Councillors:  Cllr P Smith (Chairman); Cllr B Lyttle (Vice-Chairman); Cllr C Addison-Lees; Cllr M Barron; Cllr P Curran-Bilbie;  Cllr G Edgson;  Cllr J McCabe; Cllr S McCabe; Cllr J Parker; Cllr P Price; Cllr S Walker
Contacting Councillors: all Councillors can be contacted through the Parish Council Office 01773 603810; by email:somercotespc@btconnect.com or by writing to the Parish Council, Somercotes Village Hall, Nottingham Road, Somercotes, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 4LY.

Income/Expenditure 2016-17: The Council set the precept at £140,000  (no increase on 2015-16)

The Chairman stated at the Annual Parish meeting that the Audit had been completed and was open for public inspection by application to the Clerk to the Council. The Inspection Period commences on 12th June 2017 and ends on 21st July 2017. 

The Annual Return, the Declaration (that the Accounting Statements are unaudited) and the Notice for the Commencement of the Period for the Exercise of Public Rights will be published on the Council’s website from 7th June 2017.

The work of Somercotes Parish Council mainly falls into two areas.  Firstly our role is to represent, you, on issues affecting the community to District, County, central Government and other agencies.  Secondly, we carry out the following work within the parish:

• Keep the parish free of litter and report incidents of fly tipping to the Borough Council
• Manage and maintain the Village Hall
• Manage and maintain the two car parks; Market Place and Mill Yard.
• Provide three allotment sites
• Provide and maintain bus shelters, parish notice boards, grit bins, and seats.
• Maintain street lighting on the Recreation Ground
• Provide horse grazing land (one site)
• Comment on, but not make decision on, all planning applications within the parish.
• Provide and maintain hanging baskets and floral displays
• Maintain the Winding Wheel area and grass verge and the grass verge on B600 (outside B&M Bargains).
• On behalf of the County Council litter pick on public footpaths at Sleetmoor Wood, and the linear path (former Leabrooks Railway) off Swanwick Rd and Crays Hill.  Also to provide minor maintenance to other public footpaths.
• Provide Christmas Light displays  
• Provide monthly waste facility
• Provide FREE poop scoop bags
• Provide a quarterly Newsletter for residents.
• Make donations to local clubs, groups and organisations in the parish area via our Section 137 Budget provision for grant aid to voluntary bodies for specific projects or items of equipment to continue their operation for the benefit of local people

Chairman’s Report:

This report is a summary of the actions and decisions taken by Somercotes Parish Council over the last year.  We also report our activities through monthly meetings, agendas and minutes are publicised via our website and Parish notice boards, via our website and quarterly Newsletter.  There is a public forum at the start of every Parish Council Meeting, where you are welcome to put forward your views or raise any issues.

Parish Council Matters:

Councillor Syd Grotier sadly passed away in June 2016. 

Councillor J Middleton was co-opted as a Council Member.

Council Members and Council staff attended a session on Dementia Friends Awareness.

The Council continued to provide a free Newsletter to 3000 Somercotes residents.

Mill Yard Car Park – was patched and relined and 3 parking bays at the rear of Archway Interiors re-claimed for car park users.

Parish Wardens metal weigh -in for charity - a donation of £150.00 has been made to Macmillan Cancer Care.

The Council agreed to make a financial contribution to a scheme to improve recreational facilities at Pye Bridge.

The Council secured inclusion to a DCC Framework Agreement for hire of the Village Hall.

The Council provided consultation responses in respect of local Planning Applications.  In particular Council listened to the views of residents and made representations regarding Application AVA/2017/0211 the development of up to 210 dwellings.

The Parish Council Carol Concert was held on 9th December 2016 and was very well attended.  A collection for Derbyshire Air Ambulance raised £294.

The Council met with representatives of the Post Office and raised concerns regarding the re-location from the existing site on Nottingham Road.

Christmas Lighting & Floral Displays:

A new contractor was appointed for the Christmas Lighting displays resulting in a saving to the Council.

The areas of each side of the Winding Wheel are designated as “Wild Flower” meadow and were again Wildflower planted, to produce an effective display, which attracts bees, insects and butterflies.

The Council decided to end the contract for watering of floral displays and the Council Parish Wardens will undertake this work, resulting in a saving to the Council.

Village Hall:

Disabled toilet facility upgraded.

Fire Alarm system upgraded and Fire Door retainers fitted  

Community Projects:

The Council allocated funding for the Feature Garden Project and successfully secured part funding from Tesco Bags of Help awards.  Works commenced on 31st January 2017.

In conjunction with Somercotes Local History Society (SLHS) a book ‘Lest We Forget’ was published dedicated to the men of Somercotes and local area who gave their lives during WW1.  This project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Allotments:

The Council has three working Allotments sites at Birchwood Lane, Bridle Lane and Sleetmoor Lane.

The Council supported the planning application for and agreed to part-fund the installation of eco-toilets on Birchwood Lane Allotments. 

The Jim Spibey Memorial Shield Allotments Competition was held with some excellent plots for judging.  The Childrens’s Competition saw an increase in the number of entrants.

Village Hall Bar :

Council Meetings:

The Council meets bimonthly on the third Friday of the month ie January, March, May, July, September, November.

The public are welcome to attend and raise any issues.

The Council currently has two vacancies.