from the event’s partner organisations Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Wader Quest and Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens amongst others were present, and
Great White Egret credit Jeff Cohen
Great White Egret Summer Plummage
free entry was offered to everybody to enjoy this special occasion. If you are popping down to the reserve, don’t forget to pick up a limited edition anniversary pin badge, featuring a Cattle Egret - a fitting tribute to mark 40 years of conservation success on the Dee Estuary. Here’s to the next 40 years! Graham Jones RSPB Site Manager – Dee Estuary September 2019
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BURTON RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
Village Traffic Matters As reported in the 2017 and 2018 Newsletters, CWaC Council had scheduled further weeklong speed limit assessments for Burton as an area, and Bishop Wilson Primary School, Puddington Lane, in financial year 2018/19. This was year three of the Council’s policy over four years to implement 20mph speed limits on residential roads across the borough where mean speeds are currently less than 24mph and around schools where the mean speed is currently less than 30mph. BRA is not aware that these assessments have yet been conducted. However, the last Speed Limit Assessment Report for The Village between Station Road and Vicarage Lane was completed on 27 January 2015. This recommended that, in accordance with DfT and national police guidelines for through roads without substantial traffic calming, the speed limit for The Village
should remain at 30mph. The full report is still available on the BRA website under News for March 2015. PCSO Linda Conway has continued to conduct Community SpeedWatch (CSW) sessions when available. Currently she is able to call on assistance from three volunteer residents. CSW recently recorded a vehicle in the 30mph limited Neston Road approaching the village at 57mph (one of the highest speeds ever recorded locally by the scheme). The Merseyside registered keeper will have received a warning letter from Cheshire police. From time to time PCSO Conway has also monitored speeds using the TruCam enforcement equipment. The highest speed
she has recorded in the last year was 52mph in March in the same stretch of road. At this speed it is likely that the driver will have faced the magistrates and received a fine and six points on their licence.
GLADSTONE VILLAGE HALL and SPORTS CLUB The Village Hall and Sports Club are great sociable spaces and especially so since we put in our new bar with improved bar stock and an excellent bar team. We have housed some great public events this spring and summer, including The Burton Buskers charity gig “From here to Absurdity” comedy performance, the Burton and Puddington Village Festival and evening shindig and ”Pie and Pint”. Over the next few months we look forward to The Pumpkin Festival, Bonfire Night and Festival Bazaar. In addition we have been hired for all the usual events – kids’ parties and receptions for weddings, christenings and funerals as well as special Yoga sessions, Italian classes, the Little Brocante (a wonderful vintage fair), dog grooming workshops and more. We welcome anyone to hire the hall, social club or meeting room, all of which are very amenable, fairly priced and have great facilities. For enquiries go to – info@gladstonevillagehall.org . and to know more about what we do, go to www.gladstonevillagehall. org. Join our e-newsletter via the website or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
THE RE-OPENING OF BURTON TENNIS COURTS It is a day we did not know we would ever see. After many years of use, the tennis courts fell into a poor state and despite efforts to keep them playable, they became dangerous for players and we had to close them. After consideration by Gladstone Village Hall, it was agreed that if there was a desire from members of the community who would regularly use them, then the GVH would support the resurfacing provided we could get matching funds. The Tennis Committee carried out a local survey and the majority strongly supported the resurfacing of the courts. Moreover there were enough members of the community willing to join the club to make it viable. Using the community survey, we applied to WREN for a grant from the
landfill tax and after a long process we were eventually successful. And so, we were able to place a contract for the resurfacing with Platt Construction and on 13th July, Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of the Council, cut the ribbon to declare the courts open for play! Since then the courts have been in use including a regular ‘mix-in’ on Tuesday evenings. Well over 100 people have already signed up for Burton Tennis Club. If you are interested in joining please contact Cath on crogers@ gladstonevillagehall.org. We are also looking for more Tennis Committee members so if you are interested please contact John on jnuttall@gladstonevillagehall.org
Please join the Residents Association Membership is open to all residents of Burton. A basic administration charge of £5 per household is payable annually from April each year. Our newsletter updating members is published at least once during the year. If you would like to join, please email: treasurer@burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk
Useful Links: www.burtonmanor.co.uk www.gladstonevillagehall.co.uk www.cheshire.police.uk www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Cheshire/ Neston/CH64 www.chesterchronicle.co.uk