Achievements

Parish Council Achievements to Date

Recreation and Open Spaces:

We manage Brickhill Allotments (126 full plots and 12 half plots)

By providing them with an allotment rent-free for a year, Brickhill Parish Council worked with TCV to encourage local residents to try allotment gardening

We supported Taste Real Food with their educational work around local schools by providing them with an allotment rent-free for a year

Additional parking facilities for allotment holders and users of the Scout hut have been provided as well as roadway repairs to improve access.

We manage and maintain Waveney Green, to ensure this asset remains available for local use

WREN funded play area – maintained and regularly inspected by ourselves

Planned upgrading (2016) in the toddler play area to a new all weather surface.

We mark out football pitches for Saturday morning football club – the group meets throughout the year term time only and is attended by over 50 local lower school children

Tree survey undertaken for Waveney Green

Footpath Repairs were carried out on Waveney Green in 2012 and 2016 and a planned programme of future work has been identified.

Creation of a memorial garden (2015) to commemorate the start of WW1.

Wildflower meadow planted on Waveney Green in 2016.

Annual gardening competition with prizes for best new and best existing allotment

Bulb planting on Waveney Green and Mallard Hill

Planning:

Our Planning Committee monitors planning applications and issues within the Parish and adjoining areas, responding as necessary. Details are placed on the web site.

Working with Young People:

YIZ – including February half term activities such as indoor climbing, canoeing, battlefield live, pizza evening (not active at the moment)

YIZ Bizy Café – monthly youth sessions held at Brickhill Community Centre – have brought equipment for the group (not active at the moment)

Organising and supporting youth activities for children of the Parish aged 7-12 during Easter and Summer

Holidays

Christmas drawing competition for children

Employed in 2014, a youth worker using monies provided via a grant from Bedford Borough Council. His role to produce a youth report identifying what young people see as priorities for them now and into the future. The aim being to create a list of recommendations for future youth work in the Parish

In May 2015, following completion of the report, a parish councillor has taken up the challenge of investigating how best to engage with the youth of the parish.

Older Residents:

Annual Christmas party held at Brickhill Community Centre

Community Facilities:

Leased by the Borough Council to Brickhill Parish Council, the Parish Council maintain Brickhill Community Centre to ensure this asset remains available for local use.

In November 2013, Brickhill Parish Council spent £4,000 plus on concrete repair work to replace corrosion to the exposed soffit to the first floor wing.

In 2014, the Parish Council spent over £20,000 refurbishing the upstairs toilets, replacing fire doors around the whole building and general repair work to the flooring.

In 2015, the Parish Council spent £4000+ on replacing the aluminium window in the main hall with a more energy efficient one. to In 2016 they spent approximately £17000 installing PV solar panels on the curved section of the main hall providing Brickhill Community Centre with largely free electricity.

The Parish Council is setting aside funds within its budget for further capital works at the Centre and are about to put together a 5 year plan for the future maintenance and development of the Centre to ensure its value as a community asset continues and grows into the future.

Sponsorship and Grants:

Through the Community Grant Scheme – local organisations have benefitted including Brickhill Wanderers FC, the Guides, a football tournament organised by Brickhill Baptist Church and Parkwood Local Nature Reserve. The latest grant was for £1,000 towards the cost of the new trim trail installed at Brickhill Lower School.

Leisure Activities:

Annual Community Event “Gathering on the Green” since 2010 – activities provided free of charge for all

Environmental:

Litter bins on Waveney Green

Providing a Grit Bin in Crofton Close, to make the road safer for residents.

Help organise and support litter picks within the Parish

Communication:

Website – promoting local organisations, community groups directory, links to community safety forum group

Publish quarterly newsletter – delivered free to Parish including Woodlands Park

Notice boards in the parish – promoting local events and local groups

Host Annual Parish Meeting which is a chance for local groups and residents to come together.

We are active on facebook and twitter

Community Involvement:

Supported residents in campaign to keep Post Office open

One of first pilot parishes to produce a Community Led Plan in 2011

Helped to launch a Good Neighbour Scheme for Brickhill

Supporting the Brickhill Community Safety Forum

Support Community Day of Action with other agencies in Carron Road Estate

Paid for a Police Post at St Mark’s for many years (now ceased due to police cut-backs)

Funded a part-time street ranger for one year to work with young people

Matched funding for public access defibrillator located at St Mark’s Community Centre

Supporting a Parish Poll, called by residents concerned at the impact of the Tesco store in Brickhill Drive on neighbourhood shops

Lobbied for a bus shelter on Brickhill Drive near Curlew Crescent

We hold a Parish Council surgery at 7.00pm just before our Parish Council meeting on the first Thursday in the month at St Mark’s Community Centre

Representing the Community:

Commented in detail on:-

The proposed changes to the East of England Plan

The Borough Council’s Sustainability Communities Strategy

The Boundary Committee’s Bedford Electoral Review

NHS consultation on the proposed Health Village/Enhanced Services Clinic in Kimbolton Road

The Borough Council’s proposed reorganisation of schools/special schools

Boundaries:

Actively involved in supporting the Community Governance Review with regards Woodlands Park

Requested the Bedford Borough Council to consider the realignment of the boundary between Brickhill and Clapham parishes.

Woodlands Park:

Prior to Woodlands Park becoming officially part of Brickhill , Brickhill Parish Council played an important role in dealing with issues within the estate:

Brickhill Parish Council suggested that the roads be named after the varieties of rare fruit trees in the orchard behind Brickhill allotments. This has resulted in the choice of some distinctive, attractive names.

Brickhill Parish Council has ensured that the estate is within the catchment area of local schools – thus enabling parents and childen to walk to school if they want to. Also Brickhill Parish Council persuaded the police to ensure it should be covered by the Brickhill Safer Neighbourhood Team; it made no sense for the estate to be policed from Riseley as officers would have to drive through Brickhill to reach it.

Brickhill Parish obtained support from the Borough for the Sustainable Community Plan, with every house in Woodlands Park consulted in 2010 and a ‘planning for real’ event held at Anjulita Court. The Plan is continuing with the aim of tackling the issues raised by residents.

While the estate was under construction, Brickhill Parish consistently urged for roads to be finished quickly and properly, for play areas to be built and for the North Brickhill Country Park plus football pitches to be provided quickly.

We were also consulted about the plans for Anjulita Court and Ladyslaude Court, where we raised concerns about the ability of Bramley Way to handle expected traffic volumes.

The Parish Council actively supported the Community Governance Review which resulted in Woodlands Park formally became part of the Parish of Brickhill on the 1st April 2015.

The Parish Council widely consulted with the residents of Woodlands Park on how to spend the £20,117.90 handed over from Ravensden Parish Council and were active in setting up and supporting a working group of residents and parish councillors which resulted in the report presented to the Parish Council on the 2nd July 2015. Brickhill Parish Council are now actively timetabling and actioning the implementation of those proposals.