After a number of phone calls, Chris was given an explanation of what happening and what YEDL are doing to prevent such regular failures in the future. In summary, they don't really know yet, but they have now installed testing equipment to monitor the situation over Christmas. What this space.
Sue has spoken to the council re the blue box scheme – we will not know until Jan if we are to get the blue box in April 2004 or April 2005.
It has been proposed that Thorpe Hesley & Scholes become a Parish council. A meeting to discuss the pros and cons is scheduled for 26 January. A levy of £20 per household will be applied. This may not be spent proportionately across Thorpe and Scholes. A min of 300 residents need to vote yes. The council will have few powers but will be informed of everything by RMBC etc.
A joint planning application for the Notice Board is now being put ut forward with Jan Hardy from Holy Trinity, Thorpe Hesley.
An overview of a concept traffic plan was provided and the implications of having a 20 mph speed limit in the village discussed . It was agreed that a survey of villager’s views should be carried out on this and on a school feeder service to schools in the area.
A traffic survey on Scholes Lane has confirmed that the average speed is 40mph. RMBC will go through a consultation process over potential changes.
A request has been made to extend the footpath from the Lodge to join up with the footpath further up.
Sue has submitted the business case and cost estimates for Living Space funding to rebuild 130 metres of wall along Scholes Lane.
The Planning Enquiry for the proposed Motorway Service Station has been cancelled.
We have received a £150 grant from the community chest. As at 15 December, at the time of typing, the funds stand at £1778.46, of which £1588.20 is reserved for funding the notice board and approximately £30 reserved for the village Christmas tree. This leaves £190.26 in funds for expenses.
The meeting agreed to print another 100 recipe books as the first 60 had sold well. As at 15 December, £275 has been received. 58 are in stock and 49 out with people trying to sell them.
New residents to be welcomed to the village are Brian & Kathleen who have just moved into 2 Scholes Green and Stephanie & John Cook who moved into 16 Scholes village earlier in the year.
On Sunday 21st September, a very pleasant afternoon was spent on the cricket ground when 21 players took part in the village boules competition encouraged by a small group of spectators. The warm and sunny weather, together with the clink of boules and wine glasses & a good selection of French bread and cheeses, made for a very relaxed and sociable occasion. Helen Vaughan managed to secure first place in the competition from Jack Howden, both taking home an excellent bottle of red wine as a prize. Thanks to everyone who attended and made it such an enjoyable afternoon. Special thanks to Ian Lewis for helping mark out the 4 courts, the cricket club for letting us use the pavilion and to Sue and Bill Dunigan who worked hard to organised the event and generously provided refreshments and prizes.
The Association is investigating the cost of providing a Christmas tree for the village and is planning a Christmas Carol Evening with Thorpe choir on 15 December. Carols will be sung around the village and a door to door collection will provide donations to Blue Bell Wood Children’s Hospice. Refreshments will be provided for the carollers.
On Sunday, 26 October a band of volunteers took part in the Community Action Day sponsored by Radio Sheffield. Everyone worked hard tidying up the village green. The boundaries and pathway were tidied and weeded and bulbs planted. Litter was collected on the green and Scholes Lane.
Fees & licences for a planned notice board are double the estimates from earlier this year and so a smaller notice board is to be purchased. If possible, a common planning application with Thorpe Hesley will allow costs to be shared across the two groups.
At long last the village signs and red road strips have been
put in place and are much appreciated. RMBC has been asked to place an additional
red strip on the road with a 30 mph reminder near the junction of Scholes Lane
with Upper Wortley road. This will have to wait until the A629 traffic survey
has been completed. The association plans to gain villager’s views on traffic
calming measures on Scholes Lane, as speeds are unacceptable.
A request has been made to see if the footpath at Scholes Lodge can be extended
to join up with the footpath further up Scholes Lane to avoid pedestrians stepping
into the road.
A business case is being prepared for the rebuilding of 130 metres of wall along Scholes Lane in collaboration with RMBC. Funding is to be requested from Living Spaces. RMBC require wet-stone construction if they are to maintain the wall in future. Some tree felling will be needed, where trees interrupt the line of the wall and, again, this is being planned with RMBC. Street Pride has been asked to repair the wall opposite 146 Scholes Village, which has also collapsed.
