The July meeting involved discussion on Highway and Traffic issues with traffic calming measures getting closer we agreed that the pinch point on the Harlestone Road should have a cycle gap as requested at the Annual Parish Meeting and the VAS (Vehicle Activated Sign) alongside the southbound carriageway of the Welford Road near the top of Cedar Hythe will be moved to the northbound side of the road to improve it’s visibility.

Further dialogue will be required with NCC regarding our request for a ‘Pedestrians Crossing’ sign close to the bend on Back Lane at Crawan Bank. NCC have previously rejected our request that the signage at the top of Pitsford Road should be ‘Halt’ and not ‘Give Way’ and that a sign should be on the right hand side as well as the left (which is obscured by the building until almost at the crossroads). The refusal has been on the grounds that it is not permitted under highway signage ‘rules’ and is sufficient as it is. Following yet another serious crash on 23 rd July involving a car not stopping, having come up Pitsford Road, the Parish Council obviously does not agree and will again be raising the matter with ‘the powers that be’.

Also, no doubt, in view of the complaints received, we will be revisiting the issue that drivers are unsure about the speed limit between Church and Chapel Brampton because ‘it is not permitted to have 30mph repeater signs and then enforce the speed limit because drivers should be aware that they are in an automatic 30mph zone if the street lights are 200 meters or less apart’. Unfortunately the police presence at the meeting was subject to a last minute cancellation so the issues relating to police response to speeding vehicles and speeding HGVs on the A5199 at night in particular and the violation of the 7.5 tonne weight limit on Harlestone Road were deferred.

The good news is that the Spratton Bridge (on our parish boundary) will be repaired. The bad news is that it is not scheduled to start until mid-October and will involve closure of the road for 15 days – with diversion routes!!

The council is investigating further the possible acquisition of Defibrillator(s) for the villages if suitable site(s) can be found.

The Playing Field car park gate has been locked most nights in the last 2 months to deter anti-social behaviour and, whilst largely successful, it has not stopped teenagers and some older persons throwing beer bottles around the field and generally dumping fast food and other litter in the play equipment area. The situation has not been helped by DDC failure to empty the litter bin which resulted in the overflowing receptacle being ‘vandalised’ by a fox in search of left over food.

The Parish Council does not meet in August unless we are required to consider a planning application and therefore the next meeting is at the school on September 15 th at 7.30pm