Parish Meeting Information

April Parish Council Meeting

Councillors were informed that the Traveller Transit Site at General’s Corner was being considered by NNC. Before the site is subject to a planning application a full public consultation will be held. This is planned for late spring or early summer.

A meeting had been held with local organisations regarding the dumping of oil on the A14 between Woodford and Islip. The police were of the opinion this had been carried out by an organised crime group, and was highly unlikely to have been committed by local persons.

Anyone interested in participating in “Community Speedwatch” should contact the clerk – clerk@woodfordpc.co.uk and you will be put in touch with our co-ordinator who adviise of how the training takes place and when and how the scheme will operate. Training is provided online. The equipment is now owned by the Council and can be used throughout the whole summer.

Lastly the police have asked that if anyone has CCTV of suspicious occurences that they inform the police and not share it on social media, as doing so can make it inadmissible in court. The police also advised that whilst there is a perceived increase in crimes, this is due to the large increase in domestic video surveilance identifying events that have in the past been largely unnoticed. Reported crime for Woodford is actually down on previous years.

Lastly, this council website will be moved to a new name with new email address.in the next few months. This site was originally set up in 2000 and was believed to be only the second parish council website in the county. Whilst the design has changed a three times the content has largely remained on the same theme promoting the work of the council, the village and its organisations. Set up prior to easy set-up sites and the creation of social media sites it was the Window of Woodford on the Web. With the advent of  easily accessible Social Media sites, and ever increasing legislation governing public websites the new site will become more of a local government website for the Parish Council with less emphasis on village its history and organisations. This site will remain available for about another ten months.

March Parish Council Meeting

At the beginning of the March Parish Council Meeting the Council paused briefly to remember former Parish Councillor, Michael Hurst who passed away earlier in the month. Michael was a Councillor between June 1999 and April 2003, and October 2009 until October 2025 attending a total of 209 meetings out 234. Michael could always be relied to provide a humorous comment or two at a meeting and was always keen to express his views on any subject being discussed.

Councillors agreed that the Community Speedwatch co-ordinator for 2026 would be Ms Sheree Southcombe. The scheme this year is somewhat different to previous years as the council has been required to purchase a speed gun. The scheme will also last a full six months rather than just a few weeks. We will contact those who expressed an interest last year to see if you wish to continue this year, but equally we welcome other volunteers. Please contact the Clerk in the first instance to register your interest or find out more if you are interested.

Ian Taylor’s Family Fun Fair will be on the village green again this year from 28 June until 4 July.

The retrospective planning application for a new workshop in Rose Terrace was debated resulting in a number of comments to be made as a response to that application.

The state of the cattle grid near 36 Church Street has been referred to North Northants Council with a request to improve the safety.

Lastly the clerk reported that special birthday wishes had been sent to Mrs M Robinson of Thrapston Road who had celebrated her 100th birthday at the beginning of March.

February 2026 Council Meeting

Mr Andy Barker of Church Green was welcomed to his first meeting following his co-option in January of this year.
Amongst items discussed was the state of the roads, especially the approach roads to the village and these issues will be raised again with NNC.

The Planning Application for the siting of a caravan near the Water Tower has been withdrawn.

Complaints were read out regarding the remaining flags around the green, which not only look bedraggled they are also causing a noise nuisance upsetting family pets on windy nights. The council requests that rather than a contractor being employed to remove them at the Council Tax payers expense the person or persons involved in putting them on the posts now removes them to improve the appearance of the area. Thank You.

NNC have agreed to review parking at the Mill Road / High Street junction, Highfield and Mill Road junction and also Church Street and Club Lane. These issues do take time however, due to the lengthy legal process.The state of the cattle grid near 36 Church Street has also been raised with NNC together with a request to make it safer.

Ian Taylors Family Funfair will once again be on the village green this summer from 28 June and will open on 2, 3 & 4 July

December Parish Council Meeting

The December meeting was much shorter than the November meeting. Councillor learned that there had been no call for an election following the resignation of Mr Michael Hurst as a Parish Councillor so the Council was now free to co-opt one new member to the council. Any elector wishing to be considered should write or email the Clerk to the Parish Council (below) with a brief paragraph as to why they would like to be considered for the role. Closing date is 13th January 2026. Equally if you would like further information please see www.woodfordpc.co.uk.

A draft budget was circulated to councillors and after discussion and some adjustment to budget values the it was agreed that the overall budget value would remain unchanged, and that funding from the Council Tax would also be unchanged for a second year £23,000. This primarily has been achieved through careful use of the funds available this year and the successful application for additional grants from third parties.

