MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL
PARISH MEETING Present: Parish Councillors Mrs F. Chapman, J. Caunce, Mrs E. Chubb, J. Harris, Mrs D. Land, P. Jay, P. Nicholas, M. Stuart, Mrs C. Tunbridge, S. Walker, R. Webb; Youth Parish Council Member J. Lodge, Cotswold District Councillors C. Bennett, P. Clarke and P. Messenger; Gloucestershire County Councillor S. Parsons; Police Community Sergeant S. McIntyre and Police Community Support Officer Daniel Sinclair (Gloucestershire Constabulary); Major Tom Fraser (Quartermaster, 29th Postal, Courier & Movement Regiment); Roger Edgar (Ann Edwards School Governor); Revd David Bowers Vicar All Hallows Church, Tony Squire (Church Warden); Reta-May Matthews (United Reform Church); Mrs A. Stuart (Village Hall Committee). Seventeen members of the public were also in attendance. Cllr M. Stuart opened the meeting at 7.30pm and welcomed all present to the meeting. APOLOGY There were no apologies. MATTERS ARISING There were no matters arising. Thanks must also go to our top class Parish Council Clerk Maurice McKee. It is not an easy job keeping us on the right track and preventing us contravening too many of the myriad rules and petty regulations we are beset with. Thanks Maurice my friend for all you efforts; long may they continue. The Chinese name their years after various animals. If we had a similar system here in Cerney, I suggest we could rightly name this past year as being the Year of The Drains. Not only drains but the stuff that flows through them. We have had more than our share of problems with sewerage, storm water and a very close call on severe flooding which was only avoided by prompt and somewhat dramatic action by this Parish Council. July 2007 saw awful flooding throughout the country and we were so fortunate to avoid the disasters experienced by so many in Gloucestershire and the Thames Valley. The experience made us very aware of what could happen so when more flooding occurred this January we were alert to the potential for worse problems. Robert Franklin Way was within a couple of inches of being inundated and sand bags were not sufficient to stop the risk. On the Wednesday morning James Harris reported the situation and between us we worked out a plan on how to relieve the backed up water behind the bridge at the play ground. A hastily convened extraordinary Parish Council meeting was held that evening and work started on Friday morning at 9am with James doing most of the technical stuff ably assisted by Steve Walker and Tony Squire with me taking photos and attempting to prevent interested villagers getting drowned in the mud! By 3.30 pm we had laid six large diameter pipes across the bridle path and were able to let the water flow through them. The backed up flood started to drop and we could see a definite reduction in the water level within a few minutes. I dread to think what would have happened if we had not done that job. A tremendous thank you to everyone involved, especially James. Again on drains, I am relieved to be able to report that Thames Water has at long last replaced the rising main from the pumping station at Robert Franklin Way to the sewage farm at Shorncote. It has taken this community too many years to get them to do the job which they still have to fully complete. It has cost them over £5m but we no longer have the risk of further pipeline breakages with the resulting disgusting flooding with raw effluent as we have experienced for far too long. To be a parish councillor you need to have lots of patience. And I mean lots of it. Nearly eight years ago we as a council paid to have a section of the culvert running from Upper Up to Station Road inspected with CCTV cameras as we were worried about obstructions that could cause flooding. Problems were found and we were promised that GCC would do the rest of the inspection and carry out what ever works were found necessary. They kept their word and the work is being done this week. Away from drains another situation we were dissatisfied with for many years was the fact that this village’s young people did not get their fair share of the GCC Youth Services budget. Peter Jay in particular has been pushing for some input from county for well over fifteen years and at last we have success. For several months GCC Youth Services Mary Mychaleckyj ably assisted by Emily Whitehead of Young Gloucestershire has been working with an ever expanding group of youngsters in this village. This council have helped by funding them with a grant to pay for some of the expenses and intend to be supportive to their efforts in the future. We have continued to improve the environment with schemes such as the planting of a new hedge at the Upper Up field to provide habitat for many types of wildlife. Extra memorial trees have been planted and those that have been in for three or four years are maturing nicely as is the pond. If you haven’t visited that area please do so. It is something we are proud of achieving. In 2005 we prepared a Village Plan and we have been working to carry out as many of those projects as we can. In fact, we are well on the way to completing the wish list and we will need to consider doing another Village Plan in the next couple of years so start thinking as to what we can do to further improve this great village. I do not have enough time to tell you everything we have achieved this
past year but when you consider that we have done so much and still been
able to reduce the precept by the equivalent of £1.81p per annum on a Band D
dwelling I suggest you are getting pretty good value for your money from