It has been proposed that Thorpe Hesley & Scholes become a Parish council. A meeting to discuss the pros and cons is scheduled for 26 January in Thorpe Hesley church.
The inaugural meeting of Friends of Keppel’s Field discussed current problems (off-road bikes, night hunting, dog fouling, litter, overgrazing, unkempt grasslands etc.) and the anticipated problems if the Keppel’s column was to be opened to tourists (car parking, traffic increases, toilets, floodlights etc). Everyone agreed the forum is needed to improve 2 way communication with RMBC and to be able to influence decisions. In the absence of volunteers, councillors Barry Kaye and John Fodeham offered to chair initial meetings until a chairman was found. The next meeting is on 26 November at 19.30 in The Sportsman. Scholes Village Association will be represented at each meeting.
The association is still awaiting Street Pride action to prevent water collecting in the road outside The Vines.
With the advent of the blue box recycling scheme, it was
felt that recycling banks would not be used and the request
will be cancelled.
Feedback is awaited from the Area Assembly regarding our request for bollards
to be built to protect the verges on Scholes Lane and the passing places to
be properly kerbed and drained. An additional request for the lay-by near Red
House Farm to be improved is to be made
Village Walking Treasure Hunt
This made a gross profit of £166.66. Many thanks to all who helped.
Arrangements are well advanced for the event on 17 August. Could you provide any tombola prizes, white elephant stall items, cakes or volunteer (an hour or so)? If you can help, please see any of the committee.
Favourite recipe Book
Do you have any favourite recipes we could include in a small booklet in November / December. Suggestions to Sue Dixon.
Broadband
Ecclesfield exchange is to be updated for broadband at the end of the calendar
year.
There has been no action to tidy up the village green since the Council’s end
of December deadline was passed. Philip Sheriff is to write again to the council
asking them to repair the fence, weed the boundaries, cut the grass and send
the bill to the tenant if they cannot enforce the terms of the tenancy agreement.
Sue Dixon advised that we have still not identified a suitable source for a
notice board at a price the association can yet afford. Another option is being
considered.
Roger Vaughan updated the meeting on the Council’s plan to erect the village signs at the same time as the red strip is placed on the road. The date for this has slipped several times.
Roger Vaughan advised that the Transport Concept Plan would be available in
June, which the group is eagerly awaiting because of their concerns for road
safety due to speeding traffic through the village.
Sue Dixon advised that the small contingent of volunteer litter pickers from
the village continues to keep litter on Scholes Lane in check but that the dumped
rubbish in the field off Scholes Lane is still there. A request for volunteers
to clear it into the Community Skip in June will be made.
Sue Dixon updated the meeting on the Council visit to review flooding problems
and road surfacing problems. We are still awaiting confirmation of action that
can be taken but it is likely that pavement outside one cottage will be raised
to prevent flooding. It is not clear if anything can be done to prevent the
water collecting outside another cottage and the cost of kerbing & draining
Scholes Lane would be prohibitive and could result in several houses being flooded
rather than one. The Association will help put a case for a drainage ditch into
the Little Lane ditch to Wentworth Estates to avoid a third cottage being flooded.
Gary Skidmore has kindly agreed that re-cycling banks can be located in the car park of The Bay Horse.
Funding is available through the Street Pride Initiative. Suggestions were requested to Roger Vaughan in addition to dog fouling bins, and bollards to prevent informal parking on Scholes Lane.
Andy Poppleton briefed the attendees on the recent alloy wheel thefts and initiative to catch off-the-road motorcyclists. The meeting discussed local problems and Andy recommended that villagers report events that disturb them.
It was requested if the stone wall at the bottom of Keppel’s field could be repaired, as this was how bikers were gaining access to the wood. Part of the wall was previously repaired through a young offender’s program. Roger Vaughan is to request this from the Council.
John Gaskell advised us that BT is likely to remove the Telephone Box, as it
earns less than £500 per annum.
Web site given new look.
New Holy Trinity church web site launched at www.thorpeandscholes.org.
