Consultation Response to Lichfield District Council regarding Community Governance Review

Hammerwich Parish Council submitted the following response to Lichfield District Council’s Community Governance Review:

Boundary review 2022

Hammerwich Parish do not request any boundary changes under this review.

Hammerwich Local Plan

After a great deal of research, and consultation with parishioners and relevant departments at Lichfield District Council, our Local Plan went to a referendum in December 2021.

Plan was made available to all our 3,412 residents, (from 1406 households). No responses were made asking changes to our boundaries to be considered.

In a referendum more than eighty percent of voters supported the plan.

Green Spaces in Hammerwich

We provide and manage green spaces in Oakwood Park, The Triangle and Jubilee Park on Hospital Road.

All three are in or adjoining the Triangle Ward, but serve the whole parish Hammerwich and Burntwood all residents who wish to make use of the facilities. Jubilee Park is the home of Burntwood Dragons, and there is also a popular play area provided in the park.

Open Countryside

Our network of footpaths is a gateway for Burntwood residents to enjoy our protected countryside.

The network is very popular with ramblers and dog walkers from Hammerwich and Burntwood and other neighbouring parishes.

Greenbelt

Our parish is virtually surrounded by Greenbelt. In the past, developers have made strong representations to build on Greenbelt land, mostly bordering the Triangle ward.

With the full support of the council, a ‘Save our Greenbelt’ action group was set up, which fought hard to protect all our Greenbelt. It played a large part in successfully safeguarding the Greenbelt until 2040, as published in our Local Plan.

Parsh Council Management.

We consider our council operates very efficiently. We hold meetings every month which are well attended, and chaired by the very experienced Vance Wasdell. We work very closely with Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire County Council representing all our parishioners and groups.

We have an excellent Parish Clerk, Ellen Bird, who works for us on a part time basis. She is very well versed in local government procedures and the protocols involved. She produces all our meeting agendas and minutes, which she publishes on our website, along with pertinent news and announcements. She also takes responsibility for our fiscal disciplines, and compiles our audited accounts on time, every time.

Zoom meetings during Covid lockdown ensured our meetings continued throughout the pandemic.

Community support

We support many community groups, (with guidance and grants), which serve both Hammerwich and Burntwood residents. These include Hammerwich Cricket Club, Burntwood Dragons (on our Jubilee Park sports ground), with the Triangle being very popular, particularly with local dog owners.

Other local groups including. Hammerwich Garden Guild, Women’s Institute, War Games Group, Cricket Club, Burntwood Dragons etc. are actively encouraged and supported.

We work very closely with Staffordshire County Council in maintaining our lanes drains and hedgerows etc.

We look forward to the Platinum Jubilee and have a steering group co-ordinating groups in the parish, and with Burntwood Town Council sharing facilities and timing of events. We have made provision in our budgets to support events.

Population and Parish Income.

Our population is approximately 3,412 residents, from 1406 households, the largest ward being the Triangle ward, which accounts for well over half of households.

Our income comes directly from our precept. Any change to our boundary could be catastrophic for us.

Our precept is the lowest in the area.

Conclusion

We are a very well-run parish which is appreciated by parishioners. We have no intentions to expand or merge our boundaries, or surrender wards to neighbouring parishes or councils.

We are also happy with the name Hammerwich Parish Council.