Melton Parish Council – A Note from the Chair – Alan Porter
Happy New Year
Well 2022 is upon us and the Christmas decorations are back in the loft. Meetings started in earnest on the 12th January with 3 meetings in 3 weeks! I must admit I have appreciated a bit of a break as the end of 2021 just seemed so busy.
The frustrations of being a councillor is that you are continually waiting for other people to do their bit. However it looks like there is some movement on the crossing points in Melton Road and we have a provisional installation date of April. I have faith that we will get there in the end. I must admit as I look back on the ten years I have been a councillor much has been achieved but there is a lot still to do. Especially in this the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
The Pavilion
Demolition was completed in December and they made a great job of it. The contractor has left the temporary fencing to keep people away from the site.
Formal tendering has been sought from local builders so we hope to evaluate those and start building as soon as we can. Of course the weather will play a crucial part in the progress that can be made. Tenders should be back in February.
Below are photos of the demolished pavilion before it was loaded into a number of huge skips.
Soon reduced to a pile of rubble
January Activities
The Speed Indicator (SID) posts are going in at Bredfield Road very soon and should be done by the end of the month. This will allow us to fit our moveable Speed Indicator there from time to time. Hopefully this will slow down some of the speeding that has become a problem in that area in recent years.
The steps on the footpath behind Saxon Way have been replaced and that the bus shelter on Bury Hill is due to be refurbished later in January. Hopefully the alterations will make it a bit more vandal proof.
These enhancements are all small scale but important to those who live in the area.
Care Village & Warberg site planning
The appeal for the Care Home application on Yarmouth Road and the planning application for the Warberg site are delayed. I don’t know the reason for the delays but be assured we are watching avidly.
Fete 2022 4th June
Planning for the fete is going on in the background and we have some new attractions this year. Amongst them is a fun dog show and dog agility course. There will be a chance for your dog to have a go at agility. This is being put on by Paws of Parham a well-known group who do training as well as agility.
If you would like a stall at the fete then please contact Councillor Charmaine Biggle on cllr.biggle@melton-suffolk-pc.gov.uk We only ask for a small percentage of your profits to help us put on future fetes and cover the cost of hiring toilets etc.
Litter Pick at Hall Farm
Melton Womblers gathered on Saturday 15th January at the Hall Farm Road Sports Ground where there is a wetland area alongside a stream to carry out a litter pick.
Prior to this land being divested to Melton Parish Council this piece of land was rather neglected and the wet area had occasionally been used for fly-tipping. Amongst the items retrieved were a car wheel, a plastic garden chair, waterlogged sleeping bag and a mattress which had been recovered last year. Luckily ESC removed the sofa before the land was divested!
Melton Parish Council are investing in the sports ground to make it a more amenable place for sport activities, dog walking or just enjoying nature. We will be installing a basketball hoop, new football goal and a bench together with some additional planting. We think it is important to invest in other areas in Melton rather than just the recreation ground which is often the focus of investment.
We intend to continue regular litter picking and inspire people to eliminate waste and litter to keep Melton a clean and tidy place to live and enjoy.
Why not join the Melton Womblers on Nextdoor (search Melton Womblers in Groups on Nextdoor) or contact Cllr, Peter James by email: cllr.james@melton-suffolk-pc.gov.uk
Tree Planting in Beresford Drive
The tree crew have been very busy lately planting Hazel, Hornbeam & Oak trees in the ground around the play area in Beresford Drive. We are certainly doing our bit for the Queen’s Green Canopy in 2022. Well over 100 trees were planted in January.
Many hands make light work – the Melton Tree Crew (MTC) were joined by local neighbours, and Transition Woodbridge folks and planted 70+ trees in under 90mins. It is quietly heroic work – supporting Mother Nature in this way at a time when human activity is causing the dangerous unbalancing of the natural order. Fitting then, that the “Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative” throughout this year has been chosen for celebrating her jubilee reign.
You, reader, can be part of this in various ways! Become a tree-friender – simply sign up to be on a list of helpers to watch out for the very dry times, ensuring that many of our saplings make it through. You may want to become part of the Melton Tree Crew or you may know a place, (your garden, even) where you’d like to some trees planted. We have stocks of native, deciduous saplings earmarked for a variety of intended projects but hope to keep some back to make available on request. No cost to you involved other than your offer of care but in sponsoring a tree in this way you are eligible to register the planting on the green canopy website.
Contact Martin, the Tree Warden, for more details through the Melton Parish Council office.
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Alan Porter
Chair – Melton Parish Council