As well as the village grand prix on April 5th, the following are being organised for the summer:
Walking Treasure Hunt on Sunday 8th June. Entry £1. Will take approx 1 hour and cover 2 miles, starting at the Bay Horse. There will also be a cake stall, refreshments in the Pavilion and a raffle. Judging and prize giving will take place at 4pm.
Summer Fayre proposed for Sunday 17th August.
Hanging Basket Competition with judging taking place in the first two weeks of July.
In addition, a fund raising race night will be considered at the next meeting. Stuart and Janine Allen have kindly offered loan of their Party Tent for future events.
Transport Development Policy - the level of interest and letters sent to Nigel Davey was good but his reply was non committal with many areas apparently owned by other departments. In addition, Scholes Lane was described as a feeder road. This will be followed up to ensure the items handed off are actioned and the road classification questioned.
Housing Development - Phil Turnidge, Planning, who presented to the Forum in January, said that Wentworth had employed Frank Knight to establish ways that some of their land could be developed, including reverting back to the extant planning permission for 600 houses. To-date, he has heard nothing more and in his view, local planning has moved on following the 2001 Public Enquiry and will not call for significant housing in this area.
Local Development Framework (new name for the UDP) - 30 responses to the Issues Document were received from Thorpe and Scholes. A common theme was unwanted housing development. A debriefing report summarising 1200 points from 260 responses is expected in April/May. A draft plan is now not expected until Spring/ Summer 2004.
Planning Applications - can be viewed via the council web site from this month.
Jonathon Grayson has said he will cut the grass when it dries out.
Notice Board Project - Stuart Allen is to assess if one can be made cheaper (than £1500) in steel.
Web Site - email notifications can be sent whenever the site is updated. We currently have 7 email addresses. There must be more. If you would like to receive them, please email Chris.
Newsletter - this will now be published to a bi-monthly schedule. Cutoff and publication dates will be made available.
The council plan to erect these in April May rather than March. Perhaps
this will happen one day!
Currently, Broadband is not available in Scholes as we are too far from the exchange. There are 25 potential subscribers in the village but this has no impact on availability of Broadband. The committee will write to BT Head Office. It would be helpful if others could too.
Derelict Brick Building - has been demolished with council and Jonathan Grayson's permission. Thanks to Dave Horbury. Jonathan is also planning to remove the dumped rubbish.
Drainage problems - the Head of Highways has been written to and will be chased. Elaine volunteered to pull together a statement of all the drainage problems that are affecting her, Roger Vaughan, Annette Kelly, Jack Howden and Tony Parkin and write on behalf of the Association to the council requesting remedies. The Association will then chase for action.
Community Skip - has been requested a skip for March, June and October each year. To be sited on Little Lane.
Litter - thanks to public-spirited residents Sue Dixon, Dick Pascoe, Jenny Sherriff, Helen, Lawrence and Roger Vaughan who have been litter picking over the last few weeks.
Safety - the paddock at the bottom of Scholes Lane is being fenced.
Feedback from the Ward Visit by Mark Edgell, on 17 March is expected in April/May.
You may be wondering what’s happened recently, as bags have not been collected… well, the village had been forgotten when the Council modified the scheme to collect the blue bags on the same day as the bins are emptied. Now they have been reminded, here are our new arrangements:
The new schedule begins with a collection on Tuesday, 1 April. Bags will then be collected on every following second Tuesday. If the bin collection changes, so will the blue-bag collection.
In the interim, the council was to try and collect the blue bags on Tuesday, 25 March, but this may not happen.
The Association would like to welcome Denise & Gary Skidmore to the Bay Horse.
As well as the grand prix, the following are being organised for the summer:
A decision document is to be issued in June, in addition to the UDP. Villagers need to write individually to Nigel Davey before Mid May if they wish their views to be considered and appropriate budgets to be set up. A pro-forma letter for residents to consider is available here.
Funding cannot be made available to extend the Cricket Club without securing a lease longer than a rolling 12 months. The Club is researching archives to try and secure their position.
A request for funds from Awards For All is being prepared. The council has also been asked for permission to erect one on the village green near the entrance to Scholes Green, facing west.
The council plan to erect these in April rather than March.
Currently, Broadband is not available in Scholes as we are too far from the exchange. We are to raise the need to facilitate Broadband into the area with Mark Edgell. Neil is to canvass villagers to ascertain potential population of subscribers, and Bill is to pursue with BT if there are any ways in which it can be brought into the village, sooner rather than later.
