Welcome to the Broad Chalke Parish Council Website.
You can use this site to access agendas and minutes, accounts and other formal documents as well as other useful information.
Use the 'Pages' tab on the tool bar above to navigate around the website.
You can also keep track of council events & local news by following us on Facebook & Twitter.
MARCH/APRIL 2023 UPDATE
CORONATION WEEKEND UPDATE- See below.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING - IMPORTANT CHANGE: The next meeting has been moved from Wednesday 12 April to Tuesday 11 April 2023, 7.00pm at the Village Hall.
PLANNING SUB COMMITTEE REPORT ON LAND ADJACENT TO KNAPP FARMHOUSE- See Minutes section.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME AND SELECTA DNA PROPERTY MARKING
Anyone interested in being part of a Neighbourhood Watch for Broad Chalke should initially contact the Clerk. It is hoped that a new Watch Group can be established to take this forward.
COUNCILLOR VACANCY
Following the resignation of Cllr Cave-Gibbs due to work commitments there is a vacancy for a new Parish Councillor. Please contact the Clerk if you are interested. Details in the Elections section of this website.
LOW LANE FOOTPATH
Following confirmation of funding from Wiltshire Council Highways and from the AONB, and The Chase and Chalke Partnership the initial enabling work has been undertaken to provide access for plant and materials from High Lane and a small compound of fencing in place be the allotments. There are some discussions ongoing with Wiltshire Council on some drainage infrastructure that has been revealed in the course of this work. Works on the drainage aspects of the Project started on 27 March with initial work to the clogged and blocked gullies south of the path to the river.
The path will soon be closed for the main works. To ensure public and contractor safety a diversion route is in place and signposted ad has been arranged courtesy of Andrew Jeans. As this is not a formal footpath it is accessible at the users own risk.
Further background in the Note below.
VILLAGE OPEN MEETING
This will take place on Wednesday 10 May at the Village Hall from 7.00pm-7.45pm and is an opportunity to meet informally with representatives of the Parish Council and Community Groups to talk about issues that are important to our village. More details nearer the date.
PARISH PRECEPT
The Council's Precept for 2022/2023 is £10,652. On a Band D property this represents an increase of £3.53/month from the previous year. The Council approved the 2023/2024 precept at its Council meeting on 9 November 2022 at £11,937 but did not approve a Special Precept for Playground renewal in view of the current cost of living issues.
PLAYGROUND
The Council have agreed a strategy that seeks to replace some of the equipment in mid 2024. This gives time to establish a Friends of Broad Chalke Playground Group; consult on equipment requirements and put together funding applications. Anyone that would like to get involved should contact Councillor Martin Altham.
FRIENDS OF BROAD CHALKE PLAYGROUND
Mrs Victoria Pickford and Cllr Martin Altham have set this Group up. Find out more on their Facebook page or via www.friendsofbroadchalkeplayground.co.uk
The Council has approved a £200 Section 137 grant as start up funds for the Friends Group and a reserve of £1800 set aside in the 2022/2023 accounts towards the new playground.
CHALKE VALLEY FETE AND SHOW
This will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 19 August 2023 at the Chalke Valley Sports Centre.
CORONATION WEEKEND- MAY 2023
A Coronation Street Party is being planned for the afternoon of Sunday 7 May outside and and around the Village Hall. A Road Closure application is being made so that the Event can, hopefully take place as a street party. Henry Flint is heading up the Organising Committee and can be contacted on hlflint@icloud.com
Volunteers to help are being actively encouraged to contact Henry.
PUBLIC INFORMATION NOTE- LOW LANE FOOTPATH IMPROVEMENTS
MARCH 2023 UPDATE
One of the projects identified as a priority in the Neighbourhood Plan, approved at the Village Referendum in July 2021, is to improve the footpath along Low Lane (from Springs to Mulberry Farmhouse).
The project is a priority to provide safe pedestrian access to the village centre as an alternative to pedestrian use of High Lane, and to improve the Rights of Way network through the Chalke Valley.
