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SALHOUSE PARISH PLAN Newsletter November 2007
UPDATE
The Steering Group continues to work on the Final Report and Action Plan and the intention is to distribute the household copy with the Spring 2008 Saga Magazine.
Two further Reports to external bodies have already been completed and distributed to Norfolk County Council (NCC) and the Parish Council, ahead of the Final Report.
Highways Strategic Appraisal
At a meeting with NCC, Department of Transportation and Planning, it was agreed that the findings of the Parish Plan consultation process, relevant to Highways, should be drawn together in one working document to present an overview of the highways and traffic issues within the Parish. This Report has been well received by the Department which is now reviewing its content.
One of the first issues that will be examined is whether the footpath between Station Road and Hall Drive can be improved to encourage commuters, school children (Safer Travel to School Policy and Salhouse School Travel Plan) and visitors to use it during daylight hours.
Initially, it is planned to place the footpath on the NCC maintenance roster commencing November 2007. If usage increases, the possibility of improving the underfoot surface will be examined. The latter has to be justified by use and so those villagers, who supported a better means of communication between Station Road and Mill Road, need to ensure that NCC are given the ammunition required to significantly upgrade the footpath.
A survey of pedestrian and traffic activity between the footpath and Salhouse Station will soon be conducted to assess whether a better footway on that stretch is justified. The problem of traffic control under the railway bridge is also under review.
These items are just a start. Inevitably, budgets are tight and all projects are on waiting lists. However, the views of the Parish are now formally presented to the Department and they will be taken into account into the future.
Parish Footpaths Report
Concerns regarding the Hall Drive to Station Road footpath were partially responsible for consultations with the Countryside Access Development Officer, NCC which then went on to include all the footpaths and bridleways within Salhouse Parish. It was ascertained that there is one Circular Walk (CW), namely CW57, 9 footpaths and one bridleway (Stonehouse Road to Bears Grove) in the Parish. Members of the Steering Group walked the CW, footpaths and bridleway, and reported on their condition and their signage, both fingerposts and way markers; the 4 remaining active stiles were also included.
The Report has been despatched. It is encouraging to see that the Parish Council are taking note of the comments and seeking to remedy the problem areas, in particular the damaged and insecure fingerposts. The possibility of establishing user friendly rambler gates, instead of existing stiles, as suggested by NCC, and possibly on other footpaths to prevent unauthorised use, is also under consideration. Damaged way markers will need to be replaced. The issue of dangerous barbed wire is also being addressed.
The Steering Group have also highlighted the sad condition of the NCC Footpaths Information Board in the Playing Field car park and are hopeful that the need for a replacement will be acknowledged by NCC but, yet again, this is another waiting list item.
Pride in Community
As the Parish Plan consultation process got under way, it became apparent that, as a community, Salhouse was not as cohesive and proactive as many would like to believe. Indeed, whenever questions were asked, the answers always came back to the same long standing band of loyal and hardworking villagers. Read the Salhouse SAGA magazine and their names will stand out.
Throughout the consultation the Steering Group tried to find out just how many other villagers were willing to join this small element of the Community to try and expand it for the benefit of the village as whole. Before the Questionnaire stage was reached, we suspected what the outcome would be.
In the Questionnaire we asked the following questions. The responses were as follows:
Q. Would anyone in your household be prepared to join a community group which could help the elderly/disabled with their gardens or basic maintenance and also with brightening up village amenities?
A. Yes – 52 households (15%)
No - 298 households (85%)
Q. Would you be interested in becoming a Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator?
A. Yes – 17 households (5%)
No - 319 households (90%)
Q. Would anyone in the household be prepared to be involved in running a youth club or activities for youth in the village?
A.
Yes – 17 households (5%)No - 346 households (95%)
Q. Is anyone in your household willing to help fundraise for improvements to the existing children’s play area and/or for an additional play area, if needed?
A.
Yes – 28 households (8%)No - 318 households (92%)
The figures above speak for themselves. No village achieves anything unless it is prepared to put in the effort. When the elderly, the disabled and children are so under valued by a community then it needs to step back and ask itself where it is going or, more importantly, where it has lost its way.
On a more encouraging note, after an inaugural briefing for volunteers, organised under the auspices of the Parish Plan, a Youth Club Committee has just been formed and it hoped to have the venture up and running by early next year. You can read more on that subject elsewhere in the magazine.
Pride in our Village.
When asked what they liked most about living in the village, many villagers stated how much they valued the character of the village, the fact it is in a rural setting but close to amenities; they spoke of tranquillity, of the village environment, its wildlife, the fact it was clean, it was safe and not urbanised. This is the quality of life they wish to protect and conserve.
An essential ingredient in retaining all of the above is pride and a sense of owning and preserving what the village has. It relies heavily on villagers accepting responsibility and not expecting ‘the Council’ to do it all which, sadly, is how some villagers view life. We asked the question:
Q.
Would anyone in the household be prepared to become involved as a volunteer with environmental improvement schemes such as village planting, pond clearance, village clean up and church yard maintenance?A.
Yes – 75 households (21%) No - 275 households (78%)Considering so many valued the environment in which they were fortunate to live, the response was disappointing. In essence, it is the responsibility for the quality element of our village which rests with the villagers. Nowadays Councils can do only so much, otherwise taxes would be even higher. So many other Norfolk villages achieve a great deal; you can hear or read about them in the media. Salhouse could do the same.
So, where could we start? If there is litter, put it in the bin. The same applies to out of date fly posting. Do you have a piece of road furniture outside or near to your home? Can it be read? Is it fulfilling the purpose for which it was sited? If it is covered in mud (as are most of the Neighbourhood Watch signs) or obscured by vegetation, it quite clearly is not. Just how long would it take with a sponge and water, or a pair of secateurs, to resolve the problem, probably no more than 10minutes? None of this is just ‘Council’ business it is simply you having pride and that sense of ‘ownership’ in your village where you choose to live. The same applies to grass verges and to reporting obvious signs of vandalism. Stand back and look at the area around your house and see if you can make a difference.
If every member of the COMMUNITY did just one of the above, the difference to our village would be tangible. It could exude a sense of pride. It could certainly bolster COMMUNITY spirit.
In the months to come Salhouse, together with other Norfolk villages, faces an uncertain future as to the outcome of the Unitary status issue and the future of its Post Office.
COMMUNITY spirit will be an essential factor in determining our future but, unless we value and respect our village, all of its residents and its setting, bonding together to face these issues simply will not happen.
There are many Norwich City supporters in the village and they will recognise the cry:
COME ON SALHOUSE…..LET’S BE ‘AVING YOU!!!!!
But let’s hope we do better than City!!!!!