No suitable site has been identified.
We will be represented at the Ward visit by Council leader, Mark Edgell, on 17 March at 19.00 in the Church Hall by Sue and Philip. This is a “by invitation” meeting. The items to be raised by Sue and Philip in a constructive and concise way are:
The threat of development in Scholes
We have 27 children in the village, including 3 babies, and there is no transport for pupils at senior schools from the village
Safety concerns: traffic, speeding, and pavement widening
The need for a development policy for business expansion to include the facilitation of broadband access to the internet to the village
The need for improved recycling facilities along the lines of those implemented
in Devon.
Only a few people have responded to the survey. It was felt that this was because the vision is unclear. The committte will take this forward to present something more concrete to the village.
Transport: A meeting with Nigel Davey to discuss transport policy is to be held on 3 March at 7pm at Holy Trinity Church and NOT the school. This is a meeting to be proactive about what we want so he can secure a budget for us.
Proposed Motorway Service Station: The Planning Enquiry into the proposed motorway service station has been put back to October.
UDP Review: Thankyou for responses to the issues document which will be forwarded to the council.
Hedges: - Arthur Brown has cut all the hedges adjacent to the road but not adjacent to 146's allotment. Sue has thanked Wentworth estates.
Roads: Highways have tidied up the "parking bays" on Scholes
Lane.
Asbestos Garage: Environmental Health will only move the asbestos garage
if no tenant can be found. Roger will write to the Director of Public Health
before the end of January.
Drainage problems: Cottages have again been affected by water. Annette
and Ian will provide a summary of the problems they have had with a view to
the committee:
- Asking Highways to install kerbs and drains on the LHS of Scholes Lane
- Asking RMBC to unblock the drains in Keppels field
- Apply pressure to the tenants in fields higher up the road to do the same.
- Asking Wentworth Estates to sort out the drain behind The School House.
Other areas of concern raised are the Cricket Ground and the village green.
Community Skip: The next skip is arranged for 9 March.
The Chairman thanked everyone who has contributed to the achievements of the committee.
Since January 2002, we have achieved quite a lot:
· Raised funds through Social Events:
+ Summer Fayre to raise funds for the improvements to the village cricket pavilion,
in collaboration with Scholes Village Cricket Club
· Improved communications in the village:
+ Produced website and regular newsletter
+ Liased with other local groups, like Thorpe Hesley Forum
+ Planning to attend Area Assembly Meetings.
+ Currently investigating funding of £1500 for the erection of a village
notice board.
· Improved and protected the environment:
+ Tidied an the untenanted garden next to the Cricket pitch
+ Arranged litter picking on the main roads in and out of the village
+ Worked with the local authority to provide two rubbish skips, more planned
+ Arranged for the blue waste to be removed
+ Arranged hedge cutting and footpath tidying by both the Council and Wentworth
Estates
+ Demolition of an unsightly derelict building and improvement of land drains
to prevent flooding of cottages in the village in progress.
+ Ensured villagers are aware of planning issues, so they can respond. So far
have advised them of Motorway service application, application for an agricultural
dwelling, UDP consultation, proposed development of Riverside rejected.
· Improved safety, working with the local authority:
+ Successful pressure on the local authority to cut back severely overgrown
hedges that were causing pedestrians to walk in the road
+ Arranged for Highways to fill-in the bad holes in the side of the road caused
by field run-off.
+ Taken steps to eliminate dog fouling. Erected dog-fouling signs.
+ Currently trying to secure the removal of an asbestos hazard.
· Improved visual aspects of the village:
+ Arranged for village signs and gates to be erected before March
+ We have an ongoing project to tidy and confirmed as a village green.
· Improve community well-being by arranging seasonal events in addition
to the summer fayre:
+ A hanging basket competition with prizes donated by a local business in Wentworth
+ An open-air Christmas carol evening with a local brass band.
· Improved village amenities:
+ We are just beginning to investigate the possibility of funding improvements
to the cricket club pavilion to provide a community meeting place.
A total income of £438.86 was raised from villager donations and the Christmas celebration.
