Y&CM-PC Newsletter No 3

Yarnfield and Cold Meece Parish Council May 2021

Your wellbeing is our business Message from our new Chairperson

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Dear Residents, Welcome to our latest Parish Council newsletter.

Firstly, may I express my sincere thanks to Brian Eyre, the outgoing Chairperson. Brian has been generous with his time, experience and energy. In guiding the new council, Brian told us we had no bad habits to carry forward, so we could focus on the things you told us were important to you. I hope that you have noticed some of the changes.

The Covid restrictions challenged us to find new ways of working and we are proud that we introduced live on-line meetings straight away. Thank you for engaging with us via Zoom and Facebook.

We look forward to meeting residents face to face at our Parish Assembly (see page 12). Following this event we will refresh our action plan.

Your councillors are always happy to hear from you, so please continue to contact us via e mail or Facebook, by phone or the old-fashioned way, in person!

During my time on the Parish Council, I have been passionate about ensuring everyone’s voice is heard, particularly younger residents who bring a fresh perspective on living in the parish. We plan to form a young people’s advisory group for residents aged 16-25 to help make sure that our decisions and actions reflect everyone in our community, regardless of where you live or how old you are.

During the coming year we will be looking forward to resuming work on several key objectives that had to be put on hold last year because of the pandemic. In the last Newsletter we started a consultation on the plans for the re-wilding project on the village green. We are excited to see these plans develop in the coming year and look forward to working alongside community volunteers turning these ideas into reality.

Issue No 3— 5/2021

Network Plus Network Plus Q &A Council finds a new audience Community Action Committee Community Speed Watch Traffic news Yarnfield Park Spring Clean Campaign HS2—update HS2—Community Grant Calling all walkers Country Code Community News Annual Parish Assembly Dates of Future Meetings Contact us

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As I take up the role of Chairperson I am determined to continue the momentum of progress. The more local support we have, the more we can achieve so please volunteer if you can (see page 8) and do keep talking to us.

With my best wishes Sally Sally Parkin

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Western Power Distribution & Western Power Yarnfield Lane Project Network Plus has been awarded a contract to install 15km of 33kV core cable and fibre cable from Meaford to Eccleshall. The route for the project will come along Yarnfield Lane and pass through the village.

The project, which is scheduled to start on 27 July and last for 17 weeks, will result in disruption to traffic and diversions being needed along the length of Yarnfield Lane and in the village.

The work will involve excavation, duct laying, cable installation and reinstatement works. This project is part of a significant investment programme in the West Midlands to ensure essential power supplies are maintained for the future. Western Power has said the project is needed to reduce the risk of supply outages and to cater for increased demand on the power networks. We do not expect any disruption to domestic power supplies.

The Parish Council will be working with Network Plus to ensure that the latest information about the work and the closures and diversions that will be needed are available to all residents.

The timetabling of the work has been arranged to avoid disruption to the school bus services with the major part of the work in the village being carried out during the school summer holidays. Network Plus has briefed emergency services about the road closures and diversions.

More information about the project can be found on the parish council website.

Once work has started information about diversions will be posted on the parish council website and Facebook page. www.ycm-pc.org.uk

@ycmparishcouncil

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Network Plus—Q&A raised by residents and the Parish Council Why are you having to do this work?

The project will install 15.3km of 33kV cable, connecting substations on Meaford Road and Newport Road, Eccleshall. This will improve the network and the service provided by WPD to all local customers.

Why has the scheme been chosen to go along Yarnfield Lane?

It was chosen because it is the most direct route Are the closures set to be in place for the whole duration of this time?

We have 3 teams for this project.

2 teams are due to finish their sections at the end of September subject to any issues they may find that could possibly delay their works. Once finished these teams will be relocated onto Yarnfield Lane. By having the extra teams on Yarnfield lane where possible, this will speed up works and shorten the period we need to be present.

How will the work be phased?

