March 2004 - Parish News
ST ANDREWS CHURCH
Services & Events in March
Services
& Events in March
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Thu 4 |
8.00pm |
Footsteps –
Family Room |
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Fri 5 |
11.00am |
Woman’s World Day of Prayer Luton Salvation Army |
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Sat 6 |
7.00pm |
St Andrew’s Quiz Night Peter Edwards Hall |
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Sun 7 |
10.30am |
Family
Communion |
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Network
Groups meet this week. |
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Wed 10 |
10.30am |
Pram Service
Family Room |
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Sun 14 |
10.30am 6.15pm |
Morning
praise with Baptism
3 :16 meet Family Room |
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Thu 18 |
8.00pm |
Footsteps meet – Family Room |
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Sat 20 |
10.30am |
Mothers Union
meet at Church |
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Sun 21 |
10.30am |
Mothering
Sunday with Holy Communion |
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NETWORK GROUPS
MEET THIS WEEK |
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Wed 24 |
10.30am |
Pram Service
– Family Room |
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Sun 28 |
9.15am 10.30am 6.15pm |
Holy
Communion – East Hyde With AGM Morning
Praise followed by Church AGM 3:16 Meet –
Family Room |
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Mon 29 |
7.30pm |
Maintaining a
healthy Marriage – Hitchin Christian Centre. |
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Wed 31 |
2.30pm |
Woodside Nursing Home service |
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April 1 Thur |
8.00pm |
Footsteps –
Family Room |
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Sun 4 |
10.30am |
Palm Sunday –
Family
Communion |
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Services
for Holy week and Easter |
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Maundy Thurs. |
7.30pm |
Informal
Agape meal – Church (Last Supper) |
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Good Friday |
12noon |
Quiet service
– Church |
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Easter Day 11th
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9.15am 10.30am 6.00pm |
Holy
Communion East Hyde Holy
Communion St Andrews Songs of
Praise
(requests to Liz) |
WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
The games evening proved to be one big giggle. We started with a game of Bingo and the rhyming phrases to match the numbers were little gems. The next game of ‘pass the bags’ where we had to don a garment from the same if the music stopped whilst we were in possession. That’s scarves, jackets, slippers, etc. were all inside and if you were unlucky enough to wear three items then OUT YOU GO! Another case of hearty laughter. After refreshments, charades with Public House names as the subject - this found out those with a good imagination.
Forthcoming dates
March 18th Members Night – Everyone welcome.
April 20th Life of a vet – Noahs Ark
May 18th Annual meeting
June 15th Flowers – The Wild Bunch.
We meet at the Baptist Church Hall, Caddington on 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7.30 – 10 Members 70p Non-members £1.20
See you there, Patricia Crick.
( Life of a Vet sounds very interesting)
SLIP END PLAYGROUP
By the time you read this we will be into the second half of the term and all the new intake of children will have settled into the Playgroup routine and will be enjoying themselves. This term we are also pleased to have Mandy working with us for half of each session to give us extra help and Jess, who is a childcare student, working with us every Monday. Both are an asset to the group and we are enjoying having them with us.
This term we have taken delivery of a new climbing frame which is proving very popular. The old frame was many years old and had become unsafe. The new one was a large expense for us but well worth it when you see the amount of pleasure the children get from it.
We were also lucky enough to receive some other equipment via Beds C. C. Early Years, so the children now have some new construction called Mobilo and we also have a parachute, which we all like to play with even if it does leave the adults quite exhausted.
This term we have used a theme of shape to learn about circles, squares and triangles and held a Friendship Week when we thought about friends and loved ones. We made Valentine cards for someone we loved - mostly our Mums - and played with masks and puppets and gained a rucksack of craft things for each child thanks to a box of goodies from Playhouse Disney.
We are holding a Nearly New Sale this term on Saturday 20th March .This will be in the Village Hall as usual and further details can be found from the advert in this magazine.
Our Spring term ends on Tuesday 30th March and we return on Tuesday 20th April.
Jill Acton
BOTTLE BANK
For use by residents of Slip End and District, our Bottle Bank is situated in the Frog and Rhubarb car park in Church Road. This is supplied and operated by SBDC to improve and increase glass recycling.
PLEASE USE IT
ALEY GREEN METHODIST CHURCH
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm hold the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In February we will start collecting small change in our smartie tubes as our ‘Lent Project 2004’ to give to charity. Our weekly Lent course will start on March 1st led by Mike Bull in the home of Lisa and David Richardson. The study is titled ‘tough talk’. hard sayings of Jesus’.
As Aley Green Church won last years Luton Circuit Quiz, we are running this years one on March 6th at the Baptist Church Caddington.
Open Weekend.