It was also agreed to take part in the Community Speedwatch Campaign in 2026, although this would require the purchase of the council’s own speed gun. If this is something you would be interested in taking part in please look out for further information in the New Year, either in Saints Alive, Parish Website, Facebook or Parish Noticeboard (near main school gate)

November Parish Council Meeting

The November Parish Council was the longest meeting in over twenty five years, with the much of the time be dominated by a question and answer session with NNC Councillor Harrison who sought to explain the reasons to the Council and over thirty members of the public, why NNC were looking to introduce a Travellers Temporary Stopping Site (Transit Site) on the old “chipping store” near General’s Corner (Cranford Road / A510).
The provision of a Transit Site, agreed in principle a week earlier, by the NNC Executive Committee would create an alternative legal method for NNC and the Police to remove illegal encampments from public land in the North Northants area. Travellers would be required by law, to move to the Transit Site or leave the County. Action would be swift, rather than the current lengthy two to three month court process.
The maximum length of stay would be 28 days. Cllr Harrison said the site was seen more as a deterrent rather than a regular stopping place. Full details can be found in the Committee report,
Councillor Harrison told the meeting that whilst the Woodford site was presently the preferred (and only) option, it was by no means a “done deal” and NNC would welcome and consider details of any other sites meeting the relevant criteria. He also assured the meeting that a full public consultation would take place in advance of a planning application being made. This would be widely advertised.

Other matters

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Councillors paid tribute to Mr Michael Hurst who had tendered his resignation. Michael was a Parish Councillor for two periods, June 1999 to April 2003 and October 2009 to October 2025, attending a total of 209 meetings out 234 (89% attendance rate). Well done, Michael, thank you for your input, humour and dedication to village causes and well above average attendance at the meetings.

Two Planning Applications were discussed. There were no objections to a dropped kerb being installed at 50 Mill Road, but the council did object the siting of a mobile home on land adjacent to the water tower, accessed from Addington Road.

NNC had advised the Parish Council that a white “vehicular access line” had been installed in the High Street in error, as it was not adjacent to a dropped kerb. This line would be removed. The Council had also been advised that a recently constructed building in Rose Terrace would be subject to a retrospective planning application.
The new electronic speed sign in Mill Road has had a significant effect on the speed of vehicles entering Woodford- the average speed of almost 40,000 vehicles entering the village is now 33mph which is 6mph lower than previously recorded. However, vehicles are still leaving the village at speeds well above the 30mph which is concerning. A full report can be found on the Council’s website.

The council was asked to consider requesting a reduced speed limit between Woodford and Great Addington due to the number of accidents, and also parking on the corner of Church Street and Club Lane which caused obstructions and damage to vehicles due to the high kerbs. Both items were agreed to be referred to the relevant NNC department.

Lastly, the Council agreed to a licence agreement for maintaining the grass verges within the 30mph area next year. This would ensure a monthly cut as opposed to the three cuts which would take place if no agreement was in place.

Travellers Transit Site, General’s Corner

INFORMATION FROM NORTH NORTHANTS COUNCIL

Update on Travellers Temporary Stopping Site to be received by Executive.

North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive will receive an update on plans for a Travellers Temporary Stopping Site including details on a proposal of a revised preferred site.
Previously, the council had been looking at a stopping site adjacent to Junction 3 of the A14. Following further review and investigations by officers, it is now proposed that a stopping site is built on a site south of Junction 11 of the A14 – on a site currently used by the council as a chippings store, known as ‘Generals Corner’.
North Northamptonshire currently has no temporary stopping places for transient travellers passing through the area to use and there remains a need for stopping place provision, as demonstrated by the 2019 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment. The alternative preferred site is recommended on the basis of need and value for money. It is hoped that the site would reduce the impact of unauthorised traveller encampments by providing a safe and secure place to stop with minimum suitable welfare facilities for groups of travellers passing through North Northamptonshire for a period of up to 28 days. Cllr Kirk Harrison, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Regulatory Services, said: “Currently there are no temporary stopping places for travellers passing through the area. Having a site that travellers could use for a period of up to 28 days would enable us and the Police to better manage unauthorised encampments within the local area and limit the impact on residents of North Northamptonshire.”

