Clerk’s Report April 2024

Due to submission deadlines for this magazine, the Council’s report has been written before the
Council’s April meeting

The Council were saddened to learn of the death of past chairman Margaret Frances who served in that role for 16 years until 2013. She was a Councillor for over 20 years and was involved in many organisations in the village. The council sent its condolences to her family.

The Council met on 11th March 2024, five Councillors were in attendance and Cllr John Cooke (WCC) and Cllr Kyn Aizlewood (WCC) were also present. The evening started with the Annual Parish Assembly; Councillors were pleased to welcome speakers from a range of village groups including the Lapworth Charity, Lapworth’s Community Speed watch team, Friends of Lapworth Station and the Village Hall Committee. The Council would like to thank all our speakers for their time – you can view their reports in the Assemble Minutes on our website: https://lapworth-pc.gov.uk/agendas-and-minutes A shortened Ordinary meeting of the Council followed afterwards during which a grant of £1000 was approved for the planned refurbishment of the clubhouse at Lapworth Cricket Club.

The Parish Council would like to send thanks to the Lapworth Guides who have created a library in the red telephone kiosk at Lapworth Station. The Parish Council purchased the kiosk in 2018 when BT decided to sell their remaining stock; all the telephone parts were removed and it has remained empty ever since – Councillors are very pleased to see it having a new lease of life.

Warwickshire County Council are recruiting new members for their resident’s panel ‘Voice of Warwickshire’. As a panel member you will have the opportunity to share your views on big topics in Warwickshire, such as health/wellbeing, climate change and sustainability, community safety, education, transport, economic growth, inequalities and inclusion, and more. WCC are asking residents to sign up for 12 months until March 2025 and as a panel member you will be asked to give your opinions between four to six times a year; this will mainly be using online polls and short surveys, but other options will be available if you are not online. To be eligible to join, you need to be over 18 on or before 1 April 2025 and a Warwickshire resident. To register please visit www.ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/voice-of-warwickshire/registration2024/ or call Kate Price on 01926 742031

And finally, by the time you read this, the Council will have a new Clerk/RFO as I am moving on to a full time position with another Council. I have very much enjoyed working for Lapworth Parish Council and I will miss exploring Lapworth’s lovely canals and footpaths with the dog. My thanks to the Councillors and residents for making me feel so welcome here these past two and a half years.

The Council is pleased to announce that Mr Richard Lucas has accepted the position and Councillors look forward to working with Richard from the beginning of April.

The next meeting of Lapworth Parish Council will take place on Monday 13th May at 7:30pm. Minutes and Agendas for meetings are on the Parish Council website www.lapworth-pc.gov.uk Email: clerk@lapworth-pc.gov.uk