Saturday March 20th 11am – 5pm
Sunday March 21st 12 – 5pm
(Mothering Sunday weekend)
Aley Green invites you to come along and have a look at the work we’ve done to our building over the past 15 years. There will be an exhibition of photos of Church events and of the work of our Sunday School children. Come and look at the Mural designed by Anna Sowley and Christine Macfie. There will be plants, book, cake and bric-a-brac stalls and of course the home made preserves.
Tea and coffee will be served in the lower school room. Everyone is welcome.
Dates for your diary:
Cake stall on Saturday May 8th from 9a.m. outside the co-op in Caddington
Good as new Sale on Saturday may 22nd at 2.30pm at the Church.
Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the son of peace to you.
(Gaelic blessing)
Yours in Christ, Aley Green Church
A.Meader.
ASK YOUR COUNCILLOR
Do you want answers about local services?
In attendance – County Councillor Richard Stay & WPC Carron Thompson.
Saturday 6th March 04
Saturday 3rd April 04
10.30 – 12.30pm at Heathfield Lower School in Caddington
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Although its only February we are still thinking of the needy children who receive all the wonderful shoe-boxes from their friends in England and we are busy knitting away already so that we can be prepared for next winter. The Knitting club usually meet once a month, and have a nice chat and a drink, whilst getting down to the task of producing more hats, gloves and scarves for the boxes. Next month we are meeting at Teresa’s house in Caddington. If anyone would like to come along you will be most welcome. We have got lots of wool and needles and patterns so you don’t need to bring anything – just yourself.
If you want to ring to say you are coming that would be great.
Date: Wednesday 17th March
Venue: 104 Chaul End Rd
Time: 7.30pm
Tel: 01582 482681
Teresa Willson and Sue Cowell
CONGRATULATIONS TO ELIZABETH
One of Slip Ends residents – Jim Gilbraith who lives with his wife in Crawley Road had something to celebrate recently. His mum was 100 years young and they flew to Scotland for a very special party for her. Does anyone know if we have anyone living in the village who has celebrated a centenary?
Shy Elizabeth Galbraith didn't want a fuss, but her family insisted on a party because she had reached her 100th Birthday! Great-great-grandmother Elizabeth celebrated with four generations of relatives a few weeks ago.
The Stewart House, Greenock, resident enjoyed a glass of champagne and received a tribute from the guest of ' honour, Inverclyde's Deputy Lord Lieutenant Peter Semple. Provost Ciano Rebecchi also dropped by to wish her a happy birthday. But bashful Elizabeth said she was a bit bowled over, by all the attention. She said: "You hear about people reaching 100 when you. are growing up but you never think it's going to happen to yourself. But I'm very happy because I’ve seen a lot of friends and family today that I haven't seen for a number of years. I didn't think so many people would come." Elizabeth was born in Greenock in 1904 and lived in Belville Street until she. married husband Donald. She has lived in the town nearly all her life except for three ears during the 1920s when she moved with Donald to Detroit. The couple had four children and Elizabeth now has 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and, several great-greatgranchildren. Daughter Irene said: "I'm so happy for my mother - she's always been a very caring person and it's great she's reached 100:"
Report by roving reporter D.Kingston
SLIP END PARISH COUNCIL
I have to apologise for Parish Council's absence from the February Issue of the PN. I did do an article but sent it to David Kingston, who, I now know, was in the wilds of Canada at the time - I understand that it was sent back to Sue Cowell, but it must have got lost in the 'ether' so it is floating about somewhere on the Internet.
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ZONE.
Most of you will by now have noticed the appearance of the black bollards outside the Post Office. These will, when finished, serve to protect pedestrians as they walk from Front Street to the Markyate Road, and it is hoped that they will give protection to those happy wanderers to and from school etc., from some of the more uncaring drivers. When it is finished, please use the path between these bollards. The bollards themselves are constructed with a steel and concrete centre and are sheathed with plastic, that will eventually have reflective strips on them. Drivers should be made aware that they are extremely robust, as they are made to the same high spec. that is used for anti-ram raid defences. Should you value your no claims bonuses or indeed your car bodywork, they should be avoided at all times. With a bit of luck we may see an end to the more free style parking approach and a little bit more thoughtful placing of ones automobile. This scheme was paid for by the Parish Council and Bedfordshire County Council under the Parish Footpaths Initiative and cost approx. £6,000.00.
We are also this year making a start on repairing the grass verges. The wooden posts that have appeared in the Markyate Road are the first stage in this project. Hopefully, after the verges have been re-shaped we will re-grass them and perhaps add bushes and small trees. We have identified other areas in the village where this sort of landscaping is needed. Some people like the idea, some do not, the answer I give to everybody is:- if you like them fine, if you don't, then make sure you don't drive or park your car on them, or let any one else do so outside your house!
CCTV.
