Parish Council

Parish Council News

Volunteers Needed

“My name is Stuart Coffey; I am the transport representative on the Shrivenham Parish Council and I have exciting news for you! We have been successful in a joint grant bid, alongside Watchfield, Bourton and Longcot Parish councils, to introduce a disability-friendly, sustainable, local transport provision.

The grant is sufficient to purchase a new wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) and cover the running costs of that WAV (insurance and routine maintenance) for up to 5 years. The users of the service would only have to pay a per-mile charge that covers fuel costs to attend important appointments, primarily medical. For example, this might mean a cost of £3 to get to a GWH appointment, rather than £15 by taxi. The intent is to reduce the pressure on the NHS in a way that supports local people and using a low-cost, sustainable transport solution.

What do we need from you?
I’m looking for volunteers for 2 areas of this new enterprise: managing committee volunteers to administer and schedule the service, making connections with potential recipients of the service and other groups that may be able to refer to the service, such as the GP surgery. This will include a chairperson and representatives from each parish, where possible. Experience of scheduling, working in the charity sector and managing volunteers would be an advantage. This managing committee would have full autonomy of how to run the scheme but would be expected to report progress in writing, quarterly, to the supporting parish councils.  Secondly, we need a bank of volunteer drivers, with clean licences, willing to offer at least 1 morning or afternoon per week as a volunteer.

If you feel, as I do, that this is a cause worth devoting your time to, please email me at Stuart.Coffey@shrivenham.org with your name, mobile number and preferred email address. I will be hosting an initial scoping meeting on Thursday 25th January at 7pm in the Claridge Room of the Shrivenham Memorial Hall for all interested parties. If this time doesn’t suit, let me know and I can arrange other times that will work for you.

If the managing committee cannot be established, there is a very real risk that the funding could be withdrawn. So I hope you will agree with me that we want this scheme to go ahead and will offer your time and energy to make it happen!

If you’ve read this far, I thank you for your time and wish you a very Happy New Year for 2024. Hopefully, I will speak to you on the 25th!”

Many thanks

Stu Coffey

07825703836

Stuart.coffey@shrivenham.org

WPC MEETINGS

All meetings will be held on the third Tuesday of the month at 19:30hrs in the Pavilion.  Streaming of meetings are no longer allowed under the current government legislation.

Where and when are the meetings?
Normal Parish Council meetings are held in Watchfield Pavilion at 7.30pm on the third Tuesday of the month (except August).  Agendas and minutes are displayed on the noticeboards in the Village.  Any additional meetings will be advertised on the noticeboards.  You are welcome to attend.
At present, there is no Parish Council office.

Meeting Minutes and Agendas
These can be found here - WPC meetings

Register of Interests
Link to Vale of White Horse District Council page for Parish Councils
http://whitehorsedc.moderngov.co.uk/mgListCommittees.aspx?PC=1&bcr=1

Who are your councillors?
Chairman: Stacey Coombs, Stacey.coombs@watchfield.org

Vice Chairman, Emma Markham. emma.markham@watchfield.org

Joao Valadas ,  Joao.valadas@watchfield.org

Aaron Biggs, aaron.biggs@watchfield.org

Carrie Parker, carrie.parker@watchfield.org

 

If you would like further information please contact the clerk or VWHDC elections team, elections@southandvale.co.uk

All councillors have signed the Vale of White Horse District Council's Code of Conduct and Standing Orders.

Parish Clerk: Claire Arnold

Watchfield Pavilion, Majors Road, Watchfield SN6 8GJ
e-mail: clerk(at)watchfield.org
The Clerk works part-time. In an emergency please call the Clerk (07585286740) or the Chairman rather than email.
To avoid website spam robots the Clerk's address has (at) instead of @.  To make the e-mail address valid you will need to remove (at) and replace with the @ symbol.