The Parish Council started the year with a full membership of nine Councillors. At the start of this report I wish to thank all the Council for their support in undertaking various jobs and attending regularly.
With the exception of our fight to retain the village Post Office, the year has been one of dealing with largely routine matters.
Notable projects started during the year:
- Developing the village website
- Producing the village booklet
- Involvement with the YKRA in developing the Ages of Mankind project
- Joining with other Parishes and Wiltshire County Council in making Biddestone Crossroads safer
- Investigating the renovation of the Long Stone on the A420 / B4039 junction
On the development front, Blacksmith Close is now complete apart from the disposal of storm water. Church Farm has continued to keep us occupied with its development. Again this year the Council and village owe a debt of gratitude to Paul Baldwin who, although not now a member of the Parish Council, has continued to liaise with the developer, the District Council and us in monitoring the progress.
The public open space still has some way to go to completion. Although we do not wish it to be delayed too long, it does give us time to finalise without pressure our own plans.
I wish to thank Councillor Brian Ford for taking over the planning role and guiding us through our decisions.
We will be seeing during the coming year preparations for the transition from the various District Councils to one Council for Wiltshire.
The future of the Post Office remains a grave concern, but we continue to fight a totally unsympathetic and faceless organisation to keep what is rightly a vital asset to this community and our neighbouring Parishes and to Post Office Ltd. if only they could see it. Involved in this battle, I wish to thank the Chairmen of our neighbouring Parishes, Fred Winup, Leslie Palmer and Tim Smith for their total support for our cause.
We now have a superb village shop and our thanks to Mark Hayward for this asset.
In conclusion, I wish to thank you all for your work for the good of Yatton Keynell. Thanks also to our efficient clerk, Sue Lewis, to Graham Whiting for keeping the entrances to the village so colourful and the Burial Ground so neat, and to Councillor Jane Scott for always being on hand to advise and support.
Chris Dash, Chairman YKPC