Works to start at the junction of Meece Road forwarding through the village (village works to be completed during the summer holidays), works to carry on down Yarnfield Lane towards A34 The Fillybrooks. (approx dates 27/07/2021 - 22/11/2021) Does the 17 week schedule include any weekend or nighttime working?

Where possible weekend working will be undertaken to complete the works sooner.

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Wouldn’t it be better to dig up a field and lay the cable there instead of a road?

As the contractor we have been instructed by WPD to work on public land - this could be due to many reasons i.e legal reason, private landowners, future access to cable, etc.

Have WPD been in contact with HS2?

Yes There are plans for HS2 to make major alterations to the lane and M6 overbridge. Wouldn’t it be better to wait until this work has finished?

At present the network is working at full capacity in the Eccleshall & surrounding areas, these reinforcement works need to be completed sooner rather later to mitigate any potential issues.

How do we get out of Moss Lane if Yarnfield Lane is closed?

You will be able to access Yarnfield lane at all times. It will depend which way you turn according to the working area / diversion.

What arrangements have been made to guarantee access for emergency services?

Access will be granted for emergency vehicles if safe to do so, the team will assist by moving cones, barriers, etc. Additionally, emergency services will have prior knowledge of the diversions to be followed.

What about the school bus and other bus services to Stone?

Works in Yarnfield village to take place during summer holiday to minimize disruption to Schools.

The bus company has been contacted and a temporary bus stop will be in place near junction of Meece road.

What are the normal hours of 3

working?

7am till 5pm Could the over ground electricity supplies in the village be removed?

Not with this scheme, the voltage of the cable going in is not compatible.

Would it be possible to keep the lane open to village traffic when contractors are not working?

Where possible but this cannot be guaranteed due to location of the excavations and any issues resulting in leaving the excavation open.

What provisions have been made for refuse collection, online food shopping deliveries, postal deliveries, other online shopping/ parcel deliveries, any medical/carer visits that might be required?

Vehicles are to follow diversions and we would recommend comments to be stated when arranging deliveries.

How do we get in touch with Network Plus if we have questions about any “day-today” issues associated with the work?

Customer Liaison Manager Sam Thawley Email WPDMajorProjects@networkplu s.co.uk Tel No: 01773 305020.

Council Finds New Audience One of the few positives to come from the outbreak of Covid-19 has been the way people have embraced online meetings. The Parish Council quickly adapted to the new ways of working and held their first virtual meeting in May 2020. We also took the important decision to stream the meeting to the Parish Council’s Facebook page. This obviously required changes to the way we work and was undertaken by all with some trepidation. While there have been a few problems along the way everyone involved agrees these online meetings have been very successful.

The Zoom meetings have created a new audience of local people who are following the work of the parish council. It has also allowed us to reach out to the whole parish in a way not possible before. Whether it be the HS2 briefings or more recently the Network Plus Q & A session the opportunities created by virtual meetings has allowed the council to continue our work.

A traditional meeting held in the village hall would normally attract only a small audience of about 8 people. It is clear the move to on-line meetings has not suited everyone. To accommodate as many people as possible we have been looking into the option of holding hybrid meetings.

We are pleased to announce that we have had very positive discussions with the people at the Yarnfield Park Conference Centre about how this might be achieved.

The Yarnfield Park Conference Centre has offered to provide the technical support and equipment needed to allow us to hold public meetings and broadcast them live to our Facebook page. Once the Covid-19 restrictions on public meetings are lifted face to face parish council meetings will resume but thanks to this generous offer we will be able to continue with meetings available online.

Community Action Committee Yarnfield has for many years benefited from a local Forum that represented the interests of local people. In November 2018 it was the Yarnfield Forum that provided the platform to campaign for the local governance review which led to the creation of the Yarnfield and Cold Meece Parish Council, and in 2019 the election of the 7 councillors.

