IMPORTANT NOTICES
Please note that the site's new web address is now:-
www.flitwick-matters.btck.co.uk
For the latest comments and news
switch to this web address now.
The Moderators
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We have been asked to point readers of this site to:-
www.flitwicktowncrier.btik.com
We wish this new site all the best
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Click this LINK it proves Flitwick is not the only problem council
http://muckandbrass.blogspot.com/
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Flitwick-Matters is part of a Nation Wide Community Network and is read all over the UK ******************************************** 7th June 2010 Prince launches jubilee project to save playing fields Prince William has launched a project to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee by saving hundreds of playing fields. The aim is to create or preserve 2,012 open spaces by 2012, the year the queen celebrates 60 years on the throne.
The prince said he hoped the parks across the
The prince said: "Playing fields are not a luxury. They are a vital component of any healthy and happy community. "The sad truth is that over the years thousands of playing fields have been lost to development, and many more are under threat today.
The question is where will our sporting stars of the future come from if we continue to lose access to these important grassroots facilities Prince William, "For more than 80 years, the Fields in Trust charity has been working hard to combat this threat by protecting playing fields across the UK from development "There has never been greater need for their work."
The project, called the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge, is the first major initiative in honour of the Queen's jubilee to involve a member of the royal family.
The prince's private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton said William's patronage was a personal tribute to his grandmother.
Alison Moore Gwyn, chief executive of Fields in Trust, said: "Access to these facilities is vital to ensuring our communities are robust and healthy - a health that is achieved not just through participating in physical activity but, equally importantly, by providing a sense of community cohesion The figure of 6000 would have been 6001/6002 had it not been for a resident who fought the council over Hinksley Rd and the many who told the town council to keep its hands off of the "REC" We now need to ensure that the allotment land is not sold off for development and the scout headquarters is built on its present site. This will only be achieved if we once again join forces to say: - THE LAND IS NOT FOR
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Parish Councils were created by statute in 1894 and have the power to raise money through taxation known as the precept, there is a range of powers for the Council to spend public money. The Council is a single corporate body in law and no part can operate in isolation. All decisions made by the Council are the responsibility of the Council as a whole. A Council must do what the law requires it to and can undertake an activity only when a specific Act of Parliament allows it. The Council has a duty to ensure that all the rules for the administration of the council are followed and is responsible for the policies, performance and activities. The Parish Council is the ‘grass root’ tier of local government and has the ability to be closest to the Community to which it serves and represents, and has a duty to serve them all fairly and equitably taking into consideration different interests and concerns. The Council can establish strong partnership links with the principal authorities such as the District Council, County Council and in some areas Unitary Councils to influence other decision makers for delivery of services to meet local needs and avoid double taxation. I must briefly mention a recent story that came to my attention. Nearly all the members of a town council in Somerton,
The bottom line is that as a Corporate Body the council can be sued for negligence and mismanagement of funds.
Enjoy
Thank you for this enlightening comment. The Moderators
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Are Town Councillors failing in their duties?
The Council is supposed to be open, accountable and transparent in their decision making. It is a statutory requirement that where Councillors gather together to make decisions they must meet in public with public notice and a properly served agenda. If the business is properly designated ‘confidential’, there must be an opportunity for the following items to be heard in public and properly minuted even if no members of the public are present: declarations of interest, apologies and resolution to seek the exclusion of the public and press. This Council raises money by the Precept. The Precept comes out of our pockets and we the have the legal right to know what the Council intends to spend it on before the event. The Minutes of meetings must be made public as soon after they are ratified, this is not happening.
