Chairman's Report
Stow Parish Council Annual Report 2020/21
Stow Parish Council is at present fortunate to have a full complement of seven volunteers from the local community supported by a part time professional clerk endeavouring to maintain and where possible improve the facilities of the area within a limited budget. The next Parish elections take place in two years time.
Planning Applications have required the Council’s consideration throughout the year.
Stow Bugle, has been produced through the year, distributed mostly electronically. Thank you to Pam Duncan and Clare Ella.
Stow Volunteers 2020 was set up due to Covid 19 and the concerns that residents could be isolated and requiring support. We have continued to find that neighbours and friends have stepped up to the mark and we have not had to call on volunteers a great deal.
Thank you to the people who have wielded their litter pickers this year keeping the village as clear as possible of litter and those dog walkers who have helped to clean the benches around the village areas. The dog poo collection bag holders have been replenished for the emergency situations thank you. Also to those Stow and Sturton folk who have organised, bearing in mind the Covid situation, village events and entertainment such as the Christmas Fayre, Christmas tree, Carol singing, decorated windows and hopefully a May Craft Fayre.
Stow is small village which includes a Play Park and a Cemetery, both requiring regular maintenance, including grass cutting. The village grassed areas are, in the main, cut by a contract, where areas of grass front properties a number are maintained by the householders.
The herbaceous border on Church Road continues to be maintained by volunteers, Stow Fun Raisers have continued to plant bulbs around the village, all admired by visitors and villagers. West Lindsey green waste bins continue to be well used.
At present Paula Justham stores the parish lawnmower.
Letting. An area of land on the outskirts of the village, known as the Parish Field, continues to be rented out to a local resident.
Parish Notice Board which continues to be regularly used for official and social notices.
No further damage has occurred during the year. We understand that the Bus shelter where the noticeboard is situated is to be refurbished.
St Mary’s Drive / South Drive
Parking problems persist on St Mary’s Crescent and South Drive. Issues continue to be raised by residents. Damaged grassed areas have been reported to the Highways department, the remedial work has been allocated, but has not been carried out. A meeting has been arranged to further discuss this issue with Highways representatives.
Sturton by Stow and Stow Neighbourhood Plan
This initiative supported by the Parish Council alongside that of Sturton by Stow continues to prove to be both interesting and taxing.Thank you to Stow Parishioners and, from May 2019, Stow Parish Councillors, Pam Duncan and Norman Read, Stow’s lead volunteers for this project and also Clare Ella who has acted as proof reader for the documents.
Speed Limits and signage
The present 50mph zone between Sturton and Stow will be reduced to 40mph. The change of signage is not as yet in place.
The position of 30 mile an hour sign on Ingham Road requires further consultation with Highways representatives.
The speed of traffic through Normanby by Stow causes concern especially on the bend a solution is being sort through Highways.
The Recreation Fund committee have sourced and purchased flashing reminder signs to be used around the village main roads.
Stow Recreation Fund.
Thanks are again due to Clare Ella and the Recreation Fund committee for continuing to manage the fund and for the progress made during this year despite the Corona 19 situation.
Stow Fun Raisers continue to work with the Parish Council to support the village, the hope is that this will continue.
Stow Civil Cemetery.
The cemetery remains in good order and improvements continue.
Internments and requests for reserved plots continue.
The Green garden waste bin is well used, green refuse has been taken to the Gainsborough waste depot on occasions. Little refuse is sent to land fill from the cemetery; plastic items are often left behind and at present are managed using residents individual blue bins.
The ditches outside on either side of the Cemetery were filled to overflowing during the time of the heavy rains, the road flooded and was icy for a prolonged period. With support from local farmers the ditch has been dug out. Drainage pipes have been discovered . Discussions are to be held with Highways representatives as to a way forward to avoid overflow and severe amounts of ice on the road.
Play Park.
A Covid 19 information sign remains in place on the gate as a reminder of the need for social distancing and protective hygiene measures required.
A further sign was placed on the gate to remind people that dogs are not allowed to be taken into the park.
The large tree that was shedding branches has been reduced to a safe height.
A mixed hedge was planted along the field/ right of way side of the park in the autumn and is growing well despite recent the dry weather. A temporary fence placed alongside in an attempt to protect the small plants.
A further seat has been purchased and installed also a picnic table with space for accommodating a wheelchair.
The play equipment with the slide and climbing wall is to be replaced probably by the end of May 2021.
Water ingress underneath the with fence on the opposite side of the park was again a problem in the autumn and winter; a temporary fence was erected to enable the park to remain open. A more permanent fence is under consideration.
A further Dog bin has been fitted at the Ingham Road/ Sturton Road junction by West Lindsey D C Dog warden service, the service was courteous and speedy.
The Stow Charity Cup accepted by the Sturton By Stow Agricultural Society to be presented as a trophy for educational achievement during the next Show. The cup was created, in 2012 with the intention of maintaining the historical names of the Charities from a Trophy stored by the Hewitt family. It had been used as a clay pigeon shooting trophy when monies were being raised for the village.
Stow Charities Trust.
Bequests made in the 17th Century to support education and the relief of the poor by The Countess of Warwick and the Lord of the Manor, Edward Burgh and substantial at that time. However falling interest rates and the small amounts of money available to dispense, along with few applications, meant that the Trust had become a white elephant. With the permission of the Charities Commission it was converted and added to a larger Lincolnshire County charities pot where it was likely to attract larger amounts of interest and therefore be of greater use.
A Donation was made to Sturton by Stow Primary School by the accepting Charity.