Lichfield District Council has launched its February half term holiday programme, which has a range of active sessions to keep young people busy and engaged. 

The council’s Getin2it sessions for young people will run over the half term week. From trampolining to street dance, boxing and much more, there is an activity for all young people to enjoy.

The holiday programme also includes activities running for half term, including sessions in tennis, indoor football, tri golf, multi sports and basketball.

Getin2it holiday activities take place at a range of venues across Burntwood and Lichfield. They are aimed at 7 to 24 year olds and do not need to be booked.

During half term week, children can also have a go at designing and making their own moving model to amaze their friends and family!

The automata workshops will run at Beacon Park’s Discovery Hub on Sunday 16 and Monday 17 February at 10am, 11.30am and 1.30pm. Each one-hour session costs £2, and places need to be booked by calling 01543 308867 or emailing [email protected]. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

 

Councillor Andy Smith, Activing Cabinet Member for Recycling & Leisure, said:“We’ve got a great selection of activities for children and young people this February half term. It can be difficult to get young people away from their screens, so having a go at our Getin2it sessions in Lichfield and Burntwood or taking part in a park activity, is a good way to get them out of the house and engaged in positive activities.”

 

For the full Getin2it and Beacon Park half term holiday programme, visit www.activelichfield.co.uk/holidayfun.

 

The Parish Council has decided that Elford will enter the Best Kept Village competition this year after a couple of year's break.

Entry takes place in February and we will post more information then about what is involved and what everyone can do to help Elford win.

Works to Lichfieldbus station and car park set to get underway

 

Lichfield District Council’s project to improve Lichfield’s Birmingham Road site will move up a notch with work set to take place to the bus station and car park later this month.

 

Work kicked off in January to improve a site off Birmingham Road in Lichfield. It includes demolishing the former police station and bus station buildings, creating extra coach parking, refreshing the bus station, installing temporary toilets, landscaping the area and moving the bus station long-stay car park.

 

So far the contractor, The Coleman Group, has started preparing the former police station for demolition in March.

 

This month work will start on the refurbishment of the bus station. From Monday 10 February bus station furniture, such as the benches and bins, will be removed.

 

From Wednesday 12 February the public bus station toilets will be closing and replaced by two new temporary unisex toilets, one of which will have disabled access. The toilets need to be closed so the contractors can prepare the building for demolition. The temporary toilets will be replaced by longer-term facilities in the spring.

 

When the bus station shop and toilet block is being prepared for demolition, it will need a safe working zone around it. This means the footpath, which leads from Frog Lane (next to the multi-storey car park) to the bus station, will also need to be closed temporarily.

 

From 17 February there will be phased temporary closures of bus stops, while the road is resurfaced and the bus stops are refreshed.

 

Everyone catching a bus from the bus station from 17 February will need to be aware that their bus stop may be moved while the works take place.

 

During the same week the 50-space bus station car park will also be closed. This area will be resurfaced and used for extra visitor coach parking.

 

Work to create a replacement 56-space car park on part of the former police station site will start once the police station has been demolished. This means there will be a period of time between the car park closing and the replacement car park opening.

 

Anyone with a car parking season ticket for the bus station will be able to use any long-stay car in the city centre. To find nearby car parks, visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/carparkmap.

 

Councillor Iain Eadie, Cabinet Member for Investment, Economic Growth & Tourism, said:“I am pleased the next phase of work will be starting as it will bring us closer to achieving our aim to make the area safer, more useful and attractive, as well as providing a better route into the city from the train and bus stations.

“However, I am aware that this part of the programme is likely to be the most disruptive and I hope our residents and visitors will bear with us while we improve the site.

“We look forward to the work being completed in the spring so that we can focus on our long-term plans for this important gateway development.”

 

To find out more about the short-term improvement project and to keep up to date on the phases of the work, please visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/brsimprovements. 

 

St Peter’s Church

We currently have a vacancy for a Church Warden at St Peter's, Elford. Anyone interested in the role please contact the Parochial Church Council or anyone at the church.