this YOUR parish council. Once again we have had a very busy and successful year here in the Village Hall. Bookings have continued to roll in and we have very few blank spaces in the diary. Thanks to John Veitch for his efforts in promoting the Hall and also for keeping it clean. Many users and other visitors have complimented us on how well the place is looked after. The increase in bookings has resulted in our being one of the few village halls to be able to report a profit over the previous twelve months and that is despite our not having increased our letting charges for several years. Yes, we are supported very well by annual grants from the Parish Council but we do make a profit, albeit small, even after taking those monies into account. Thanks to Parish Council for the way in which we all work together. Because of the sound financial situation we were able to invest in the excellent Vision and Audio system we have here now. It has been installed since the end of last year and is such an improvement to the facilities. If you have not seen it working stay on after the meeting and we will show the remaining minutes of the football match that is on TV as we speak. The Cerney Cinema continues to thrive and we have had some top class films recently and these have attracted quite large audiences resulting in our making some good money for the coffers. We are grateful to CDC for continuing to run the rural cinema scheme which provides us with the films. Long may this continue. Of course, to have a hall run as well as this one does means we have to have a top class committee and that we certainly do have. There are 17 members and we always have good attendance at meetings. Thanks to all for the excellent input. Finally, I am delighted to welcome some people who have been such good friends and supporters of this Hall for many years. GRCC does so much for rural communities in this county and we rely on them for advice on many and varied subjects. Tonight we have here the GRCC Village Hall Advisor Barbara Pond and the Chief Executive of the GRCC, Lesley Archer. They are here for a specific reason and I will now invite them to tell us why they are here. Barbara Pond explained to the audience that Village Halls could achieve recognition for the standards they provide. The Hallmark Quality Standard Scheme came in three levels and South Cerney had accomplished Level One of the scheme. She congratulated the Committee as it was the first in the county to win the award. Lesley Archer then presented the certificate to Michael Stuart, Chairman of the Committee and encouraged him to go for Level Two which she had no doubt was within the capability of the group.
Sgt McIntyre explained to the meeting that he had only been in post since Monday, which was three days ago. He reported that he had cancelled other arrangements to attend this meeting. He introduced the new PCSO Daniel Sinclair who was replacing PCSO Lesley Pooley. He apologised for the recent misunderstandings and breakdown in communications which was mostly attributed to the absence of Insp Steve Williams who recently suffered a serious injury. The relief Acting Inspector Russ Cooper has been covering the area since 17th April and during the intervening time has been trying to get up to speed with issues across the INA. Details of the Annual Parish Meeting have only recently come to his attention. In responding to some of your concerns on behalf of Acting Inspector Cooper, I would like to provide some explanation. There have been a number of decisions which were made prior to the beginning of his period of covering. Due to the short notice which he had been given as a result of Steve’s injury, there were appointments and invitations which he was not aware of. I am sure that you will understand that staffing decisions are made for many reasons, but I can assure you that any moves take into careful consideration the impact on policing in any particular area. Whereas continuity is desirable, especially in terms of community policing, the valuable resources which we have, need to be placed with care, to ensure they can have the greatest impact. It is clear that PCSO Pooley has done an excellent job in the South Cerney area, and has developed some valuable relationships. I have no doubt that PCSO’s Mike Owen and (and soon to arrive) Daniel Sinclair will quickly gain the trust and confidence of the people of South Cerney, and will achieve similar successes. Although it is short notice, PS Stewart McIntyre, who is the new South Cotswold INA Safer Communities Team Sergeant, had agreed to attend this evening’s meeting. A/Insp Cooper apologises for not being able to make the meeting himself, but other duties to which he was committed before he was made aware of this meeting. Finally, in respect of the Easter Weekend incident, it is his understanding that incorrect information was provided to the local press. This crime remains under investigation. It is unfortunate that this incorrect information has caused understandable consternation with local residents, and this is just one of the reasons that he shall be speaking with the Divisional Commander to try and ensure that we have our own vacant Divisional Press Officer post filled as soon as possible. I hope that I have managed to allay some of your concerns, and that we have an opportunity to meet in the near future. Sgt McIntyre continued his report stating that crime levels in South Cerney remained much as before although he highlighted where one reported crime this year was 100% more than nil reported last year. Cllr Stuart stated that the presence of PCSO Lesley Pooley and her interaction within the community was a contributing factor in the maintenance of the