Your Opinion Matters

'Your Opinion Matters'- a well-attended drop-in session was held at the village hall on Saturday 20^th Nov 2021. Thanks to all those that came, and shared their views. People came to explore and engage with the issues of:

• Climate & nature emergency- what can we do in Hawkesbury?
• Traffic & Parking- is it a problem?
• Community Speed Watch - should it be reinstated?
• Finances- Community Infrastructure Funding- where it comes from, & where should it be spent?

There were stands with information, maps, and questions for people to explore and voice their views, looking at options there could be for making changes within the parish.

If you were not able to attend, it's not too late- the Parish Council would still really like to hear your views!

The more we hear from, the more likely solutions that work for the village will be found.

• The Parish Council will then collate the comments and start to look at the most popular opinion/s.
• Collate information on costings
• Consult with Planning and highways if required
• Present the outcome of the findings to the parish
• Gain consensus over the options- then go ahead with the plan

Thank you to those that signed up for Climate Change you will be contacted in due course, and please those of you that we're unable to attend and are interested- email the parish clerk via the website.

Your views provide the direction to help shape the Parish we live in.

A section 106 agreement was entered into on the 28^th June 2018 between SGC and Lonestar.

Schedule 2 and 3 of this agreement concern the monies which are designed to benefit the local community.

Schedule 2 is for education improvement. It is for the sum of £78,470.00 and is defined as educational improvement although there is no definition whether this for the village school or just a Council wide contribution to all education in the county.

There is an undefined sum towards the cost of secondary school transport which has not been calculated.

Schedule 3 is the financial contribution towards off site open space provision and or enhancement. It amounts to £129,394.30 and shall be spent at Hawkesbury Recreational Ground or such other natural and semi open space as may be appropriate, it is defined as follows:-

• £10,571.00 for the provision of said space.
• £17,536.25 for the maintenance of said space.
• £40,465.64 towards the provision or enhancement of outdoor sports facilities.
• £12,247.60 towards the maintenance of these sporting facilities.
• £21,186.13 towards the provision for children and young people.
• £22,277.38 for the maintenance of that provision.
• £927.57 towards the provision or enhancement of allotments.
• £1,182.73 towards the maintenance of the allotments.

The Parish Council are in the process of seeking guidance on the rules governing the expenditure of these sums and when they will be available.

For the moment we are seeking ideas/suggestions as to how the village wish to spend these sums, such ideas will ultimately have to be backed by detailed schemes and costings.

What is Community Infrastructure Levy?

Introduced in 2010, CIL is a tax that applies to most new houses and developments where dwellings have more than 100 square meters of internal floor area.

Who benefits and why?

The levy is charged by the local council at a rate of £80 per square meter of internal floor area to fund infrastructure such as:-

• Roads
• Flood defences
• Schools and transport
• Medical facilities
• Sports and recreational needs

Between 15 and 25% of the levy comes to the local Parish Council and has to be spent within the parish within 5 years.

What does Hawkesbury Parish Council (HPC) have to spend?

Currently, HPC has £13,000, some of which needs to be spent next year in 2022. It has accrued from several houses built within the parish over the last 4 years and is expected to grow by approximately a further £40,000 when the Park Street development is completed and sold.

What do parishioners wish it to be spent on and why?

Your ideas are welcome e.g. The School, The Hall, Speeding and Safety, The War Memorial, The Recreational Field, The Allotments, etc.

What is Section 106 Money?

This is different from CIL money and is defined as money that is contained in a legal agreement reached at the planning stage between the local authority and a developer as part of the Planning Consent. The developer agrees to pay prescribed sums of money for specific facilities such as:-

• Improved bus routes,
• Transportation for children to and from school,
• Certain community facilities such as Doctors Surgeries, Schools, Minor Injuries units, etc.
• Public Open Spaces.

The volume and speed of traffic through Hawkesbury Parish and the level of on-street parking is major safety concern. Below is the presentation made to parishioners by the Parish Council. Please add your comments on the form provided. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

South Gloucestershire Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 : to reach Carbon Zero by 2030. Hawkesbury Parish Council recognized the Climate Emergency and voted to support drawing up an Action Plan

The desired outcome is to form a working group to help draw up an Action Plan for immediate effect.

The attached presentation summarises our thoughts.

Please use the contact form to add your views or to express a desire to get involved. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!