Since this subject was last raised at executive in 2023, officers have been considering alternative options including this site which is council-owned and already used by our Highways team. With the Highways team moving operations from this site to an alternative site, there is an opportunity to utilise the site for a travellers temporary stopping site. We know this subject can be controversial and residents should be assured that any plans would go through the full planning process. Any plans would be subject to detailed targeted public consultation as part of the process of submitting the scheme for planning approval. This will also require detailed assessment of all material impacts of the proposal as part of that process, before any final decision was made. North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive will meet at the Corby Cube on Tuesday 11 November at 10am. The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube and the papers are now available online and is open to members of the public.

Additional Background information (from NNC Executive Committee)

The proposal identifies a small, Council-owned parcel of land at General’s Corner, Woodford (off the A14 Junction 11) as the preferred location. This site has been chosen primarily because of its isolation, limited suitability for other occupation and strong operational fit with the Police’s powers to manage unauthorised encampments. To be clear, this would not be a traditional traveller site. It would be a bare-minimum emergency stopping place with running water only, where travellers would be required to pay both a deposit and a nightly fee. The maximum permitted stay would be 28 days, after which they must either leave the county or face enforcement action. In practice, it is anticipated that use of the site will be highly infrequent – it acts more as a deterrent and a legal tool, for the Council and Police to manage encampments swiftly and lawfully.

September Parish Council Meeting

At the September Parish Council meeting Mrs Sarah Hedley was welcomed to her first meeting. Amongst business discussed, councillors agreed to request that the parking restrictions at the entrance to Highfield be reviewed, along with the previously requested Mill Road and High Street restrictions. Entrance to the Highfield area is often restricted by vehicles parking on both sides of the road. Correspondence requesting the council to consider when permitting the village green to be used for parking should stipulate a condition that the organisers appoint a parking attendant to ensure parking is in an orderly manner was discussed. It was decided to review when a request was next received.
A two year fixed term contract was agreed to fix the electricity costs for street lighting was agreed.
No new planning applications had been received, but permission for roofing works at the rear of 84 High Street and single storey extension at the Stables, Twywell Station had been approved by North Northants Council.

August Parish Council Meeting

Woodford Parish Council has been successful in obtaining £4,600 from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Road Safety Fund to be used to purchase two new solar powered electronic speed signs for the village following the failure of our old model. These will be used to collect data on the number of vehicles entering and leaving the village and the speeds at which they re travelling. The devices will be located in Mill Road and Thrapston Road. At present there is not a suitable location in Addington Road but this is something the council is seeking to resolve.

Other matters discussed were parking issues in High Street, and the unauthorised parking on the village green on Sunday afternoons.

It was noted that Planning Applications for new windows at 1 Addington Road and a rear extension at 28 High Street had been approved by NNC.

It has been suggested that there has been an increase in dog fouling around the village. If you walk a pet in a public space then it is legally your responsibility to clean up after the dog. This applies to fouling on pavements, roads, playing fields and even footpaths across agricultural land.

Councillors David Brackenbury was also in attendance and he discussed the planning issues surrounding the warehousing at Thrapston and some or the financial challenges facing NNC. Statutory services for Adult Social Care, Looked after Children and Home School Transport, were services the council was legally required to provide, irrespective of the budgets set and the funds available. The increased need for these service since April was the reason that the Council had reported that it was £9m over budget at the present time.

July Parish Council Meeting

At the July Parish Council NNC Councillor Wendy Brackenbury attended and outlined some of the recent major planning decisions in the area, and as new councillor also listened to some of the concerns held by the Parish Council relating to Woodford.

Councillors hear that a new dropped kerb has been permitted by NNC for 2 Alledge Drive although this will require the moving of an electric pole.

A grant application for £4,600 for two new solar powered speed reduction signs has been successful and these will be installed as soon as received. The locations are likely to be Mill Road and Thrapston Road as poles already exist onto which they can be fixed.

The council was approached by the organisers of Woodfordstock, seeking permission to use the two greens nearest the Dukes Arms for parking. This was permitted, on the condition that vehicles are parked in an orderly manner.

The council is still seeking to co-opt one further member to the council. If you are interested or would like further information, please contact the Parish Clerk.

June Parish Council Meeting

At the June meeting councillors received a presentation on the Local Area Partnership – an initiative providing community health initiatives bridging the gap between Public Health and North Northants Council. Councillors also learned that the A14 would be subject to nightly closures over the Thrapston viaduct from 4th August until November in either a west or eastbound direction. The diversion route would be via A6 and A45. On a local note Anglian Water would also be closing Club Lane 13-15 August to carry out works on stopvalves. Planning Applications for a rear extension at 28 High Street and new windows at 1 Addington Road were considered, but no objections raised.