There has been a limited expenditure of £118.97, mostly on the Xmas celebration. Costs for this event were kindly subsidised by the villagers.
At the end of our first year, we have £290 on deposit and £29.89 cash in hand.
Community Chest funding requested in November/December was not available. Other funding is being pursued.
The revised constitution was adopted with minor changes.
The following officers were elected:
- Chairman: Roger Vaughan
- Treasurer and Secretary: Sue Dixon
Other Committee members elected were:
- Social and Fundraising: Ian Lewis, Phil Sherriff
Volunteers were confirmed for:
- Newsletter - Helen Vaughan, Sue and Bill Dunigan
- Website - Chris Woods
Over sixty villagers celebrated Christmas with music, carols and Thorpe Hesley's Brass Band. More...
Would you be interested in having a Village Community Centre? There may be funding available for a community centre, as Harley has just secured such funding. Discussions suggest that the ideal for Scholes would be to secure funding to improve the Cricket Pavilion so that it could be extended to cater for both cricket events and community events. This would seem to be in line with the Cricket Club's 3 year plan. We intend to explore what is required by the residents, which will define the size and how to progress with regards to funding, maintenance and running costs. To give your response please fill in the separate flyer.
The Planning Enquiry into the proposed motorway service station is to be held on (just checking). We will give feedback from the Enquiry.
Rotherham has ambitious plans to change the town in next ten years
including:
- |
Development of A629 into main traffic corridor and red bus route potentially destroying trees and widening upper Wortley Road; |
- |
Housing developments in Thorpe Hesley; |
- |
A park and ride facility. |
A leaflet is to be distributed next week. Please make sure you respond. It is important that local community groups influence the report, and replies received before the 10 January deadline. The Issues document can be found here.
Both applications to develop the riverside area near Tesco and the derelict Guest and Chrimes site have been turned down by Councillors even though they were supported by the planning officers.
Tesco's scheme would have cost over £30 million, creating funding and job opportunities. Both schemes were rejected because they were "out-of-town" developments(!), would create severe traffic congestion, and contravene the UDP.
If you wish to register your disappointment; wend an email to Mark Edgell at leader@rotherham.gov.uk, and to your own councillor listed at here.
The Museums section of the Council is carrying out preliminary fact finding regarding the restoration of Keppel's Column before applying for funding. A proposal for a small car park near the monument is unlikely to affect the Coppice field as the site is designated of special scientific interest.
Operation Garden Clearance - You may have noticed the wonderful garden near the cricket club, with its trimmed and pruned trees. Thanks to the sterling work of John and Sue Dixon, Bill Dunigan, Annette Kelly, Ian Lewis, Harold Price, Lawrence and Roger Vaughan. Also Neil Bentley for making the tea, after his leaflet distribution. We hope to clear the rubble and maybe rotavate and re-seed the area. We will be considering whether the Village Association should persuade Rotherham to maintain it or rent it to us free of charge, if we are to maintain it.
We are looking at the possibility of sitting village bottle and paper banks behind the cricket pavilion. This will be dependent on access, and the provision of a hard standing and screening. If this is not possible another site will have to be found.
Water, Water, Everywhere - Two cottages were affected by water in the latest downpour. The problem seems to be blocked drains in the Coppice field. A visit to consider the drainage problems from the Coppice field (owned by Rotherham) and the Wentworth fields behind the School House and neighbouring properties is still awaited. We will be pursuing this, together with the concern over the Cricket Ground and the Village Green. In the meantime a land drain behind the Old School has been unblocked and improvements to the ditches are being sought.
Hedges - It is good to see the tidy hedge and pavements on the approach to Upper Wortley Road. This shows that persisting with the Council pays off. We hope that The Wentworth Estates will be as successful in tidying other boundaries, especially to the cricket club.
The Next Community Skip has been booked for 9th March 2003, the position is yet to be confirmed.
Community Policeman's Report - Andy Poppleton, our local Community Constable, has had his "beat" extended to include Thorpe Hesley, Scholes, Wentworth, Harley and Nether Haugh.
The Revised constitution was adopted in the interim period until the AGM in order to secure funding. It has been posted website and feedback collected from residents at the AGM.