Much of the work done by the Forum has now been absorbed into the work of the Parish Council which has become the local voice for residents and volunteering in the parish. There is a real opportunity to build on the work started by the Forum. At its last meeting the Parish Council agreed to form a new Community Action Committee that would take over the work started by the Yarnfield Forum.

The focus of the committee will be on the whole parish and it will be looking to develop three key areas of work.

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Community Projects – everything from bulb planting, organised litter picks, small environmental projects Community engagement and support – to develop a programme of activities that supports the community with the aim of improving social inclusion and wellbeing.

Community volunteering role – to promote new volunteering opportunities in the parish that help to deliver the aims and objectives of the Parish Council and to support volunteers.

Council Defibrillators – to be responsible for the two council defibrillators and to find ways to extend the network of devices in the parish.

To oversee a smooth transition the first Chairperson of the Committee will be Cllr Stella Hughes and its membership will include former members of the Yarnfield Forum.

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Community Speed Watch Excessive speed in the parish is one of the most common issues raised by the community. It not only has a direct impact on road safety but also the quality of life for those residents that have to endure it. In the last month the Yarnfield and Cold Meece Community Speed Watch group (CSW) has been able to start operating again and have been out working at several locations on Yarnfield Lane monitoring traffic speed. effective the work of our CSW group is at getting support from the police to tackle this serious issue.

Last week the CSW were involved in “Operation Lightning” with the Staffordshire Police Road Policing Unit . This proved to be a very busy week with 397 vehicles recorded and 154 vehicles speeding, which amounts to over 38% of the vehicles coming out of Yarnfield!

The maximum recorded speed was 51 mph.

A recent recruitment drive has helped to attract 4 new volunteers. There are still opportunities to support this essential work and more volunteers are always welcome. For more information contact Simon on ycmcsw@gmail.com.

Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner The rules governing the work of the CSW only allow them to operate on roads with either a 30 or 40 mph limit.

These arrangements mean that Yarnfield Parkway, outside Springfields First School and Brookvale Drive are currently off limits to the CSW. Evidence is being prepared to campaign for a change in these rules. Cllr Jeremy Pert is supporting a proposal to get Ben Adams, the newly appointed Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, to agree to a change in the rules which would allow the CSW to monitor on road in 20 mph Zones.

The creation of the buffer zones on Yarnfield Lane and the change in the speed limit on Meece Road and Swynnerton Road in Cold Meece ( see page 6) will be monitored by the CSW. Operation Lightning has demonstrated how

Radar Speed Sign The sign on the village green has proved to be an effective traffic calming tool and is providing valuable information about traffic movements. After the quiet times in 2020 there has been a steady increase in the volume of traffic passing the sign; up from Issue No 3— 5/2021

46,700 in July 2020 to over 65,200 in April 2021.

The sign shows a trend of increasing traffic speed and worryingly a month on month rise in the number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit.

The Parish Council and CSW hope the work they are doing 5

with the County Council Highways and Staffordshire Police will reduce the speed of vehicles and help to educate drivers to be more aware of how they drive.

Green light for new traffic safety measures

Proposals to introduce new road safety measures in the parish have been given the go-ahead by Staffordshire County Council.

The first scheme will create a short 40 mph buffer zone on either side of Yarnfield. The idea is that the buffer zone will influence driver behaviour and help reduce the speed of vehicles as they come into the village.

Residents of Cold Meece have raised similar concerns about the speed of traffic on Meece Road and Swynnerton Road; both of which are 60 mph roads.

A second scheme will reduce the speed limit on Swynnerton Road and Meece Road to 40mph. As part of this project the Parish Council is also looking into the feasibility of providing new “village gates” like those on Yarnfield Lane.

The scheme is being paid for by Staffordshire County Council, local businesses and the Parish Council, which has made a £4,000 provision towards the cost of the projects.

