White Colne
White Colne
White Colne News
March 2010
Sunday March 14th
Working party on the Meadows starting at 10.30am. If you enjoy walking around the Meadows then why not come and lend a hand at our Spring working party. Nothing too heavy, just a general tidy up.
Meet at the pavilion on the Meadows. Free hot refreshments.
Spring letter from the Chairman of White Colne Parish Council
Despite your Parish Councils total opposition Essex County Council are pressing ahead with plans to put "Experimental" double yellow at the bottom of the Green. ECC claim that the repeated damage to the wall on Colneford Hill is due to lorries not being able turn up Colne Park due cars parked at the junction. We find this argument particularly frustrating as ECC can provide no evidence of cars being parked at the junction when the wall has been struck by lorries. This issue will be on the agenda at our next parish council meeting so please come along if you would like to have your say.
On a happier note I am delighted to announce that for the second year running the Parish Council has voted to keep the Parish Precept the same. This means that the amount added to your council tax by Braintree District Council for living in White Colne village instead of Braintree Town will not increase this year.
Kevin Nolan
Chairman, White Colne PC
Parking at the Village Hall
We have noticed that over the past month vehicles are being parked at the front of the village hall. This area should be kept free at all times to allow sufficient space for emergency vehicles and vehicles which have illegally parked in this area in the past have incurred fines. Thank you for your cooperation'.
Chris Pearcey
Keep the banks tidy
May we remind residents that the recycling bank behind the village hall is for bottles and shoes only and should not be used for the disposing of any other recyclable material such as clothes, as we have recently experienced. Neither is it a place for discarding household or general rubbish, and offenders disposing of anything other than bottles and shoes could be prosecuted for fly tipping. The overwhelming majority of villagers use the bank as it should be used so could we ask the small minority who don't, to follow suit please as the unpleasant task of disposing of the rubbish falls to a member of the Parish Council, Hall Committee or Braintree District Council (which in this case would be at Council Tax payer's expense). Thank you.
Chris Pearcey
Bird Walk Again
What a difference a week makes
The bird walk scheduled for 28th February was postponed due to very wet weather and
waterlogged ground. The contrast with the following Sunday morning couldn't have
been greater. A decided nip in the air but wonderfully sunny. With the sun on their
backs the bird life of White Colne were busying themselves about the hedgerows in
particular. Again a tally of 37 different species were seen( or heard in the case
of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker). Large flocks of Field ( in excess of 100 birds)
were searching for grubs on the open fields. Skylarks too were displaying their aerobatic
and singing skills simultaneously. We also saw two Hares, but they didn't seem to
be too mad!
A walk around the village footpaths trying to spot some of our co-
This is a weather dependent event as although some humans
may venture out in the rain the birds tend to stay under cover! If in doubt contact
Sarah Adlem on 01787 223521 the evening before.
Sarah Adlem
Do you want to grow your own?
Allotments are now available in our village.
If you would like to rent a space to grow your own tasty vegetables
please contact John Watt. Tel 01787 223582
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
'Love Thy Neighbour's Wheelie Bin!' If your neighbours are away
or out at work all day a wheelie bin left by the roadside after the bin-
Recycling -
Sue Norris 01787 223104
Do you need help in the garden?
The Braintree District Voluntary Support Agency (BDVSA) offer a subsidised monthly gardening maintenance service to people in the district who are over 65 or disabled and where there is no other person living in the household who would be ineligible for the scheme (ie under 65 and not disabled) and able to maintain the garden. If anyone is interested could they please contact Gwen Bousfield on a Tuesday or Thursday on 01376 550507.
Parking Restrictions Colneford Hill/Colne Park Road
The following letter was sent by the Parish Council to all residents in Colneford Hill and around the Village Green on 13th February.2010
We understand that you may have received a letter from Essex County Council Highways recently regarding the damage to the wall on Colneford Hill. Obviously the cost to rebuild the wall has not been insignificant for the County Council and they were not prepared to repair it again without being seen to take some form of action. They are convinced that the damage being caused to both the Village Green and Colneford Hill wall is due to cars being parked at the lower junction of Colne Park Road/Colneford Hill restricting the space for passing vehicles. From our previous comments, you will know that this is a view not shared by the Parish Council and we do not believe this to be the cause of the problem.
Despite vehement opposition and a rearguard action by the Parish Council over a number of years, double yellow lines are unfortunately being installed at the junction. We have proposed a number of alternative suggestions, including realigning the junction, widening the junction, imposing a weight/width restriction on Colne Park Road, heightening the kerb at the junction, introducing a one way system around the green, strengthening the wall and reducing the pavement width on Colneford Hill, but all these suggestions, and others, were deemed to be unworkable. The parking restrictions will mean that vehicles parked in the road at the junction or on the verge in Colneford Hill will be doing so illegally and could incur a fine.
As a concession to us, Highways have agreed to install the yellow lines on an 18 month experimental basis and have agreed to review the position in 12 months time.
They will be repairing the wall and should any subsequent damage occur to the village green or wall, we hope this will prove conclusively that vehicles previously parked at the junction were not a contributory factor.