low level of crime in the area. Cllr Jay said that it was a refreshing change of policy to have uniformed officers on patrol. Sgt McIntyre agreed. Cllr Bennett (CDC) was very impressed with the enthusiasm of the new PCSO, Daniel Sinclair whom he had encountered whilst visiting a nearby village. PCSO Sinclair invited residents to accompany him whilst on patrol in the neighbourhood. .REPORT FROM MAJOR TOM FRASER, QUARTERMASTER 29th PC & MC A new commander has been appointed to the base. She, yes a lady, Lt.Col Bethan Targett apologised for her absence as she was presently engaged looking after soldiers careers in Glasgow. Major Fraser, who lives in the village, proposed an open invitation, by arrangement of course, for residents to visit the base. Major Fraser informed the meeting that he would be retiring soon from the Army and will settle in South Cerney. The base has been extremely busy and this will continue for the next couple of weeks, our support of overseas operations remains high. 50 Squadron has recently deployed 55 personnel to Iraq and Afghanistan for a six month operational tour. 81 Squadron is preparing to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan in September. The Regimental Head Quarters will be focusing on support to Afghanistan with a large C2 deployment expected in April 2009. Another Squadron with approximately 60 personnel of all ranks has recently relocated to South Cerney from Abingdon. Other personnel are conducting support to forces deploying to the Balkans with completion by the end of May. Shortly you will read in the press, who were on the Station on Monday about the ongoing troop deployment to Kosovo. This type of deployment is short notice and extremely important to the MoD and it illustrates a continued interest in the Balkan region. There may be an increase in troop and vehicle movement in the local area, however most of the activity remains on station. There will be the occasional outflow to RAF Lyneham and RAF Brize Norton. The purpose of the station is to ensure that continued support is provided for troop movements on a world wide scale. Most, if not all personnel stationed abroad, will be processed at South Cerney prior to departing from RAF Brize Norton or RAF Lyneham. Focus on generating personnel and training for the Regimental deployment in April 2009 should have no adverse affect on the local area. Again all training will be carried out on station or at MoD training areas. Provision has been made to increase soldiers accommodation by 144 beds. These facilities will include all rooms ensuite, internet access and Sky TV. On average 6,000 troops transit South Cerney every month. Part of the expansion includes a new vehicle workshop, new washdown facilities using recyclable water and a new cookhouse will be completed next month. REPORT FROM JOE LODGE, CHAIRPERSON OF SOUTH CERNEY YOUTH COUNCIL Joe reported on the aims and objectives of the Youth Parish Council. For those people unaware of what the Youth Parish Council is or only have a vague memory of me being here last year we are an acting shadow committee to the senior parish council, with responsibilities to represent the views of the youth of South Cerney. We have control of our own budget and have in the past organised events mainly based around sport. Since the last year we have adapted in our roles as a Youth Parish Council as some of the original members of the council have chosen to stand down. These are the former Chair Person and my sister Rebecca Lodge as she is now at university; Dominic Brown and Rachel King have left the council to focus on school studies. We organised our Annual General Meeting of Youth which was intended to be a very informal meeting where non members could vote on certain matters and express their desires or opinions which they felt appropriate for the Youth Parish Council to act on. The members of the youth who did attend were very proactive and supportive of the youth council and its work; however a major issue was attendance meant that the biscuits only had to be shared between the Youth Parish Council and two others! Even though there was a lack of attendance a vote still took place to decide who should become Chairperson of the Youth Council and out of the four who put themselves forward I was elected as the Chairperson. Since then Alasdair Kennedy has joined the council to boost our numbers. No new events were held last year as the Youth Council has been working on longer term projects and to make the young people in the village more aware of the existence of the Youth Council here for them South Cerney. One of the major projects the Youth Council has been involved in closely with the Senior Parish Council was to apply for and receive a grant for a MUGA (multi use games area) to be built at the Upper Up playing fields. Now we are looking to install the new facility which would give a alternative way of playing games and the ability to adapt one end into a skate park if in the future it is the case there is a need for one, and the area could be used to station the CDC’s mobile Skate Park to gauge how used one would be. There would also be a youth shelter built onto the side so people can meet. Another area of interest for the Youth Council has been the work of a Gloucestershire youth service’s Mary Mychaleckyj who has been working with some members of the youth of the village and has found that the youth of the village requires a Youth Club which is something the Youth Parish Council has always advocated, since the closure of the voluntarily run Klub Scy. We will therefore be meeting with Mary in the near future to discuss funding for running this, for which