Yellow Line Proposal

Potholes An ongoing complaint on local Facebook pages is about the condition of Yarnfield Lane. We recognise the concerns residents have about the safety of the road and the damage to their cars. This is not just a local issue, and the condition of roads is a recurring theme throughout the country.

A recent national survey reports that, despite a 15% increase in highway maintenance budgets, maintaining local roads to target conditions is still out of reach for local authorities. The survey goes on to say the bill to fix the backlog of maintenance work on local roads in England and Wales is £10.24 billion.

This equates to an average ‘backlog’ cost of £49,573 per mile of local road in England and Wales. The one-time catch-up cost is an average of £77.2 million per authority in England.

It is always helpful to know the facts when we are sharing our views.

Facebook is great at raising awareness, but it will not be able to fix the problem.

The only sure way of lodging your concerns with the Highways Team is by using their simple app, myStaffs app, or by going online at: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/web/reportfault .

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A proposal has been made to restrict parking near to the junction of Yarnfield Lane and Highlows Lane.

Staffordshire County Council is about to start public consultation on the feasibility of the proposals which, if adopted, will see double yellow lines on Yarnfield Lane outside the village hall and around the junction with Highlows Lane.

Yarnfield Park Residents Association The Parish Council has been meeting with residents of Yarnfield Park to address concerns about the care of the green spaces on the development. This has involved revisiting the section 106 agreement between the house builder and the Borough Council, understanding land ownership issues and establishing who is responsible for the various maintenance tasks. We know that residents have ongoing concerns, including value for the money paid to the grounds contractor, however the Parish Council is not able to negotiate directly on behalf of residents with either Barratt Homes, Pinnacle or the Borough Council.

For this reason we pledged to support the formation of a Residents Association. This group will be recognised by the Borough Council, which has a duty to enforce the terms of the s106 agreement.

We hope that all home owners will join the Residents Association but to begin with we need a group of people who will work together to get it off the ground. Please let us know by contacting the clerk if you are interested in being part of this group.

We plan to meet again with residents as soon as possible. We will answer any questions you have about the s106 agreement and share the information we have uncovered.

Yarnfield Park—other news Twenty’s Plenty There has been much confusion about the correct speed limit on Yarnfield Park.

As the County Council moves closer to adopting the roads on the estate, discussions have been taking place to try and get to the bottom of this issue.

The decision has been made that the nature of the roads and the fact that traffic

calming measures have been built into the design of the estate roads, mean that a limit of 20 mph is the most appropriate speed for all roads on the estate.

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We hope formal adoption of the roads will happen before the end of the year.

condition of the site and bring any problems about it to the owner.

Multi-Use Play Area The maintenance and cleaning of the Multi Use Play Area continues to cause concern. The area, which is owned and managed by Hackberry Development Ltd, is an ongoing problem.

Action by residents to try and keep the site clear of litter has had some success but the real solution will only come when the owner accepts full responsibility for the site.

Hackberry Development Ltd has now appointed a contractor to maintain the site and empty the litter bin.

The Parish Council has been told this will be done once a month.

The Parish Council will continue to monitor the

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A long term solution for the future of the site needs to be found. Discussions with the planning department at Stafford Borough Councill have been started to secure their support over the future of the site.

Spring Clean 2021

28 & 29 May (10.00am —noon) & (2.00—4.00pm) A great day out for you and your family around your parish.

Are you prepared to help with the village spring clean?

Some jobs have already been organised: Washing the village gates Painting older play equipment Weed control on footpaths We are looking for volunteer pledges for some of these activities: Clean Greenside playground equipment Washing—bus shelter, phone box Clean “20’s Plenty” signs Litter picking (equipment provided) Clear fly tipping Clearing around styles and gates on footpaths Clearing grass from pavements Planting summer bedding plants If you can’t join us perhaps consider just tidying the area outside your own property. Every little bit will help.

Supported by Yarnfield Park Conference Centre

How to get involved: If you want to get involved contact John Fraser for more information.

