This National Tree Week, we are inviting community groups, schools, businesses and local authorities to plant trees in memory of those who have lost their lives during the pandemic.
What began as a tribute to the late Bill Blackledge, passionate horticulturist and former Chair of North West in Bloom (NWiB), has blossomed into a UK-wide effort to mark this difficult period. Many groups in the region have planted trees and even orchards in his honour, spurring on the idea for a national tree planting campaign.
Anyone who would like to remember a loved one who passed away during the pandemic is invited to join in and plant a tree (or trees) in tribute, which will be added to a new RHS Roots of Remembrance tree map.
A fitting tribute to fellow gardeners, a tree also allows a physical place to visit, reflect
and celebrate a loved ones for generations to come, while benefiting nature.
The pandemic has touched all of us, one way or another, and you couldn’t have a more fitting tribute to someone close, or someone who has been affected, than a
tree – it’s life.
- Bernard Pendleton, new Chair of NWiB
By adding the trees to the RHS map, it’s a great way for people to see what they are part of – a fantastic legacy for future generations.
Trees can be any size, shape or variety in order to suit everyone's budgets and capabilities. When trees are planted, we ask that you complete our survey, letting us know where the tree will be.
The information will be used to populate a map of the UK displaying all the trees that have been planted. The map will represent the living legacies created in tribute to those we have lost, and the contributions made to the natural world in their memories.
We would love to hear a bit more about your tree and who it is planted for. You might like to use this downloadable plaque to write your loved ones’ name on, and share a picture of your tree planting on social media, using the hashtag #rootsofremembrance. Or, you could email your photo and a short description of your tree and who it remembers to communities@rhs.org.uk
The Woodland Trust, is offering free tress to community groups and schools, with the next delivery in March, which should still offer you a good planting window. Apply by January 5th to take up this offer, and please mention the RHS when applying for your trees.
1/12/2020
Contacting the Parish Council
Face Masks in Pendle
Pendle Council have let people know about the new measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus in Pendle. These include the need to wear face masks in enclosed public spaces such as shops and supermarkets from NOW (20th July 2020) in Pendle – www.pendle.gov.uk/coronavirus
Lane House Lane Playground
The playground continues to be open and is Covid safe. It does not need to close in Lockdown 2.0.
Signs have been erected following the government guidance I have received. Please remember to social distance, and if the playground is busy, you may wish to return a little later.
We hope that you can now enjoy the playground knowing that it is safe. It will be sanitised every week until further notice.
Information and Help
I've received a link from Lancashire County Council with the details of all the help contacts during this time. Please do take a look and contact someone should you need to:
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/your-health-and-wellbeing/coronavirus/#section4
The 2020/21 budget
As the new Council Tax bills have been distributed to all households, I thought it important that the Parish Council shows you what we have budgeted for the year 2020/21.
The Councillors decided that, in order to protect Ball Grove Park, we should take ownership from Pendle Borough Council as soon as we are pleased with the quality of the maintenance on the Park. With this in mind, the amount of precept that the Parish Council has requested has risen from £52922 to £90000. The hope is that we can maintain Ball Grove for less in 2021/22 so the precept would be adjusted accordingly next April. All others areas of the budget have also been increased as the Councillors see fit in order to deliver the services that we do for the next year.
I have attached a pie chart showing the division of funds and an explanation sheet of what the actual money would be spent on.
Please see the pie chart and details in the attached files below.
Community Benches
Last year, we were lucky enough to secure funding for 2 community benches. One of these is at Boulsworth Drive, and the other is behind the Community Shop and Library.
Here are some pictures of how the one at the back of the Shop is currently looking. It's a real sun trap and is used regularly.
Thank you to our Borough Councillors and Pendle Council for the funding for these benches. Sarah Cockburn-Price Margaret Foxley, Paul Foxley
Recycling
Pendle Council is taking a tough line with people who are putting general rubbish in their recycling bins.
Our recycling crews will be stepping up their efforts to check the blue bins for paper and card recycling for contamination.
If people put things we can’t recycle in their recycling bins we won’t empty them until they’ve removed the wrong things which contaminate our loads.
This is because Pendle Council has had 156 tonnes of paper and card rejected for recycling because it was mixed up with other rubbish including nappies and food waste!
This is almost a month’s worth of paper and card recycling which has been wasted and put into landfill.
It costs £130 per tonne for landfill. So for a 156 tonne amount the cost to Pendle taxpayers is a staggering £20,280.
