Elford Village

Village News

Meeting of the Parish Council, June 2021

Elford Parish Council met this week in person for the first time since March 2020. Instead of holding a Zoom meeting your Councillors were able to meet at the Village Hall following social distancing guidelines. Up to 6 members of the public are permitted to observe meetings and to ask questions during Open Forum, and it is hoped that residents will begin attending again. Our next meeting will be on July 12th at 7pm.

Due to the restrictions on numbers the Annual Parish Assembly due in May was postponed. Some organisations have sent in reports that they had prepared for the Assembly and these are available to read on our website http://www.elfordparish.co.uk/ If other village groups wish to contribute please send reports to clerk@elfordparish.co.uk and they can be included.

Lichfield Planning Department has made very little progress on the planning application for the Social Club and yet another planning officer will now take over the application. Councillors are very concerned about the delay and intend to ask Christopher Pincher MP to intervene on their behalf.

Elan Homes have not confirmed when they intend to begin work on the site at The Shrubbery and have not yet responded to requests for information on the drainage issues.

The Annual Audit has been completed and the documents will be available for the public to view from 18th June on the website and notice board.

The Council held a long discussion on improvements required at the Playground. Although the handyman works hard to keep it tidy, the location and occasional misuse plus its age have meant that it will need substantial investment over the next few years. Meanwhile it will be kept safe for the children to use while long term plans are made.

For more information please see the Minutes section of the website, under the Parish Council tab.

How to Volunteer for Birmingham 2022

Interested in Volunteering for the Brmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games?

Click on  this application form and information

 

Staffordshire Warm Homes

Families struggling to heat their home can access free ‘green homes’ measure to make their home more energy efficient.

 

Staffordshire has been awarded £4.2 million funding from the Government’s Warmer Homes initiative to help families make their homes more green and energy efficient.

This funding comes after the first phase of the scheme helped install green homes measures in 240 Staffordshire homes.

The scheme is being delivered by Staffordshire County Council and is expected to benefit a further 445 households.

Measures including cavity wall and loft insulation, solar thermal and PV panels, air source heat pumps, as well as double glazing windows and doors could be installed free of charge in eligible households.

The scheme is available to eligible families with low, or no income, those who claim benefits, or are elderly, disabled or have very young children living in the home.

Residents can apply online by visiting www.staffordshire.gov.uk/warmerhomes

Universal Credit

This link will take you to information about how to claim this benefit

Universal Credit

Home Farm maize traffic

The farmer has let us know that there will be 5/9 lorries a week collecting maize from now on until the maize is cleared, probably between now and August. This will be an average of two a day, mostly in the early morning or late evening and avoiding bank holidays and weekends for the benefit of the village.

The Parish Council is grateful to them for keeping everyone informed.

Recycling guidance from Lichfield DC

What to put in your blue bin

We will only accept the following clean items in your blue bin:

  • paper, including newspapers, magazines, telephone directories, wrapping paper (without foil/glitter) etc.
  • shredded paper (this should be placed in a clear plastic bag to the side of your bin on your bin day)
  • card, including flattened cardboard boxes, food sleeves, toilet and kitchen roll inners etc.
  • plastic containers, including margarine and ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots, bottles, empty carrier bags and plastic food trays etc.
  • clean, empty plastic bags
  • aluminium foil, food trays or cans (foil that doesn't scrunch up can't be recycled)
  • cartons, including juice, milk and soup
  • glass bottles or jars and lids
  • aerosol cans and roll-ons

Please wash out empty containers before putting them in your bin. Card and paper should only be added if it is clean.

Please do not bag up your recycling - put items in the bin loose. You may use a clear plastic bag for excess recycling and place it to the side of your bin on your bin day.

If any other items are found in your bin or you use a bag, it will not be emptied.

Other waste

Please DO NOT put the following in your blue bin:

  • bin bags of any colour to bag up recycling*
  • general waste
  • food waste
  • nappies/sanitary products (clean or used)
  • pyrex
  • garden waste
  • animal bedding
  • polystyrene
  • rigid plastics such as garden furniture, toys, coat hangers etc
  • plant pots and garden trays
  • foil that doesn't stay together when scrunched up (such as crisp bags, tea/coffee packets and pet food pouches)
  • bubble wrap
  • textiles/fabric
  • mirrored glass
  • electricals and batteries (these should go to your local tip)
  • Wallpaper and wallpaper backing
  • Used tissues, kitchen roll or paper towels

 

May 2021 Parish Council Meeting

This month the Parish Council heard from the developer of the Social Club, who was very disappointed about the lack of progress with the application. It was agreed that Cllr Turley would contact the Planning Department to ask that progress  be made.

The post box is to be replaced, but Royal Mail were unable to clarify details of where and when this would be done.

The taxi service has now resumed on Fridays, please contact Barbara Harcombe for information.

The playground surface is still slippery in places and needs jet-washing, this will be done when problems with the electricity supply are sorted out.

Meetings will now resume at Elford Village Hall, with the Annual Parish Meeting on the 17th May and the next Parish Council meeting on 14th June.

For details of other matters discussed please look under the Parish Council tab, then Meetings and Minutes and click on the minutes for 2021-5-6.

Community Grant - Self Isolation Fund

 

Staffordshire County Council has a new #DoingOurBit Covid-19 self-isolators fund to help voluntary and community organisations support people to have to self-isolate. There is a one-off pot of £160,000 with an initial allocation of £20,000 available for each district /borough.

The campaign will stop on 30th September or when all the funding is allocated.   

Related information can be found here: https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/DoingOurBit/Funding.aspx

Donate unwanted IT equipment

If you have unwanted IT equipment including laptops and tablets with chargers please donate these for others to use.

Contact the local library for information or visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk/donateIT