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John Fraser, Parish Clerk Email: ycmclerk@gmail.com Tel: 07546456771

HS2 update Despite an excellent performance by the Stone Railhead Crisis Group’s (SRCG) technical team, who gave evidence on behalf our parish council in front of the House of Lords Select Committee in September 2020, Phase 2a of the HS2 project received Royal Assent in February 2021.

The passage of the hybrid bill into law was not without challenge and our MP, Sir Bill Cash and several other Staffordshire MPs, voiced their concerns about the project in the preceding debates.

The Government accepted an amendment to the bill from the House of Lords requiring further consultation with residents living near the line, which has just been reported on: https://questionsstatements.parliament.uk/ written-statements/detail/202105-13/hcws19 The Parish Council and its joint

petitioners, Stone Town and Chebsey Parish Council, together with the Stone Railhead Crisis Group (SRCG) and many of our residents made their opinions known and we now await the HS2 Minister’s formal response to the Ipsos-Mori report in June.

In the meantime, the SRCG remains very active with its campaign to relocate the Stone Railhead/IMB-R to Aldersey’s Rough, which is gathering considerable political support across the region, as well as nationally. The fact that Phase 2a has received the go-ahead to proceed to detailed design, does not mean that HS2’s current plans cannot be amended by the Secretary of State for Transport via the use of an order under the Transport & Works Act. The technical evidence clearly suggests that HS2’s proposals for the Stone Railhead are unfeasible

With the Covid-19 restrictions soon ending, the SRCG is hoping to hold a public meeting this summer, details of which will be announced on the Parish Council and SRCG websites, together with local social media.

For more information about the campaign please visit https:// www.stonerailhead.org

grants programme, linked to quarterly Independent Panel meetings.

The Parish Council is inviting residents and local groups to come together to identify projects that will form the basis of one or more bids. An invitation has been made to Groundwork UK to attend a public event aimed at promoting the Funds and to provide information about submitting bids and the application process.

For more information and to find out how to get involved contact the Parish Clerk.

Funds are available to local communities to help with the disruption that will be caused by the construction of Phase 2a of HS2 between the West Midlands and Crewe. The Community and Environment Fund: CEF Local will fund projects up to a maximum of £75,000 per project. There is also a fund targeted at supporting local business.

Primarily the CEF is targeted at the voluntary/ community sector, including resident’s associations, constituted community groups, social enterprises and registered charities.

The administration of the funds is being managed

by Groundwork UK. There are currently no deadlines for submission of bids as this is a rolling Issue No 3— 5/2021

because of poor design; unrealistic transport logistics proposals; and difficult prevailing ground conditions at the site.

Given that Aldersey’s Rough would be £93 million cheaper to build and could be operational within half the time, as well as negate the need for a similar facility for Phase 2b in Cheshire, there are many reasons to remain optimistic that the Government will insist that HS2’s proposals for the Stone depot are abandoned.

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Calling all walkers WALKING IS GOOD FOR US. Walking regularly is one of the easiest ways to improve our mental health, as well as helping us stay active.

There is no doubt there has been a massive increase in the number of people taking advantage of the beautiful surroundings we live in and it is hoped this will continue as we move out of the lock-down restrictions.

Last year there was a call to set up a local walking group in the parish that could bring like minded people together. Sadly, this needed to be put on hold because of the Covid-19 restrictions.

The Parish Council is now in discussions with the Ramblers Association and Borough Council about setting up a Health Walk.

The walks will be designed to suit walkers of all abilities, with shorter 'beginner' walks taking place every week. Longer 'progression' walks are offered once or twice a month for those who want more of a challenge.

If you would like to meet friends, make new friends or just have a reason to get out watch out for the latest information on the Parish Council website and Facebook page.

@ycmparishcouncil

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Community News Yarnfield Village Shop

Rainbows, Brownies and Guides As we all start getting back to “normal”, so too are Girlguiding activities in Yarnfield and are thinking about “starting back”.