Last year an advert was placed for suitably experienced and qualified contractors to submit tenders for the work and Boswell Bros. were selected as a preferred contractor. Discussions and site meetings have taken place with the Contractor and the works agreed.
Discussions have also taken place with Wiltshire Council, the Cranborne Chase AONB, the Chase and Chalke Landscape Partnership, and the landowner to agree a package of funding.
At the time of writing (mid-March) it is envisaged that work will start w/c 27 March and is expected to take three weeks, but the final programme will be subject to weather and ground conditions.
During the works period (Monday to Friday 0800-1630 hours) the footpath will be closed for all but essential access. An alternative route has been agreed with the landowner and will be signposted through the water meadows on the other side of the river, from the footbridge on the western end of the project area to behind the doctor’s surgery at Doves Meadow.
The work to be undertaken involves clearing and reinstating existing drainage that has become blocked. Where access from the rear gardens of properties has bridged or blocked the open drainage ditch, piped gullies will be created and then covered over to maintain this access.
A new path surface will then be created. This involves digging out the existing muddy areas; some change to levels; installing a membrane; laying a hardcore foundation for the final limestone surface.
This will not be a formal, synthetic surface path with curb stones (as was the Causeway path) – but rather an informal meandering path with a more natural surface, soft edging, and a certain amount of landscaping in order the preserve the ‘country lane’ feel of the existing path.
Contractor access will be down the ‘cut’ from High Lane to the allotments and a small compound will be established at that point with stone tracks down the ‘cut’ to aid movement of machinery.
Obviously, there is going to be some disruption and disturbance which unfortunately is unavoidable, but the Parish Council and the funding partners hope that this will not be too onerous over, what is hoped to be, a relatively short construction period and that the finished project will be a significant improvement.
The weather and water table will have their part to play and there is nothing that can be done about this, so works and timings may vary.
If you should have any questions, please, in the first instance email the Clerk.
Broad Chalke Parish Council
Clerk to Broad Chalke Parish Council
Chris Rothwell
clerkbroadchalke@gmail.com
You can use this site to access agendas and minutes, accounts and other formal documents as well as other useful information.
Use the 'Pages' tab on the tool bar above to navigate around the website.
You can also keep track of council events & local news by following us on Facebook & Twitter.
MARCH/APRIL 2023 UPDATE
CORONATION WEEKEND UPDATE- See below.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING - IMPORTANT CHANGE: The next meeting has been moved from Wednesday 12 April to Tuesday 11 April 2023, 7.00pm at the Village Hall.
PLANNING SUB COMMITTEE REPORT ON LAND ADJACENT TO KNAPP FARMHOUSE- See Minutes section.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME AND SELECTA DNA PROPERTY MARKING
Anyone interested in being part of a Neighbourhood Watch for Broad Chalke should initially contact the Clerk. It is hoped that a new Watch Group can be established to take this forward.
COUNCILLOR VACANCY
Following the resignation of Cllr Cave-Gibbs due to work commitments there is a vacancy for a new Parish Councillor. Please contact the Clerk if you are interested. Details in the Elections section of this website.
LOW LANE FOOTPATH
Following confirmation of funding from Wiltshire Council Highways and from the AONB, and The Chase and Chalke Partnership the initial enabling work has been undertaken to provide access for plant and materials from High Lane and a small compound of fencing in place be the allotments. There are some discussions ongoing with Wiltshire Council on some drainage infrastructure that has been revealed in the course of this work. Works on the drainage aspects of the Project started on 27 March with initial work to the clogged and blocked gullies south of the path to the river.
The path will soon be closed for the main works. To ensure public and contractor safety a diversion route is in place and signposted ad has been arranged courtesy of Andrew Jeans. As this is not a formal footpath it is accessible at the users own risk.
Further background in the Note below.
VILLAGE OPEN MEETING
This will take place on Wednesday 10 May at the Village Hall from 7.00pm-7.45pm and is an opportunity to meet informally with representatives of the Parish Council and Community Groups to talk about issues that are important to our village. More details nearer the date.