Notice Board Project - Costing for a notice board till be approximately £1500 and a request for funds from Awards For All is being prepared. The council has been asked for permission to erect a board on the Village Green, near the entrance, facing west. If they are in agreement we will seek planning permission at a cost of £110. The proposed site is on the village green, very close to main road, facing west. Just opposite the drive way to Vicky and Dave's cottage.
Starting on Tuesday 7th January 2003 You are invited to join in a new Bible
Study Group. This will take place fortnightly at the home of Bill and Sue Dunigan
No158 Scholes Lane.
Details of Scholes Christmas Carols Published. Read on...
Christmas Art & Craft Fayre to be held on Sunday 24th November 11 till 5 in the Church Hall, Thorpe Hesley. Read on...
Welcome to Susan and Peter Dransfield who have recently moved into number 12, Scholes Village.
A big thank you to Helen Vaughan who has agreed to take on the newsletter and Sue Dixon for taking on the secretary role.
The association would like to thank Lawrence Vaughan who has volunteered to pick-up litter on Scholes Lane for 3 months as a contribution for his Duke of Edinburgh award.
Association funds now stand at £270.
The Cricket Club would like to thank the Village Association for their help with the Village Fete.
The next meeting will be on Thursday November 28th at 7pm in the Bay Horse.
Christmas Celebrations - we would like to organise a Christmas celebration in the village. Watch this space.
Christmas Decorations - we are investigating the possibility of village owned Christmas decorations and requesting a Christmas tree from Wentworth Estates. We would like to encourage people to help decorate the village with their own private decorations to supplement those planned by the association.
Thanks to Richard Pasco, we now have several documents that refer specifically to the village green. Nothing could be found in the Planning Archives that referred to the village green as a public open space.
Conversations with the Planning Department indicate that the village green
cannot be built on and neither can the cul-de-sacs be joined together because
of the infill classification. A personal opinion from the planner is that Scholes
Village will not be developed further. Investigations continue.
The village signs will be installed during the first week in December. Red tarmac strips will be placed on the road near the signs and also near Acorn House, where the road narrows.
It was agreed that a village notice board would be a small but good
achievement and could be used to post information about forthcoming events,
newsletters etc. Costs will be established and and permission from council obtained.
Possible site could be on the village green near the entrance to Scholes Green.
We will look for a sponsor when costs are known.
Scholes Village Clean-up - Sunday 23 November between 10.00 - 14.00.
Help us to tidy up the small patch of land to the left of the entrance to the
cricket ground. Roger, our Chairman is bringing his chainsaw! Bring along your
gardening gloves and saw, secateurs or rake etc.
Blue fertiliser - a result - the pile of blue fertiliser in the field as you leave the village towards Wentworth has been moved as has some of the fly-tipped rubbish. The council have been thanked but reminded that other rubbish remains and that our request to demolish the brick building is still outstanding.
Hedges - The council has written to the tenants asking them to cut the hedges on Scholes Lane. They were unsuccessful last year and cut the hedges on behalf of the tenants. We will chase the council on this again. Wentworth Estates have asked their tenant to cut the hedge adjacent to the footpath in the north of the village. The cricket club is to write to Wentworth Estates if the hedges on the club boundary are not cut in the next week or so. We are continuing to chase highways on tidying the "parking bay" and path cleaning on Scholes Lane.
Private hedges are also encroaching on footpaths, if you are responsible for one, please can you keep them in trim.
Asbestos Garage - Environmental Health will only move the white asbestos garage if the tenant pays for it to be moved. We are continuing to discuss this with the council.
Drainage - A visit to consider the drainage problems from the Coppice
field (owned by Rotherham) and the Wentworth fields behind the School House
is being arranged. Other areas of concern raised are the Cricket Ground and
the village green.
Garden fires are causing some discomfort. Please be courteous and consider
your neighbours.
Meetings are to be held on 31st October, 28th November, 16th January (Annual General Meeting) and the last Thursday in every month, thereafter.
Thank you to all villagers that have contributed to the funds, donations which now stand at £170.
Apologies for the hiccup in the production of the newsletter over the last few months. We recognise that the newsletter and website are very important means of communicating with you all. Thank you to our current newsletter editor, Nikki, for her efforts so far. Unfortunately, Nikki is leaving the village for the Great Metropolis and we urgently need a volunteer to replace her. We have the publishing software. If you have a computer and a few hours to spare each month, please let Roger know.