Ian Taylor’s Family Fair would be visiting again this year and would be on the green from 29th June – 6th July open on the evenings of 3rd – 5th July. This is a week earlier than normal.

Lastly, it was reported that Anti-Social Behaviour relating to damage to the trees in the park area between Paddock Road and Windmill Close had been reported to the Police

May Parish Council Meeting

The Annual meeting of the Parish Council in May was preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting, when verbal reports covering activities of the past 12 months were provided by the Woodford General Charity, Woodford Temperance hall Charity, the Parish Council, the Reading Room, and a written report from the School.
At the Annual Parish Council meeting Councillors signed their Declaration of Office, Mr Guy Banham was re-elected as Chairman and Mr Ivor Vaughan re-elected as Vice Chairman. Amongst items discussed was that Community Speedwatch had been delayed until August, and it was also agreed to continue the campaign to have Woodford removed as a diversion route when the A14 was closed. Councillors also ratified the response to NNC objecting to the proposed Kettering Energy Park. It was also resolved to complain about the recent installation of a “broadband box” on the village green without notification to the tenant of the village green (Parish Council) or the owner of the green (Drayton Estate).

April Parish Council Meeting

The final timetabled meeting of the current council took place in April, and began with a small presentation to Mrs Debbie Bosworth who had retired as the council’s litter picker after almost twenty years walking Woodford’s streets for a calculated 2,820 hours. Well done Debbie! But in some ways it is such a shame we have to spend Council Tax money on circumstance which could almost be avoided.
Kettering Energy Park had now submitted an outline planning permission for works on the Finedon Road. This was too late to enable the issue to be discussed at the April Meeting. All documentation is available on NNC website – follow links from our website or social media posts. The Council will be objecting (exact reasons yet to be agreed), but urges villagers who feel strongly about the project to also lodge their own objections direct to NNC. This will help to give a true scale of public feeling.
A discussion took place regarding the removal of deadwood from trees on Church Green and Councillors agreed the work should be carried out for public safety.
Community Speedwatch is planned to commence on 3 May for the month. It’s not too late if you wish to participate, please contact the Clerk.
This being the last meeting of the present council before a new council is formed in May concluded with thanks being offered to Susan O’Donnell and Doug Sharples who were not re-standing Susan had been co-opted to fill a vacancy in May 2022, and Doug had been a Parish Councillor since April 2001 and also 1995-1999. Congratulations were offered to Neil Chapman who has been a Councillor since July 2011, but now possessed the somewhat enviable record of attending all 48 meetings since the last round of elections in May 2021. This had not been equalled in the last sixty years (the extent of our easily accessible records). Lastly, thanks were offered to NNC Councillor Dorothy Maxwell for her attendance and insight into NNC matters.
The new Council will be formed in May and there will be no Parish Council election this year due to insufficient candidate nominations. The Council will be looking to co-opt one new member at the meeting on 20th May. Any elector wishing to be considered should contact the Clerk before 15th May.

March Parish Council Meeting

At the March Parish Council meeting, Councillors learned that the planning application for a dropped kerb at 12 Mill Road had been approved.
There is still time to register your interest in participating with the Community Speedwatch Campaign which will run throughout May. Please contact the Clerk for further information.
An application for a grant is to be lodged for two electronic speed signs has had to be deferred until the new financial year when new funding will become available.
There will be elections for the North Northants Council on 1 May 2025. The Polling Station is the Baptist Chapel in Rose Terrace. There will also be an election for the Parish Council if there are more than thirteen nominated persons.
Lastly, our village litter picker, Mrs Debbie Bosworth has hung up her litter picking stick after twenty years service. The Council wishes to record their thanks to her for carrying out this service for the village.

February Parish Council Meeting

The February meeting of the Parish Council was a short meeting. Councillors discussed a planning application for 76 High Street but raised no objections. Discussions also took place regarding the recent closure of the A14 resulting in large numbers of vehicles using alternative routes through Woodford and other local villages. Councillors agreed to make representations to NNC who are currently formulating a new Transport Plan for the district.

The Council is participating in the Community Speedwatch Campaign and will have equipment for most of May. A number of volunteers have already come forward, but to make full use of the equipment more would be welcome please contact the Clerk in the first instance.

Nominations for the new Council will open in early March and close on 2nd April. Anyone wishing to be considered should complete a nomination form which will be available during that period of time. Check either the Parish Council Website or Social Media for more details. If required an election will be held on 1^st May.

A grant application will be made for two new speed identification devices which will be installed to remind drivers of the speed limit in the village and will also record the speeds of the vehicles passing the devices.

