YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL
Who we are and what we do!
[A short guide for residents on Parish Council
Services]
“We’ve got a
Quality Council”
Who we are…..
The Parish Council is made up of 10 members elected
for 4 years. The last election was held
in May 2007. The current membership is
as follows:
Stephen Haymes (Chairman)
Chairman
Stephen Haymes, Woodlands Park
House, Main Road, Yapton [Tel: 551475]
Vice-Chairman
Andy Faulkner, 6 The Poplars,
Yapton [Tel: 555395]
Members
Eunice Abbott, 52 Downview
Road, Yapton [Tel: 554494]
Mark Andrews, 1 The Poplars,
Yapton [Tel: 554689]
Frances Barnes, Crispens
Cottage, Church Road, Yapton [Tel: 0777 4061499]
John Bryan, 5 The Croft, North
End Road, Yapton [Tel: 555813]
Michael Caiger, 44 Loveys Road,
Yapton [Tel: 552435]
Peter Jones, Wayside, Burndell
Road, Yapton [Tel: 551359]
Richard Taft, Holly Tree
Cottage, Hoe Lane, Flansham, Bognor Regis [Tel: 582997]
Laura Wallbridge, 2 Downview
Way, Yapton [Tel: 553509]
………………
Clerk of the Council
David Tansley, 12 The Loop,
Felpham, Bognor Regis [Tel: 582128]
What we do …..
The
Parish Council normally meets bi-monthly in the Village Hall. The meetings are open to the public and all
residents are welcome to attend. The
dates of the meetings and the agenda are posted up on the Parish Council noticeboard
and on our website (see below). The
noticeboard is sited to the right of the entrance to the playing field/village
hall car park opposite the Coop Store.
The
main services which Yapton Parish Council provides to the local community are as
follows:-
Allotments
The Council manages a very successful and popular allotment site situated off Cinders Lane comprising 50 “five-rod” plots. The plots are let out for a modest annual rental. All plots are normally taken and there is a waiting list. Please contact either Parish Councillor Mick Caiger or the Clerk for further details.
Street
Lighting
The Council owns and maintains a number of street
lights in the village. These are
located in side roads off the main highway.
King
George V Playing Field
The Council owns and manages the playing field in
Yapton which includes the car parking facilities for the Village Hall and
nearby shops. The field is dedicated as
a King George V Playing Field and as such it is protected “in perpetuity”. Good seating facilities are provided at
strategic view points throughout the field including two picnic tables.
Adjoining the playing field there is the very popular children’s play
area which was opened in August 2002 and is known as the Queen’s Golden Jubilee
Children’s Play Area. The well maintained
facilities include a range of the very latest play and climbing equipment for
toddlers and young children together with picnic tables and seats for parents.
Nearby to the children’s play area on the playing field is an enclosed
Arena Sports System or “kickabout area” designed for 12 - 18 year olds. This features
a hard-surfaced basketball/ five-a-side football pitch for local youngsters. A youth shelter and skateboard ramp have
also been provided for the teenagers’ use.
The
playing field itself is regularly used for football and stoolball matches. Unfortunately the village cricket team had
to be wound up a few years ago due to lack of interest. The field is regularly let to voluntary
organisations for their fund-raising activities such as fetes and Coles Funfair
visits normally for one week in the Spring or Autumn each year.
Bus
Shelters
The
Council owns and maintains the 5 bus shelters in the village, 4 along Bilsham
Road and 1 in Main Road.
Yapton
& Ford Village Hall
The Council is a major stakeholder in the village hall which is sited
on the playing field. The premises
are owned by the Parish Council and leased to the Yapton & Ford Village
Hall Management Committee, a charitable trust which manages the day-to-day
operation and letting of the building.
The Parish Council has assumed responsibility for the external maintenance
of the building and three of its members serve on the Village Hall Management
Committee. In the year 2000, the Council funded the cost of the Clock Tower on
the village hall to commemorate the new Millennium. More recently it was instrumental
in raising the necessary resources to fund the replacement of the defunct electric
storage heaters with a new gas-fired central heating system and other internal
improvements.
Planning Issues
The Council’s Planning Committee operating under
the chairmanship of Andy Faulkner takes an active interest in all planning
applications in the village and where appropriate observations or objection
will be sent to the District Council.
Copies of all planning application for the village
are posted up on the Parish Council’s noticeboard (sited opposite the Co-op
Store) and the Council will be pleased to hear from any resident who has
concerns about a particular application.
However it must be stressed that the Planning Committee does not object
in principle to all new developments but considers each application on its
merits. It will listen to the views of
residents but can only object on material planning grounds.
Grants
to Voluntary Organisations
The Council regularly gives grants to local
voluntary organisations to help with their on-going costs. Application forms for grant-aid are
obtainable from the Clerk. Completed
applications must be accompanied by a copy of the latest set of audited
accounts. The Council considers
applications for grant-aid once a year at its July meeting.
Parish
Council Newsletter and Website
The
Council publishes a regular newsletter “Yapton
News and Views” after each Parish Council meeting. This is made widely available and
distributed throughout the village.
The Council has also established its own website [www.yaptonpc.gov.uk]. This,
together with the bi-monthly newsletter, gives further details about the
Council’s activities and is intended to keep the community informed and up-to
date on all aspects of its work.
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A "Quality" Council - What it means Yapton Parish Council was the
first Parish Council in the District and one of the first 100 in the country
to be awarded "Quality Status". This prestigious achievement
recognises that the Council is run efficiently and effectively. It enables
the Council to work much more closely and, in many cases, in partnership with
other principal Authorities. Quality Status benefits the
community of Yapton by giving the Parish Council the opportunity to play an
enhanced role in the provision of local services and it also allows the
Council to become more involved in the decision-making process in respect of
local issues affecting the community. Please Help... In order to maintain the Parish to a high standard, we
rely on the assistance of members of the community. Whether it be anti-social behaviour, a litter problem or
damaged play equipment we would like to know. |
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YPC Info for Residents