About The Parish Council

Parish Chair

HUGH COLLINS - Chair
Hugh is jointly responsible for Finger Posts and jointly responsible for Highways

Contact Hugh at kensonsorganicveg@btinternet.com

Parish Councillors

ANTONY FIRTH - Parish Councillor
Antony is responsible for the Parish Council Budget

PHILIPPA THATCHER - Parish Councillor
Philippa is responsible for Rights of Way

KATHRYN BILLING - Parish Councillor

TOBY GREEN - Parish Councillor
Toby is responsible for the Parish Website and jointly responsible for Highways

Parish Clerk

The Council is supported by the Parish Clerk, MRS JANE CHILDS, 01722 716310, janedavidchilds@btinternet.com

Council Aims

Planning
As a Council we see and comment on every Planning Application made within the Parish. We aim to take into account the special status of the Parish as part of an Area of Outstanding Beauty, the traditional nature of most of the buildings, suitability of building materials and the views of other residents. Please contact your nearest Councillor if you have any planning concerns.

Policing
We aim is to make our Parish safe for everyone to enjoy and are supporting the recently established neighbourhood watch scheme. For more information about this scheme please contact Wendy Brooks.

Highways
It is our aim to keep the roads in Sutton Mandeville clean, pot-hole-free, drains clear and hedges and verges trimmed back. We work in conjunction with the Parish Steward in achieving this aim. If you have any concern about the roads in the Parish please contact Mrs Jane Childs, Parish Clerk

Recycling & Waste
Our aim is to reduce the Parish's waste as much as possible and to increase the amount of waste which is recycled. If you have any questions about recycling or waste please contact the Parish Clerk.

Rights of Way
Rights of Way - Advice from Wiltshire Council, 4 September 2019
The following advice has been received by Sutton Mandeville Parish Council from Wiltshire Council courtesy of the Rights of Way Officer for the south of Wiltshire:

Wiltshire Council responsibilities:

Making sure public rights of way are free from obstructions and available as shown on the Definitive Map and statement (our legal record of Public Rights of Way).

Clearance of vegetation growing from the surface of the path.

Signposting rights of way where they leave a road and waymarking the route where appropriate.

Maintaining bridges over natural watercourses.

To provide a minimum of 25% contribution towards any costs incurred by a landowner in maintaining stiles and gates on public rights of way.

Landowner responsibilities:

Maintain stiles, gates and other boundary crossings.

Obtain consent from the highway authority before erecting new stiles or gates on public rights of way.

Cut back encroaching hedges, fallen trees or overhanging vegetation that is growing from their land.

Keep paths clear of obstructions, such as padlocked gates, electric fences etc.

Make sure that no misleading signs are placed near rights of way that might deter people from using the path.

Cross-field footpaths and bridleways can be ploughed where it cannot reasonably be avoided as long as they are reinstated within two weeks of ploughing. Byways and Restricted byways must not be ploughed.

Paths must be kept clear of crops to the width recorded in the Definitive Statement or, where no width is recorded, a minimum width of:
Footpath: 1m across field and 1.5m field edge
Bridleway: 2m across field and 3m field edge
Other rights of way: 3m across field and 5m field edge

A list of the powers Parish Councils have in regard to public rights of way is appended.
Litter pickers wanted!
There are no longer council services to keep rural lanes and verges clear of litter and so local residents
can help by collecting litter on their regular walks.

We particularly need people to litter pick along Sutton Row and Lower Chicksgrove and the parish council has
equipment available for whoever would find it helpful, including: Litter picking stick (only one left!)
Plastic refuse sacks
Rigid hoops for refuse sacks
Protective gloves
High visibility waistcoats
A substantial sweeping brush

If you can help and would like any of these pieces of equipment please
contact Kathryn Billing on 714957 to arrange delivery.

As well as being unsightly, roadside litter sometimes presents problems for wildlife, and the parish council is hoping that if enough of us can clear verge and lanes regularly we can keep our villages looking unspoiled and environmentally safer.

Parish Steward
Villages are visited on a monthly basis, in a programme which is sent to each local council, in advance of the visit. The duration of each visit is varied to meet the needs of each local Council. The stewards are equipped with a purpose–built Land Rover vehicle, which is clearly marked and fully equipped to attend to most events. A system of satellite tracking and mobile radio and telephone communications enable the stewards to respond very rapidly to a wide variety of problems, which occur on the roads.

The scheme was introduced in the autumn of 2006 and has proved extremely popular with many Parish and Town Councils. The work of the stewards has begun to restore the appearance of many areas, a process often regarded as crucial in protecting civil pride.

Examples of winter work, which is routinely undertaken include:
hand clearing of drainage grips and drain gully cover

clearing of small culverts, pipes and pits.
clearing storm debris
trimming encroaching hedges from around road signs
cleaning and straightening small road signs
hand cutting small visibility areas

In the summer, tasks can also include
painting railings
cutting growth from around signs and railings
cutting growth from drainage grips
removal of ragwort
treatment/removal of weeds, in rural are LDuring times of extreme weather, the stewards are the first line of response, during normal working hours. Outside of normal hours most stewards actively participate on a call-out basis.