 

January 2025 Parish Council Meeting

Two planning applications were discussed. One application was for a dropped kerb at 12 Mill Road, to which there was no objection. The second was an initial application for three properties in Woodwell. Concerns expressed included the close proximity to existing sceptic tanks, the brook flood zone, poor vehicluar access and development out of character with the location.

Councillors agreed the tempramental speed indicator device should be replaced and the clerk was asked to obtain quotations for a replacement and also apply for a grant from the Police and Crime Commisisoner to cover the cost.

NNC had advised that the trees near Woodford House would not be inspected as they were on private land and would be dealt with as and when they caused a highway issue. Councllors said this was unsatisfactory and NNC should be advised that the council did not agree with this approach.

Elections

Parish Council elections are scheduled to take place on 1 May 2025 and also North Northants Council elections. Since the last NNC elections the number of NNC councillors has been reduced and the ward make up has also been changed following a local government boundary review held in 2023. At the last election Woodford, and the Addingtons with Ringstead and Denford were part of the Irthlingborough Ward, with three councillors, but for the 2025 election Irthlingborough and the Addingtons will remain as one ward, but with only two councillors. Woodford will be part of the Thrapston Ward, and Denford and Ringstead will be part of the Raunds ward. The full report can be found on the boundary review website.

December Parish Council

At the December council meeting the main item to be discussed was the budgrt for the forthcoming financial year. Whilst it was acknowledged costs will continue to rise funds set aside for the current year have been slightly underspent overall and as a result any cost increases can be met from within existing funds resulting in there being no requirement to raise the Parish portion of the Council Tax.

Councillors also agreed to raise concerns over the state of some of the trees on the approach to General’s Corner (A510), asa number had shed branches on to the road over recent months.

September Parish Council Meeting

At Woodford Parish Council’s September meeting Councillor learned that the accounts for year ending March 2024 had been approved by the government appointed auditor. A summary of the accounts and the return are available to view online at www.woodfordpc.co.uk, or by contacting the clerk for a copy.

The other main item of interest is that there is now a daily bus service from Oundle to Rushden Lakes which passes through Woodford with a timetabled stop at 10:07 in Thrapston Road. The return journey is at 12:08 arriving in Woodford at 12:25. Other pick up points are the Hare and hounds in Great Addington and Addington Road Irthlingborough. The service is operated by Stagecoach and is service number CB1. Bus passes can be used otherwise the fare is £2.00.

The council has received a number of complaints regarding the storage of building materials at the Playing Fields. The Council has taken the matter up with the Club who have advised the matter is being dealt with.

Lastly, a reminder that anyone can attend a Parish Council meeting to listen to proceedings. There is also a point on the agenda at which you can make representations or ask questions although questions which require any research will receive a response in writing at a later date. Equally any matter requiring a decision will be deferred until it appears on a later meeting agenda. Consequently, such matters are best advanced to the Clerk well before the meeting. More information about attending a meeting can be found on the Council’s website. The next meeting is on 15^th October at 7.30pm in the Baptist Chapel

August Parish Council Meeting

Following a request from the Dukes Arms to use Church Green as overflow car parking for Woodfordstock, councllors declined the request but formally permitted the use of the two main greens for car parking for the event.

Due to parking issues and obstructions caused by attendees at a recent dog show, councilors agreed that a more formal and rigourous request procedure would be introduced for the use of the green in future events. It was agreed that events generating large out of village interest would probably not be suitable for siting on the village green.

A request had been sent to the Sports Complex to tidy and make safe certain areas of the playing field.

The Council will be formally registereing with the Community Speedwatch Campaign 2025 and will be seekign volunteer assistance in the near future. Please forward your contact details to clerk@woodfordpc.co.uk for more information, or if interested in assisting

 

July Parish Council Meeting

At the July Parish Council Meeting two Planning Applications were considered. The first was for a new wall with iron railings at 35A High Street to create a boundary between the pavement and the front window. The second was for the demolition of an old stable and garage at 13 Church Street to replace with a new single garage with a games room above. There were no objections to either application.

The flooded footpath in the field at the southwestern end of Church Street, was noted to have been reported to the Rights of Way at NNC.

A report from the Police advised that in May an afternoon had been spent monitoring vehicle speeds entering the village at all three entrances and found no cases of vehicles breaking the speed limit. Parking was once again discussed, and it was agreed to seek advice from NNC with a view to tackling the issue.