Saint James’ Place have already offered support in the funding of a Youth worker. Also the former youth work team from All Hallows church who hold the balance of the Klub Scy account have offered to use this towards funding of equipment. In the long term the Youth Council would love to build a Youth Hall where it will be a place for us to meet and spend time, do activities and clubs can be held and equipment stored. There is currently work going on by the Youth Council to organise and present the work we have done for a Hear By Right Award which is organised by The National Youth Agency and is an accredited ASDAN award, so for those of us who have been part of the council for an extended period of time we should receive an award that equates to a low level GCSE qualification. As shown by the attendance and the AGMY a major area for the Youth Council to focus on is letting our peers know we are here so they can give us their opinions and allow them the opportunity to get involved with the council and to see our progress, so we are in the process of designing identity cards and a questionnaire as well as having set up a group on a major social networking site and the idea of buying a camcorder and a laptop to produce a web cast to introduce the council and to record meetings on tape and to create a specialised website for the council with forums of debate and the video clips previously described. Another way of raising awareness of the council is to attend assemblies of local schools and give a presentation. Currently the council only has six members and it states in the code we devised for the council that the size should be 11 members and often the work on the council can be a bit large for the number of members on it. So if there is anyone who is 12–18 who you feel may be appropriate to join or has an opinion on what they would like to see in the village then please come and see me at the end. REPORT FROM CLLR C. BENNETT (CDC) Cllr Bennett congratulated the other two Ward members present for their stalwart contribution in matters concerning South Cerney. Cllr Bennett continued: I was again given a Cabinet post with the title Safe and Strong Communities. It sounds very grand but is really a catch all for anything. It cuts across several departments in the council and involves working with many outside agencies. Following the terrible flooding last July I had flooding tucked into my portfolio. That has meant chairing flood forums when many agencies have been quizzed by local Parish Councils; I also serve on the Strategic Flood Recovery Group which is a county wide organisation; and I am also a member of the CDC panel which is giving grants to Parish Councils for resilience work. We have £200,000 to give away and there is a limit of £10,000 for each applicant. The first five parishes considered received a total of about £40,000. The second batch of applications has now been received and I expect that more than £40,000 will be given to those parishes. If you feel you have a need for money to help with flood resilience schemes then I would urge the council to complete the application forms. I have also been involved with consultants who are drawing up what is hoped to be a blue print for flood resilience work throughout the whole district. This has all taken a lot longer than I had hoped when I took on the responsibility last autumn, but I would rather the job be done properly, even if it takes a little longer, than just hand out money to do patchwork repairs. A major part of my portfolio deals with crime and I am pleased to say that the Cotswolds is still one of the safest places to live in the world and it is getting better. The latest figures show that crime has fallen in the Cotswolds by 7.5% over the last four years. So it’s the perception of crime that is the problem. And that is something the council Community Service team spend a lot of time on. That work seems to be paying results because a survey shows that 96% of people feel safe when walking in the area during daylight hours. That compares to a county average of 93% and in Gloucester that falls to 89.3% and in Cheltenham it’s 92.5%. The figures become even more dramatic with 60.6% of people feeling safe in the Cotswolds compared to a county average of 51% and 44% in Cheltenham and 37.5% in Gloucester. The team uses mobile CCTV in trouble spots and another one is to be bought. The fixed cameras in Cirencester picked up more than 450 incidents in the year leading to more than 65 arrests. We set up two Community Safe weeks when we dealt with more than 400 inquires on community safety and anti-social behaviour. Six Community Days are planned for the district this summer. Nearly 2,000 children took part in the Summer Off the Streets project we ran between July and September last year. Hope to do the same this year. We have set up nine No Cold Calling areas in the district following requests from residents. More are planned. This is all aimed at making people feel safer. Neighbourhoods can set up their own management schemes and come up with three priorities for the police to concentrate on. These priorities are reviewed every three months. It will come as no surprise that anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and speeding are popular priorities. I serve on the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership executive when various agencies such as Glos CC, Police, PCT, Drug Rehabilitation, Alcohol Abuse and the Prolific and Persistent Offenders group work together, not only to make the area safer for residents but also to reduce the fear of crime. Never be afraid to report a crime. The latest project for the executive