To help tackle this problem, our crews will be putting stickers on the bins asking people who’ve put the wrong things in the wrong bin to remove them.
People can recycle it right by checking on their recycling calendar or look online on our website: www.pendle.gov.uk/bluebin
Dog Fouling
The most complaints that the Parish Council receive are regarding parking and poo! As we always get an increase in the amount of complaints about dog poo at this time of year, at the recent Parish Council meeting, the Councillors decided that the issue should be highlighted.
As a result, I have purchased 10 cans of orange forestry paint (so that it washes away), to spray dog fouling around the Parish and then post the pictures. Hopefully this will make offenders aware that it is not acceptable, and then we can ask Pendle Council to monitor the areas with the biggest problems more often.
Here are the first few that have been taken since Thursday last week (12th December 2019).....
PRESS RELEASE
As Craig McBeth has missed 6 months worth of meetings in 2020, the law states that he should be removed from the Council. This action has now taken place, and the Councillors will be filling the vacancy in due course.
In the meantime, please still be aware that Trawden Forest Parish Council would like to make it clear that, the actions, comments and political affliction of Craig McBeth in no way represent those of Trawden Forest Parish Council.
Dementia Information
Lancashire County Council have produced a newsletter from the 50+ Assembly and Older Peoples Champions with details of support, groups and events for people with dementia. Please take a look at the newsletter below....
Potholes....
I know that there is a lot of talk about potholes on various pages, but
I thought it would be useful to post the link to the County Council's page for reporting them, and the phone number to request a claim form if you've had your car damaged. They
are:
Report a defect: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/roads-parkin…/fault-search.aspx
Claim form: 0300 123 6780 or email
highways@lancashire,gov.uk
Make sure that you take a picture of the pothole that you've damaged your vehicle on, and you'll need to get a quote for the repairs to your vehicle.
Ball Grove Website
Ball Grove have a new website. Why not take a look? There's lot of information and some fabulous photo's on there. The link is http://www.ballgrove.org/
Council Tax - 2019
For those who haven't already seen this, you'll be pleased to hear that the proportion of your Council Tax paid to Trawden Forest Parish Council has only been increased by £400. This is a 0%
rise to the whole bill as there are more properties in Trawden to share out this amount to.
As many of you know, the Parish Council are already responsible for ensuring delivery of some services within the Parish. These are currently all of the bus shelters, Lanehouse Lane Playground,
roadside seating, Christmas decorations (the big tree at the Community Centre, the star at the Church and the star at Winewall) We also have to pay for the Countryside Footpath service, and have
acquired the garage sites at both Cotton Tree and Ash Villa's on Colne Road.
The Parish Council also supply the dog fouling bags on the Recreation Ground and near to the school in a bid to combat the ever increasing issues of people not picking up after their pets. More signs have been recently erected to remind people that they must pick up after their dogs.
We also support the fantastic work that the volunteers of Trawden in Bloom do, which keeps our villages looking their best. This, of course is reflected in the prizes that the group win year after
year.
From April, we will be contributing 75% to the maintenance costs of Ball Grove as Pendle Borough Council will cut back on the service it provides if not. We have also been transferred various parcels
of land around the village that now require the Parish Council to pay for their mowing. The Parish Council also now owns the full length of the tram tracks.
We also support the fantastic work that the Community Centre trustees do, and have already helped financially to the set-up of the new building as it is an asset to the whole village.
The Parish Council have recently sub-contracted a new Lengthsman to do the jobs around the village that, would otherwise get left. So far this year, he's rebuilt part of a wall, cleared out
gullies and drains on Colne Road, and made some huge in-roads to the overgrown Harambee Surgery Garden. Please take the time to have a look at this garden; it really is surprising how big it
is.
If you would like any more information about anything we do, please do get in touch
Parish Councillors
Councillors have an active interest and concern for their local community. They represent local people and work in partnership with them and others when necessary. They help facilitate the
provision of local services and facilities and take decisions that form the policy of the Council.
Councillors are not paid and have to abide by a local government code of conduct and declare their financial interests in the parish. Councillors must also declare a personal or prejudicial interest
in any matter under discussion at a parish council meetings.
The Parish Council plays an active part in all local planning issues. It is probably the area of the Council's role that is best known to the community and which can be of the most importance.
Click here to go to the Local Council Planning Portal and enter the planning refrence number into the text based search system to show the application.