If you would like to know more about Guiding in Yarnfield, either as an adult volunteer or a young member (Rainbows 5-7, Brownies 7-10, Guides 10-14), visit Girlguiding Stone Outward Division’s website at stoneoutwarddivision.co.uk or girlguiding.org.uk to register your interest. Alternatively, call Marion on 01785 760636 for an informal chat.

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Beauty Rebellion Yarnfield Village Hall is RE-OPENING!

Early in 2020, the village was quiet with both the salon and the pub being closed. We were so excited to open in March 2020 but had no idea we were on the verge of a pandemic. The girls have worked so hard, in between the 8 and a half months of closures and hope that finally we can carry on without further lockdowns.

We’ve welcomed so many existing and new clients from the village and can’t wait to meet more of you. We are open Monday to Saturday offering hair, beauty and nail services. We might be in a tiny, beautiful little building but we’ve got it all going on.

Pop by and see us or ring 01785 761639.

The Beauty Rebellion team: Jenny, Hannah; Helen, Leanne and Kerry.

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At last, we are nearly at the end of the Covid restrictions!

The Village Hall has now started to reopen, and it was really good to welcome back the children’s dance classes. I have now contacted all our regular users to ask them if they wish to return when they are able to and use the same slots they had before. I can then identify where there are free slots for new bookings.

As we move to Step 3 of the Lockdown Roadmap, some indoor activities will be able to resume.

However, some Covid restrictions will still be in place such as social distancing, the wearing of facemasks and the need to sanitise before and after each booking.

When we move to Step 4 all the legal restrictions will be lifted, but cleanliness of hands and touched surfaces may remain as recommended good practice.

Step 4 will be introduced on June 21st, at the earliest, and from then on the Village Hall will be fully available for all activities without restrictions on numbers.

If you need any advice about using the Village Hall, especially before Step 4 is introduced, please email me.

Peter Cresswell pete.cresswell.t21@btinternet.com Chair – Yarnfield Village Hall Management Committee 11

Annual Parish Assembly The Parish Assembly is a meeting of the residents in the parish that should take place between 1 March and 1 June every year.

In 2020 Covid-19 restrictions prevented the meeting taking place and in 2021 the restrictions again prevented the Parish Assembly meeting. It is hoped a rescheduled meeting will be possible in the Autumn when, with luck, restrictions on public

gatherings will be lifted.

It is planned to hold an Assembly Meeting on 21 October at Yarnfield Park Conference Centre. The meeting, which is open to everyone in the parish, will provide an opportunity to review what has been achieved over the last two years and to set the direction and work programme for the Parish Council in the coming year.

Parish Council - Meeting Dates Start Time

Meeting date

Meeting

Venue

23 June

07:30pm

Parish Council Meeting

Yarnfield Park *

29 June

07:30pm

Community Action Group

Village Hall

14 Jul

07:30pm

Parish Council Meeting

Yarnfield Park *

15 September

07:30pm

Parish Council Meeting

Yarnfield Park *

13 October

07:30pm

Parish Council Meeting

Yarnfield Park *

19 October

07:30pm

Community Action Group

Village Hall

21 October

07.30pm

Reconvened Parish Assembly

Yarnfield Park

10 November

07:30pm

Parish Council Meeting

Yarnfield Park *

15 December

07:30pm

Parish Council Meeting

Yarnfield Park *

* Meetings at Yarnfield Park will also be streamed live onto the Parish Council Facebook page.

Agendas for the meetings are posted on the Parish Council notice boards and on the Parish Council’s website.

Anyone wanting to ask a public question at a meeting should contact the Parish Clerk by 12 noon on the day before the meeting.

Contact Details: John Fraser, Parish Clerk Email: ycmclerk@gmail.com Tel: 07546456771 www.ycm-pc.org.uk

@ycmparishcouncil