is a crackdown on binge drinking. It leads to all sorts of problems on the crime front and regarding personal health. I also look after the council’s licensing team and last year we introduced a new gambling policy, reviewed the council’s Licensing policy, because the Government told us to. We have also reviewed the various license fees to determine the true cost of providing the service. This will mean some increases in an attempt to cover costs. We will soon be reviewing taxi fares following a request from local drivers. In addition to that work I also have to try to keep control of Stow Gypsy Fair. On top of all that I have my work for you – the people in the Ward. And that usually means planning applications. I do my best to get answers within 24 hours. They may not be the answers people want to hear, but I can only work within the rules as laid down by Government. And I have just remembered. I have now been put on the Cotswold Water Park Committee. REPORT FROM CLLR P. MESSENGER (CDC) Cllr Messenger reported on his experience after his first year as a newly elected District Councillor. He is currently serving on the Licensing Committee and Housing Strategy Committee. Overall he was continuing to enjoy the challenge but stated it was a very steep learning curve. Shortly he would be seconded to the Severn & Thames Canal Trust. It was disappointing that British Waterways had withdrawn its support but Stroud District would replace them. REPORT FROM CLLR. P. CLARKE (CDC) Thank you for the opportunity to present this report and thanks to Clerk, Maurice McKee for drawing my attention to the fact that I was not receiving Planning lists. That has now been remedied. Apart from my membership of Council, I am a member of the Licensing Committee. I have asked to join the Cotswold Water Park Joint Committee replacing Mrs Aram. If I am not appointed by the administration, I will attend meetings as an observer as I have done to date as I believe it essential for me to be involved. I also intend to regularly observe Cabinet which I have also done to date. I continue to receive many complaints re the waste situation and the issue of bus passes. As a Group and within our limited resources, we are now “shadowing” the portfolios. I am shadowing “Sport, Culture and Enterprise” and “Strong and Safe Communities”. I am experienced in these areas and the responsibilities will not detract from my work as a Ward Councillor. I am already dealing with a number of cases and have asked questions in Council. Since the election campaign, I have continued to pursue the issues I raised at that time, particularly the continued operations of the developers, the concerns of local people re access to parts of our side of the Water Park and the state of the roads. I am also looking carefully at the speed limits on the roads as I believe that some drivers are not concerning themselves with observing speed limits in the interests of public safety. After some difficulty, I have obtained the Water Park leases relating to the County Council, the District Council, the Water Park Society and Watermark so that I am aware of the detailed history. I am encouraged by the enlightened discussions at the Parish Council meetings I attend which are helping me to get a much better understanding of what is happening in the localities. Do make contact if I can be of use and I will be delighted to answer any questions. Thanks again. REPORT FROM CLLR SHAUN PARSONS (GCC) In comparison with the District Council’s budget of around £10 million the County Council has a budget of £300 million. Cllr Parsons stated that it was a campaign of his to make an improvement in the provision of youth activities. He noted that efforts to persuade local authorities and others had a marked effect in reducing the number of complaints about dirt on the Spine Road in the past year. The major issue handled in the previous 12 months was the effect of flooding throughout the county. Moreton in Marsh in this area was the epicentre of the storm and suffered as a result. Fairford and Lechlade also experienced disruption on a large scale although South Cerney escaped lightly in July. He praised the work of the Parish Council in its prompt reaction to the potential danger it experienced in January. It was disappointing that political promises of help, especially money, made during the emergency had not been kept. A grant of £100 million from the European Union had been reduced to a paltry £20 million for distribution. In his view this was not surprising. Thanks must go to the Fire Service who reacted magnificently during the crisis. Collection and disposal of waste will become a major concern as new taxes come into force. The District Council is responsible for the collection and the County Council for the disposal. Currently there is a Landfill tax of £8 per tonne but this will exponentially increase over the coming years and become a major burden on rate paying residents in the future unless be become more adept at recycling. A new incinerator on the outskirts of Gloucester costing £170 million is planned to help with the disposal and landfill sites become exhausted. Gloucestershire County Council has been awarded the highest category of four stars after a comprehensive assessment. Cllr Parsons briefly stated that the Cotswold Water Park master plan when implemented would provide guidance on the management and development of the park. It was long overdue but he emphasised it was a starting point. The resurfacing of Broadway Lane which had been delayed due to the sewerage works is planned for during this year. The “missing link” on the A417 has been reduced by government to a local