PARISH PRECEPT
The Council's Precept for 2022/2023 is £10,652. On a Band D property this represents an increase of £3.53/month from the previous year. The Council approved the 2023/2024 precept at its Council meeting on 9 November 2022 at £11,937 but did not approve a Special Precept for Playground renewal in view of the current cost of living issues.
PLAYGROUND
The Council have agreed a strategy that seeks to replace some of the equipment in mid 2024. This gives time to establish a Friends of Broad Chalke Playground Group; consult on equipment requirements and put together funding applications. Anyone that would like to get involved should contact Councillor Martin Altham.
FRIENDS OF BROAD CHALKE PLAYGROUND
Mrs Victoria Pickford and Cllr Martin Altham have set this Group up. Find out more on their Facebook page or via www.friendsofbroadchalkeplayground.co.uk
The Council has approved a £200 Section 137 grant as start up funds for the Friends Group and a reserve of £1800 set aside in the 2022/2023 accounts towards the new playground.
CHALKE VALLEY FETE AND SHOW
This will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 19 August 2023 at the Chalke Valley Sports Centre.
CORONATION WEEKEND- MAY 2023
A Coronation Street Party is being planned for the afternoon of Sunday 7 May outside and and around the Village Hall. A Road Closure application is being made so that the Event can, hopefully take place as a street party. Henry Flint is heading up the Organising Committee and can be contacted on hlflint@icloud.com
Volunteers to help are being actively encouraged to contact Henry.
PUBLIC INFORMATION NOTE- LOW LANE FOOTPATH IMPROVEMENTS
MARCH 2023 UPDATE
One of the projects identified as a priority in the Neighbourhood Plan, approved at the Village Referendum in July 2021, is to improve the footpath along Low Lane (from Springs to Mulberry Farmhouse).
The project is a priority to provide safe pedestrian access to the village centre as an alternative to pedestrian use of High Lane, and to improve the Rights of Way network through the Chalke Valley.
Last year an advert was placed for suitably experienced and qualified contractors to submit tenders for the work and Boswell Bros. were selected as a preferred contractor. Discussions and site meetings have taken place with the Contractor and the works agreed.
Discussions have also taken place with Wiltshire Council, the Cranborne Chase AONB, the Chase and Chalke Landscape Partnership, and the landowner to agree a package of funding.
At the time of writing (mid-March) it is envisaged that work will start w/c 27 March and is expected to take three weeks, but the final programme will be subject to weather and ground conditions.
During the works period (Monday to Friday 0800-1630 hours) the footpath will be closed for all but essential access. An alternative route has been agreed with the landowner and will be signposted through the water meadows on the other side of the river, from the footbridge on the western end of the project area to behind the doctor’s surgery at Doves Meadow.
The work to be undertaken involves clearing and reinstating existing drainage that has become blocked. Where access from the rear gardens of properties has bridged or blocked the open drainage ditch, piped gullies will be created and then covered over to maintain this access.
A new path surface will then be created. This involves digging out the existing muddy areas; some change to levels; installing a membrane; laying a hardcore foundation for the final limestone surface.
This will not be a formal, synthetic surface path with curb stones (as was the Causeway path) – but rather an informal meandering path with a more natural surface, soft edging, and a certain amount of landscaping in order the preserve the ‘country lane’ feel of the existing path.
Contractor access will be down the ‘cut’ from High Lane to the allotments and a small compound will be established at that point with stone tracks down the ‘cut’ to aid movement of machinery.
Obviously, there is going to be some disruption and disturbance which unfortunately is unavoidable, but the Parish Council and the funding partners hope that this will not be too onerous over, what is hoped to be, a relatively short construction period and that the finished project will be a significant improvement.
The weather and water table will have their part to play and there is nothing that can be done about this, so works and timings may vary.
If you should have any questions, please, in the first instance email the Clerk.
Broad Chalke Parish Council
Clerk to Broad Chalke Parish Council
Chris Rothwell
clerkbroadchalke@gmail.com