Roger, our chairman, continues to attend the meetings of the Thorpe Hesley Forum. The recent consultant's report providing input to the Community Development Plan for Thorpe Hesley and Scholes did not reflect our input. A qualifying letter is to be sent to the Council.
Hanging Basket Competition: This was judged in July and prizes awarded
to Jenny & Philip Sheriff (for best basket) and Jon & Carol Fairweather
(for best display). Thank you to Tony & Sandra Airey of Wentworth Garden
Centre for their time to judge the competition and for the prizes they donated.
Village Fete: The fete was a great success with many more attractions
than last year and raising £538.73 for the cricket club. …..Thanks to
all who helped organise and run the fete, and in particular to Annette, who
"worked her socks off".
The first meeting of the special sub-committee to organise next year's event will meet for the first time in February. We are looking for volunteers and ideas for attractions and information about where different attractions can be sourced. Please contact Maxine.
Maxine is now planning the next event - a Christmas Celebration in early December. Suggestions to-date include the Thorpe Hesley Brass Band, Carols, Wentworth Bell ringers (David Hunton), Food. If you would like to help out with this event, please contact Maxine.
Our discussions with the Council have revealed that they would consider assigning us the tenancy of the Village Green on a year-by-year basis, if we can get the current tenant to agree to relinquish it. This concerns us, as it suggests the Council may be considering selling the land for development. As a consequence, we are trying to find out more about the status of the Village Green. Our investigations into potential funding are on hold at the moment, until we can confirm a lease of a reasonable length of time. If we do, then we will obtain funding in two stages. The first stage will research villager's requirements and prepare options on which all villagers can vote. The second stage will be to implement the consensus option.
In the meantime, we are pushing the Council to get the green tidied up.
Proposed Motorway Service Station - The Planning Inquiry into the proposed motorway service station is to be held on March 17th. Objections can still be raised and a sample letter is being circulated with the newsletter.
Boundary Changes - The proposed boundary changes that separated Thorpe Hesley and Scholes put Scholes into an area with Greasborough. These changes have been rescinded. Scholes is now back with Thorpe within its previous boundary.
Hedges and Countryside - The Council has been contacted again to push their tenant into moving the pile of blue fertiliser in the field on the way to Wentworth. Builder's rubbish is now being fly-tipped behind it. The council has also been asked to progress the cutting of the hedges on Scholes Lane. The Council will visit the sites to confirm that no action has been taken and contact the tenants again. An update has been promised.
Dog fouling - Even though we have had dog fouling signs erected, dogs are still fouling the cricket ground and the village green. It is an unenviable task to keep the cricket ground clear of dog dirt. Please can you respect others in the community and take home the dog poo.
Asbestos Garage - We are writing shortly to chase the council on their promise to remove the white asbestos garage on council allotment land.
Drainage - A visit to consider the drainage problems from the Coppice
field and the fields behind the School House is being arranged with the environment
agency. Other areas that drain badly are the Cricket Ground and the Village
Green and these will also be inspected.
Traffic - Speed restrictions have been requested but these cannot be
implemented until there is a traffic review of the whole area, which is planned
for early 2003.
Village Sign - Arrangements have been made for the village sign to be
installed in November. We will try again to get the sign to refer to Scholes
Village and not Scholes, but this has already been rejected.
Investigations continue.
Roger Vaughan announced at the village meeting that he had made arrangements
for a communal skip to be placed at the entrance to the cricket field on Saturday,
6th July and 17th August. The skip would be available for any resident to use
between the hours of 0930 and 1430.
Jubilee Fun. Everyone enjoyed themselves on Sunday when the club hosted a kid's match for local children. Cricket was followed by burgers, hotdogs and chips. Then parents and kids piled in for a another game of cricket and then a lengthy game of football. Our thanks to Steve and Chris Penn for providing the disco. Commemorative medals were given to participants as a memento of the day.