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The link below will take you to the Government site that explains the criteria for the change of use / sale of open space. Please take time to open it and read.
www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/doc/ppg17.doc This document will show that there are many procedures which the town council has not kept the residents informed of and when it comes to appeasing 18% of the residents at the loss of an amenity to the remaining 82% questions must be asked and answers given. The Moderators
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Thank you Google Earth
Lest they forget
Station Road Allotments in 2000 /2002
This shows the full extent of allotment plots that were being worked at Station Road nine years ago. It also shows what the town council would rather be kept hidden. I refer to the area bordered in white (shown top centre) which the council let go fallow about 2001. It seems that the council were happy to lose revenue rather than allow those on the waiting list the opportunity to work them. The new plots at Steppingley Road are not accessible for the ambulant disabled residents who live on the east side and are not really needed whilst these plots are in fact still technically available for the residents of the town. The area at the bottom of the “Potato Field” as it used to known, between the hedge and the first white line, (top right side of picture) was if residents remember allocated by the town council to the building of a private residential home. Is this still on the cards at the loss of amenity land? The Council did not apply for these allotments to be decommissioned as per Section 8 of the 1925 Allotments Act. I received confirmation of this on the 3rd March 2009 from the Department for Communities and Local Government. If the council now choose to apply to have these allotments decommissioned the residents have the right to object.
Roy Storey
Thank you for this information, it deserves to make the front page. We also wonder if this should be an Agenda item at the Annual Town Meeting. The Moderators
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Hot off the MBDC Website
Leisure Centre Agreement between MBDC and Flitwick The new Council. For an insight of what is to be agreed click on the links below
Draft Heads of Terms
Project Initiation Document (Part 1)
http://committees.midbeds.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.asp?ID=9366
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Patch of town's heritage will delight future generations?
A piece of Flitwick's heritage has been snapped up for future generations to enjoy. The town council has purchased the last 52 acres which make up the former Flitwick Manor estate for around £200,000 with the intention of restoring it to its original condition. Mayor Stephen Mitchell said: "The piece of land has been used for grazing for many years I intend to bring it back to its original condition, by clearing up the woodland, restoring the lake and creating beautiful open space for people to enjoy. "The site is part of Flitwick's heritage and history and we wanted to preserve it for residents to enjoy. Although there is a conservation order on part of the land, we were worried if we didn't buy it, developers might come along and ruin parts which are not conserved." The land is in the grounds of the glorious Flitwick Manor, which was built in the 17th and 18th centuries and was once the home of the Brooks family. The Georgian house was originally set in a vast 200-acre site. But the manor was sold off in the 1960s and is now an exclusive hotel and restaurant, with its own helicopter pad. A large piece of the land was also sold off to developers with the Tesco superstore built on some of it. ”It will take at least a year for all the restoration work to be carried out before the site is opened to the public”.
D Smyth
We believe it is time this council admits it can’t see the wood for the trees and is out of its depth regarding the issues of the lake before any more money is spent on this folly. The Moderators
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The picture shows the correct area of the Manor Park
4th November 08 23:23:10
The recent photo on the front of Flitwick Papers outlining the Flitwick Manor Park is incorrect. There is a large piece missing, the land coloured BLUE (see above) appears to have been mislaid, how careless of the council. The pink and green shaded areas are the lake area and the wooded area. The blue area is a meadow beyond the wood and is part of the 53 acres in the original planning application. I know there has been in talks with the Cricket Club as they wished to use the omitted parcel of land as a training ground but I am unsure if an agreement has been made. I remind the council that the original planning consent forbids the use of this land for sporting or commercial activities of any type. I would have sent this directly to the Town Council but as it contains a ”picture” it would have been relegated to the Junk Mail and it is too important to end up in there. I hope that Flitwick Matters will publish this as I believe the residents need to be shown the full area of the Manor Park purchased on their behalf. I also hope that this matter is made known to the Town Council.
Our site is open to all and rest assured the council will be informed!!!! (They check the site).The Moderators
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MANY RESIDENTS FEEL THAT THEY ARE EXCLUDED FROM TAKING PART IN DECISION MAKING DUE TO THE LACK OF INFORMATION MADE AVAILABLE BY THE TOWN COUNCIL.
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