We are disappointed that it has come to this and hope that Highways will reverse their decision and seek an alternative solution to the problem but we wanted to let you know that the Parish Council have done everything possible to prevent these parking restrictions being introduced to our village
QUIZ NIGHT
WHITE COLNE VILLAGE HALL
FRIDAY 26th MARCH
7pm for 7.30pm
£4 per person: Teams 4-
Bring your own drinks (& glasses) and nibbles.
Book your seats now to avoid disappointment.
Contact Pat or Bob Westrip on 01787 222427
email: bob.westrip@virgin.net
Profits to fund scientific & ecological biodiversity research
with Operation Wallacea in Madagascar.
James will be very grateful for your support
to help him carry out this research.
‘PUB’ COMING TO WHITE COLNE …………
For one night only, White Colne will have it’s own pub again!
On Saturday 8th May, from approximately 4.00pm, the Village Hall will be transformed into a ‘pub’.
The beer and bar will be supplied and set up by a local publican and volunteers will be your landlords for the evening. Normal pub prices will apply but there will be darts, cards and other pub games offered free for your entertainment.
We hope villagers will come along to create a good pub atmosphere and have a fun afternoon / evening. Families are welcome.
White Colne Community Design Group will be your ‘pub’ hosts and will be displaying
the work done so far on the Village Design Statement. We’ll be interested to have
your feedback -
More details will follow but make a note in your diaries and we hope to see you there.
Shoppers’ Bus to Braintree
Essex County Council working in partnership with Braintree Community Transport and Colne Engaine, White Colne, Earls Colne and Greenstead Green parishes are pleased to announce The Colne Valley Community Bus, commencing on Monday April 19th 2010. The service will operate every Monday to Braintree.
This service has timed stops in the villages and in Braintree but can be adapted to meet the needs of the passenger. As long as it is safe to do so, the bus will stop along the route within the village when hailed. If passengers would like help boarding or leaving the vehicle, or with shopping bags, they just need speak to the driver.
The service is fully accessible, but if a passenger is in a wheel chair we ask they phone 01376 557896 in advance.
This service will not operate on a bank holiday.
Cost
- Any person wishing to travel on The Colne Valley Community Bus will be able to pay for their fare on the bus.
- The cost of the journey will be £2:00 flat fare (single or return).
- Children aged 5 to 16 travel half price.
- Children under 5 travel for free
- If you hold a concessionary bus pass you will need to show your pass to receive free transport.
Concessionary passes
- If passengers need to apply for a concessionary bus pass please contact Braintree District Council 01376 551414
Timetable
Braintree Community Transport
The Colne Valley Community Bus – Mondays only (not Bank Holidays)
Timetable
White Colne, Heatin’ & Eatin’, Colchester Road 11.10
White Colne, Village Green 11.13
Earls Colne, Tey Road, Lowefields 11.14
Earls Colne, Hillie Bunnies 11.20
Earls Colne, De Vere Road 11.23
Colne Engaine, The Green 11.26
Greenstead Green, Church 11.40
Halstead, Market Hill 11.45
Halstead, Bridge Street 11.46
Braintree, Sainsburys 12.01
Braintree, Sainsburys 14.00
Halstead, Bridge Street 14.15
Halstead, Market Hill 14.16
Greenstead Green, Church 14.21
Colne Engaine, The Green 14.35
Earls Colne, De Vere Road 14.38
Earls Colne, Hillie Bunnies 14.41
Earls Colne, Tey Road, Lowefields 14.47
White Colne, Village Green 14.48
White Colne, Heatin’ & Eatin’, Colchester Road 14.51
Seven New Bus Services
In total seven new shopper bus services will be introduced in rural areas in Braintree. The routes have been identified through the area Review and work with Braintree Community Transport. A total of 32 communities will gain additional services; two communities gain two services. Care has been taken not to run services in competition with current services. The details of the routes have been finalised following discussion with parishes.
All services are due to start in the week commencing 19 April 2010.
Name of Service Villages Served Destination Day of week
The Monday Bus Terling, Fairstead, White Notley and Faulkbourne Braintree Monday
The Colne Valley
Community Bus Colne Engaine, White Colne, Earls Colne and Greenstead Green Braintree Monday
The Haverhill
Tuesday Bus Tilbury Juxta Clare, Little Yeldham, Belchamp Otten, Belchamp St Paul, Ovington and Ashen Haverhill Tuesday
The Upper Colne
to Haverhill Bus Little London, Cornish Hall End, Stambourne, Toppesfield, Ridgewell and Birdbrook Haverhill Tuesday
The Sudbury
Wednesday Bus Liston, Foxearth, Pentlow, Belchamp St Paul, Belchamp Otten, Belchamp Walter and Borley Sudbury Wednesday
The Stour Valley
Community Bus Pebmarsh Cross End, Alphamstone, Lamarsh, Great Henny, Little Henny, and Middleton Sudbury Wednesday
The Salings
Community Bus Great Saling, Bardfield Saling and Little Bardfield Saffron Walden Thursday
The buses are to be trialled for one year and the passenger numbers and services will be reviewed at 6 and 9 months intervals. Publicity, timetable and posters will be supplied to the parishes initially and from time to time to promote usage. The new services will be registered under Section 22 of the 1985 Transport Act.
Publicity