issue and is now unlikely to be upgraded in the foreseeable future although pressure will continue to be applied for an improvement to its status. During the past year, three deaths have occurred which should certainly promote its improvement. Mr T. Squire enquired if the timing of the refurbishment of Broadway Lane was planned during the calendar or financial year. Cllr Parsons had stated that it was planned to resurface it in this calender year although it depended on the completion of the sewerage works. INTRODUCTION FROM REVD DAVID BOWERS, VICAR AT ALL HALLOWS CHURCH The Revd Bowers excused the lack of a report as he had only been in post three and a half weeks. Since he arrived he has found the people of South Cerney very welcoming. He told the meeting that he had been born in Salford, a suburb of Manchester only three or four miles from Old Trafford and consequently was a United fan. He was looking forward to watching the end of the match on the screen in the hall after this meeting ended. He was ordained in 1984 and before his appointment to South Cerney had served in the Tewkesbury area. Besides South Cerney and Cerney Wick communities he was also responsible for Siddington and Preston. His wife Judith was a nurse and he has two grown up children. He gave a huge thanks to Tony Squire and Vicky for all the help they had given to him in his first few weeks. Interests include the provision of youth facilities and he enjoys networking with the community through for example the school and the play group. SOUTH CERNEY UNITED CHURCH REPORT BY RETA-MAY MATTHEWS, SENIOR STEWARD SOUTH CERNEY UNITED CHURCH South Cerney United Church is truly a united church. We meet in a Congregational building, serving a mostly Methodist congregation and are currently led by a United Reformed minister. We have just over 30 members and adherents and we welcome all denominations to worship and share in our community activities. We are fully accredited to provide baptism, wedding, funeral and pastoral care services. As part of a circuit which is undergoing expansion, we are looking forward to exciting and challenging changes. Having planned and executed many significant improvements to our building over the last decade, we are taking a short break from major fund raising and restoration projects to concentrate on smaller mostly interior projects including improved lighting, new carpeting for the main hall, the installation of a loop system and updating of furnishings. Badly needed pointing was completed earlier this year and you may recently have seen our minister applying a coat or two of Danish oil to the exterior doors and polishing the brass letters of our church sign. We had a new font in place and dedicated at a baptism in January of this year and we hope soon to have a matching lectern. With the closing of a sister church in Oakridge we inherited an organ and other useful items. We also took the opportunity to restore their Victorian pulpit resulting in a less imposing structure which has been lightened to its original pine wood and lovingly hand polished with beeswax. It was just delivered to us on Monday. We invite you to come in to see this beautiful addition during the street fair on Bank Holiday Monday. We continue to offer weekly activities and services to our members and to the community. These are all listed in the Cerney Newsletter, the Village Directory and usually in the weekly Standard as well. If you drop in to see us on Monday we will also have leaflets available. Other than two CDC exercise classes, all our activities are run by unpaid volunteers from our church and members of our Circuit churches. We are probably best known and most appreciated in the village for support of the elderly and for dedication to “Cerney Seedlings” our parents and toddlers group which has been running since 1998. It currently has about 40 little ones on the active register, many who come to us just a few days old and stay with us until they are three or older. Our other community activities are meant to be all inclusive but many seem to attract mostly the elderly. In recognition of this, the South Cerney Parish Council has given us grants in both 2007 and 2008 to help support our elderly activities. This is much appreciated by all who benefit. We have a very good relationship with All Hallows Church and we work in conjunction with them to present a united Christian presence in the village. They continue to use our building and share utility costs and other agreed expenses. Income from rentals also goes into the Joint Church Account to help defray these expenditures. All our rooms are available for rental and with a “Safe from Harm” policy in place we are a popular venue for children’s parties. St John’s Ambulance Courses are regularly held in the building and the electric piano now gets a weekly work out from the new Jazz group which meets there also. Village and local organisations use our rooms from time to time as we keep the rental fees in line with those of the Village Hall. First and foremost South Cerney United Church is a place of worship. Just as you are invited to share in our community events, you are equally welcome to come and worship with us anytime. In particular we would like to invite you all to the Service of Dedication and Thanks for our new pulpit on Sunday the 29th of June at 6pm. REPORT ON ANN EDWARDS CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL READ BY ROGER EDGAR ON BEHALF OF STEPHEN RICHARDSON HEADMASTER Personnel Curriculum and SATS Other extra curricular school activities Health 4 Schools Other projects There being no further business Cllr Stuart closed the meeting at 9.08pm. |