The first of our community CCTV projects should be up and running soon. The coverage will be down at St Andrews Church/Peter Edwards Playing Field and we hope to cut crime etc. The next phase will be at the Village Hall and the Crawley Playground, this will be completed by the summer, and we hope to cut crime and vandalism in that area also.
TAX DODGERS BEWARE.
Anyone with an unlicensed motor vehicle in Slip End should be aware that Beds. Police and the DVLA have joined forces to track down drivers who fail to license their vehicles.. Police will also be carrying out roadside checks and are urging members of the public to shop tax disc dodgers by calling the free phone number 08000 325202. You can't say that you were not warned!!!
That’s all for now, keep safe.
Christine Benson.
Chairman Slip End Parish Council.
DETAILS OF THE BUDGET
The Chairman of the Council has asked that I publish details of the budget for the year from May 2004. At the Parish Council’s meeting in January this year, members considered the report reproduced below. All the recommendations were agreed at that meeting.
Slip End Parish Council Budget and Precept May 2004 – April 2005
Budget
Members have indicated their wish to budget for expenditure for the 2004/05 year of £34,265. Major new items of expenditure include: -
¨ Speed Sensor Hire £300.
¨ Anti-Climb Fence at Crawley playground £1000.
¨ Two new seats at Crawley playground £500.
¨ CCTV at Crawley playground / Village Hall £8000.
¨ Slip End Youth Group (Skateboard Park) £1000.
¨ Repair and repaint fence at Claydown Way £1000.
¨ Enhanced Grass cutting scheme £1000.
A nil % increase in the council’s precept would raise £17,739.59 (Band D precept £23.75). This will leave a shortfall of £16,500 that will have to be met from reserves.
Reserves
At the beginning of this financial year (1st May 2003) our reserves were £48,000
Through tax we raised £17,720
At this time last year we budgeted to spend in this financial year £27,246
It is estimated that we will under spend this year by approximately £4,000
This gives an estimated reserve at 30th April 2004 of £42,474
Next year we will raise through tax £17,740
We have budgeted to spend next financial year £34,265
This gives an estimated reserve at 30th April 2005 of £25,949
Earmarked Funds
Of the estimated reserve at 30th April 2005 of approximately £26,000 certain amounts are earmarked for future anticipated expenditure: -
¨ £10,000 for Planning and Public Consultation. This could be used on any contentious planning proposal and would be used to cover things such as professional representation at Public Enquiry. (M1 Widening, Football Stadium, Major changes to Local Plan.)
¨ £1350 for Street Furniture (Repairs & Renewals).
¨ £50 Provision of signs at Crawley Playground.
¨ £4000 Replacement of Safety Surfaces Crawley Playground.
¨ £2000 Replacement of Equipment Crawley Playground.
This leaves a reserve of £9000 for unforeseen expenditure.
Legal Action Bedfordshire County Council
It is proposed to raise funds to take legal action against Bedfordshire County Council over its failure to manage the Timberlands site in a manner that does not cause a detrimental impact on the lives and well being of the parish and the parishioners. The proposal is to increase the precept equivalent to £10 per Band D household. This would result in a Band D precept of £33.75 for the year 2004/05. This additional charge could be refunded to taxpayers if not needed, by a similar reduction in future years. This proposal will raise approximately £7,500.
Therefore this Council resolves : -
1. To agree to proposed expenditure for the 2004/05 financial year of £34,265 as detailed in the budget papers presented to members.
2. That £10 (Band D equivalent) charge is added to the precept to fund legal action against Bedfordshire County Council.
3. That South Bedfordshire District Council is requested to collect a precept equal to £33.75 per Band D equivalent of the financial year 2004/05. (Approximately £25,208.89).
End of Report.
The total spend for the year is show below against the nine budget heads the Council uses to calculate the year’s spending requirement. Each of these headings is made up of a number of individual spending items i.e. Administration covers items such as the Clerk’s salary, insurance, audit fees and hire of Hall for meetings.
The full budget papers are available as an Excel spreadsheet by e-mail (philippenman@aol.co.uk)
or can be viewed on the Slip End web site www.slipend.co.uk/Community/Slip
End Parish Council Budget 2004.htm
I hope that the details listed give some insight into the process of setting the parish tax. The process is not difficult in itself, but it is not that easy to always get across. If you have further questions please contact me or come to one of the monthly council meetings held on the first Monday of the month at Slip End Village Hall at 8.00pm.
Philip Penman.
Administration £7,765
Subscriptions £505
Aley Green Cemetery £950
Planning and Public Consultation £2,000
Crime Prevention £8,000
Slip End Youth Group £1,000
Grants £1,950
Highways and Amenity Areas £7,945
Crawley Playground £4,150
Total £34,265
CLICK HERE - to see he accounts in a more user friendly style!
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