The season is now well underway, with both teams playing successful cricket. Jonathan Ring (17) of Scholes Green scored 110 not out 2 weeks ago and 99 not out last weekend for the 2nd XI. His brother Andrew took 5 wickets for 18 runs in the 1st XI home game on the same day. He has also scored 2 half centuries in recent games. Daniel Dobson (14) hit his first 6 at the ground the previous week. The last 2 league games that the 1st XI played, they bowled out the opposition for less than 40 runs!
For future dates, see Notices.
A hanging basket competition will take place this summer. Judging will take place in July by Wentworth Garden Centre who have also kindly agreed to provide prizes. The competition is open to all residents of Scholes Village. Hanging baskets must be home planted, be "hanging" - no tubs or troughs and visible from the road.
RMBC have now advised us that Farmer Grayson has a tenancy agreement for the
green rather than a leasing arrangement and that the tenancy agreement is reviewed
every twelve months with the current tenant having first refusal for renewal.
The cost of maintenance of the land will have to be considered. Further discussions
and investigations are required.
Signs for each end of the village have now been agreed on with RMBC Highways
and Traffic and should be in place in approximately seven weeks. There will
be two on each side of the road at locations at each end of the village. The
actual sites are yet to be agreed with Highways and Traffic.
The signs will read 'Scholes welcomes careful drivers: 30 mph' and 'Welcome
to Scholes. Please drive carefully'. Red tarmac strips will be laid between
the two signs at each location.
As you may have seen, dog fouling signs have now been erected around the village
at the entrance to the wood, by the cricket club and Bay Horse car park and
along the footpaths.
You may have seen the headlines in The Star recently which reported that Bryant,
the building developer, is again seeking planning permission to build some 600
houses on the greenfield site between Scholes and Thorpe Hesley.
The Village Association committee will keep in touch with members of the original
Thorpe Hesley Residents Committee who were key in halting plans for the previous
development and ensure residents are kept up to date with any news via the website
and the newsletter.
PC Poppleton is aware of recent incidents and asked that residents be vigilant
and not hesitate to report anything that causes concern to the police - the
only way they can help is if they are aware of any problems!!
The next village association meeting will be on Wednesday 26rd June at 7.00pm in the Bay Horse. Please do come along. This is YOUR village and YOUR association. Please tell and encourage your neighbours too.
A hanging basket competition will take place this summer. Judging will be by Wentworth Garden Centre who have also kindly agreed to provide prizes.
Discussions are taking place with Rotherham Council with regards to taking over the village green, currently leased by John Grayson.
The site survey for the previously mentioned village signs should be taking place in the next three weeks. Road warning signs relating to horses are also being arranged.
The next village association meeting will be on Thursday 23rd May at 7.00pm in the Bay Horse. The one for June is at the same time, same place on Wednesday 26th June. Please do come along. This is YOUR village and YOUR association. Please tell and encourage your neighbours too.
Following a road traffic accident in the village, the association is making an application to bring forward speed monitoring, currently due to take place in April 2003.
The association have been discussing the problems of fly tipping and dog fouling in the village with the Environmental Warden. As a result, the warden is to put up signs warning of £50 on the spot fines and through the courts, fines of up to £1,000. The signs will be located near the Bay Horse, cricket ground and at the entrance to footpaths.
The warden will be patrolling the village and footpaths. If you see any flytipping, please contact the warden via Sue Dixon.
Plans are underway, in conjunction with the Cricket Club, to hold a village fete over the August Bank Holiday. For further details, please contact Maxine Boot.
Thanks to Bill and Sue Dunigan of Mayflower Engineering who have kindly agreed to print the village newsletter.
The following information was received from the Council via the Thorpe Hesley & Scholes Community Forum:
A report has been drawn up recently into the changes in the water table. The mines in the area have not been pumped out and the water table has therefore altered. In addition this accounts for the increase in Methane gas in parts of Scholes Village.
The Council confirmed that they own "The Green" and it is leased by Mr Grayson. Further information to follow.
Roger had received a message from Trish Hill that a village sign will be possible in 2 months. A site visit and planning permission are necessary and these will be free. It was suggested that this should read Scholes Village (welcomes careful drivers).
Village meeting held this evening in the Bay Horse. Press here to view minutes.
The new website was created today. The site is small now but will grow over time. Please contact Chris Woods if you have any suggestions.