Well…. who are ‘they’ exactly? ‘They’ are named later in this news - but ‘they’ are just people like you and me. ‘They’ live in the village, but ‘they’ are just ordinary people who, have found themselves standing for the Parish Council. Having got there, ‘they’ have made a difference!
So what have ‘they’ done over the last few years? Well, buying Caves Field for the Village, redeveloping The Cross, landscaping The Banks, the Church Rooms forecourt and churchyard approach, installing play equipment on Stafford Orchard and the cricket field, provision of a skateboard ramp, youth seat & basketball court, refurbishing the Memorial Garden at The Cross, building planters & flower beds all over the village, floodlighting the Parish & Baptist churches, providing bus shelters, new village entry signs, Christmas lights, planting trees, commissioning sculptures, replacing traditional ironwork, rebuilding granite walls, spearheading the St Bart's School Travel Plan (keeping our children safe on the way to school), getting zig zag lines installed, being instrumental in getting the Farley Way crossing, .....
oh, and liaison with the local police and Neighbourhood Watch on crime, security and traffic issues, scrutiny & comment on planning applications, looking after Stafford Orchard, the Memorial Gardens, the Village Hall, Caves Field, liaison with the County and Borough Councils on highways, drainage, footpaths, cycleways, public transport, street cleaning, conservation matters including trees and listed buildings, environmental issues such as quarrying and waste recycling, starting the Village Design Statement, support of local arts, sports, youth groups and societies, including grants where appropriate, and investigation and resolution of local problems and complaints received from the community .....
well yes, I hear you ask, “but apart from that, what have ‘they’ ever done for us!"
And how much does this cost?
The cost is 50 pence per head of population per week, or a pint of beer a month.
Well what’s this got to do with me?
This is not simply blowing a trumpet. There are no politics in our Council Chamber (thank goodness!) - everybody is just a volunteer simply trying to do what is in the best interests of the village. But we do need your help to keep the village looking at its best and remaining a pleasant place to live. Dog fouling, litter and mindless (and costly) vandalism are real problems for us- as you’ll see when you read on.
Come and have your say!
The Parish Council meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7.00 pm in the back of the Village Hall. Meetings are open to the public. Fifteen minutes is put aside for members of the public to speak at the meeting, on any Parish Council issue that concerns them.
Vandalism
At the time of writing Quorn is experiencing a particularly bad spate of vandalism. This has included:
Skateboard ramp on Stafford Orchard deliberately set on fire causing extensive damage.
Seat on Caves Field destroyed
New railings on Caves Field broken and bent
Children’s litter bin vandalised (Caves Field)
Seats on The Banks vandalised
All shrubs and plants uprooted from two large planters
This is costing the Parish Council - and therefore you - thousands of pounds.The Police are looking into all these incidents. So what can we all do?
If you see any vandalism being carried out at that moment, dial 999.
If you have any vandalism to your property please report it to the Police as an incident on 0116 222 2222. The Police need to be aware of problems to know where to focus their patrols etc. If you have any information about the culprits ring Leicestershire Crimestoppers (anonymously if you want) on 0800 555 111. A reward is being offered by the Parish Council for information leading to conviction for damage to its property.
Keep your eyes and ears open
The Banks
For two years the Parish Council has been working with the Church to complete phase two of the landscaping scheme on the Banks and around the Church Rooms. There have been a few technical hitches but it should now be nearing completion. Thanks to Cllr Ivan Bexon working with our Landscape Architect Fenella Bellinger, most of the money has been raised by grants.
We hope everyone enjoys this lovely area.
Quorn in Bloom
Thanks to Joan Bloodworth and her team for organising the beautiful hanging baskets and floral displays in the village this year. What a difference it makes!
A Parish Office in The Village!
At the time of going to press an exciting new development is underway. It is intended that very soon Quorn will have a Parish Council office right in the centre of the village on The Cross. This will make the Parish Council much more accessible and provide a central information point. Prior to this, Kathryn, our long suffering clerk, has had to work from home.
Opening times will be widely advertised as soon as they are available.
Members of the public will be able to make appointments or drop in to discuss Parish Council issues, report problems, give their views, be involved in consultations and view local planning applications.