 

Village Post Office

We have been informed by the Post Office that a postmaster is now available to run the service at the Village Hall which closed in 2018.It will reopen on Tuesday 25th February and will be open between 10 and 12 in the Shakespeare Room. Extra services including travel money, car tax, travel insurance and National lottery will be offered. If you have any questions or comments please contact Scott Lacey on [email protected] or FREEPOST Your Comments

 

Best Kept Village 2020

The Parish Council has decided that Elford will enter the Best Kept Village competition this year after a couple of year's break.  Entry takes place in February and there will be more information about what is involved and what everyone can do to help Elford win.

 

Elford Village Hall

Elton John Rocketman tribute at Elford Village Hall on 14^th march.  Tickets £22 per person including a 2 course supper.  For more information call: 01827 383076 or email: [email protected]

 

Walled Gardens

Over the next couple of weeks, there will be small pots of snowdrops and miniature blue iris on the produce table at the walled garden.   Plant them in the garden now or after they have flowered in the house.   Available for a donation.

 

Taxi service

Twice weekly Taxi from Elford to Tamworth. A Taxi leaves every Tuesday from the village hall at 10.45am returning at 1.30pm Every Friday from The Beck, leaving at 9.30am returning at 1.30pm.

To book your place or more information please contact Barbara on 383659

 

Mobile Library

Did you know that the Mobile Library Service visits Elford once a fortnight? It calls at the Village Hall from 1.15 to 1.35.
Dates of visits in early 2020 are: January 17th and 31^st, February 14th and 28^th, March 13th and 27th
Please use the service if you can to keep it running!

 

Coffee Shop

Coffee shop continues to be a popular meeting place for those who live in the village and many more for neighbouring villages. It’s on every Tuesday from 9-12 in the village hall.  We alternate our breakfast from bacon sandwiches, sausage baps, salmon bagels and warm pastries! There is always tea cakes and homemade cakes and specialty coffees! Please join us! 

 

Elford Parish Council - Open Forum – Open to all residents

2nd Monday of every month, next meeting is on Monday 10th February.  You could come along between 7pm and 7.30pm to the Open Forum part of the Parish Council Meetings and have your say.  You will be greeted and made to feel welcome.

 

Elford Art Group– meet in The Studio 9.30am – 11.30am Contact Sue Thomson 383592

 

 

Ursula Middlemore 07970099141

 

 

At last week's Parish Council meeting recent thefts from a car and van were discussed along with other recent rural crimes. CCTV is one solution but there are others:

Residents should take action to improve home and vehicle security .  Costas has advised people to extend their own security to their property boundaries.  For example external motion sensors, which alert home owners when someone is on their property or garden, can be very effective.  Contact Costas on 07890 317765 for more advice or talk to him or his colleague Maggie Griffiths when you see them around the village.

The usual advice of not leaving valuables in vehicles, reversing vans up to garage doors or simply using a steering lock can deter thieves. The idea is not to be an easy target. See the attached for advice on preventing thefts from keyless vehicles. files/Preventing_thefts_from_keyless_vehicles.pdf

If you would like to opt into the new Staffordshire Smart Alert to receive  informative and important messages, including Neighbourhood Watch alerts, please follow the link  https://www.staffordshiresmartalert.co.uk/register  and fill in the details.

 

We have been informed by the Post Office that a postmaster is now available to run the service at the Village Hall which closed in 2018.

It will reopen on Tuesday 25th February and will be open between 10 and 12 iin the Shakespeare Room. 

Extra services including travel money, car tax, travel isurance and National lottery wil be offered.

If you have any questions or comments please contact Scott Lacey on [email protected] or FREEPOST Your Comments

 

Update from Parish Council Meeting of November 11^th 2019

Several villagers came along to the Open Forum session to talk about matters of concern:

·         Fencing had been put up across the route used for at least 30 years between the Club and the Crown. The solicitors had advised this due to the sale of the club; the Parish Council would raise it with the next landowners along with the position of the Right of Way nearby.

·         A resident mentioned Best Kept Village, a meeting would be arranged in the New Year for everyone who wished to help with this next year.

·         A request was made for CCTV at the entrances to the village to act as a deterrent to vehicle thefts.  PCSO Costa Karpi offered advice on the matter. This was a complicated issue but the Parish Council would look at the practicaliities.

·         The muddy state of the path between The Beck and Croft Close was mentioned.

·         Bromford Homes’ rep explained the difficulties experienced by their client when passers by used the stile to walk through their garden and asked all users to be courteous.

For information on other matters discussed by the Councillors, please see the minutes on the Parish Council pages