Two road closures orders were announced, both service connections. Club Lane would be closed to through traffic between 11th and 13th September (water) and Church Green between 2nd and 6th September (Gas).

June Parish Council Meeting

At the June meeting the main agenda item were the approval of year ending March 2024 accounts which will now be submitted for audit. Discussion also took place about renovating the seats in the children’s playground and this will take place over the summer.

If there is any matter you think the Council can assist with please do not hesitate to make contact. Whilst the Council’s legal powers, and budget are limited if your request is beyond our means or remit it is likely we can put you in touch with someone who can assist.

May Meetings

The May Parish Council meeting was preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting. Reports were provided by the Parish Council, the Temperance Charity, the General Charity and the Reading Room. The Parish Council report can be read in full on the council’s website but the main details included the fact that the street light upgrade had now been completed, saving the council money each month on the power bill. The completion of the project also mean the Parish Council could reduce its demand on the Council Tax bills this year. During the twelve months to January the council had commented on D planning applications, provided litter picking services to the village, maintained the village greens and verges, commenced repainting the children’s playground equipment, and continued to object to the Kettering Energy Park. The council has also applied for a weekly mini bus service to Rushden Lakes which is likely to star in early Autumn – watch this space.

The Temperance Charity reported that a grant had been made to cover the cost of new windows and door at the Reading Room and the General Charity reported that it had donated £1000 to the school for library books, £1,000 local cancer charities and £2,860 to village pensioners last Christmas benefitting 143 persons in 103 households.

A representative from the Reading Room spoke of the ever increasing number of books available for loan free of charge, various village groups which use the premise, and the snooker club which has massively increased its membership over the past year.

At the May Parish Council meeting Mr Guy Banham was re-elected as Chairman and Mr Ivor Vaughan as vice chair. This year is the final year of this “council” as elections are timetabled for May 2025. The council is actively requesting improvements to the crumbling pavement in Highfield near Eady’s Row, and also reporting the many potholes needing attention in the village. A request has also been made to have the trailer removed from Highfield where it has remained for many years, and the council has now been advised it will be removed by the end of June. The council is also seeking advice from NNC regarding how improvements can be made to parking in the High Street especially between the village green and Eady’s Row. The Police have also been requested to carry out speed surveys in the village but results have yet to be received. The Council has also applied to be part of Community Speedwatch Campaign which involves villagers gathering information of speeding vehicles. If this is something you are interested in being a part of please forward contact details to the Clerk (below) so that we can keep you updated.

 

April 2024 Parish Council Meeting

At the beginning of the April Parish Council meeting a presentation was made by Chairman Mr Guy Banham to Mr David Cullum, for his work as groundsman for the council. This role primarily involved cutting the village greens and Church Green, a task he has carried out for 31 seasons 1993-2023. Amongst the mementos he was presented with was a small diorama, and a framed certificate of appreciation. Based on the record of hours worked since 1993 and the average speed of Dave’s lawn mower, it was calculated that he had travelled enough iles to reach Perth (Western Australia – not Scotland).

During the meeting discussions about parking and speeding throughout the village were discussed once again and contact will be made again with the relevant authorities again asking for action. Further information regarding these points can be found on www.woodfordpc.co.uk. The Kettering Energy Park Masterplan was once again discussed and the Council agreed to continue to object to this potentially large development, which is currently at the preplanning stage. It was however agreed that any plans, irrespective of the size of any development in the vicinity of the windfarm and the planned solar farm on the A510 towards Finedon must incorporate junction improvements at General’s Corner (Addington Rd, Cranford Rd and Woodford Rd at the A510)   The council agreed to apply to be a trial site for a weekly community bus service from Woodford to Rushden Lakes.

Lastly at 7.00pm the Annual Parish Meeting on 20th May in the school room of the Baptist Chapel. This meeting last about half an hour and is an opportunity for any village organisation to give a verbal annual report of their achievements. Anyone wishing to be included on the Agenda should contact the Clerk to the Parish Council (which convenes the meeting), by 12th May.

News Catchup February 2024

Now that the upgrading of street lamps is complete the Parish Council has been able to reduce the annual precept (the amount we receive from Council Tax ) by £4,000. (15%). On the subject of street lights the council has also ordered an additional lamp to be installed in the High Street between Sunnyside and the old Infant School. This was the longest unlit stretch of pavement in the village.

The council was asked to investigate providing a dog waste bin near the Newtown allotments. The result was that it was not sufficiently accessible for the vehicles which would empty the bin, and there were also three other bins within 250 metres at The Leys, Rose Terrace and Sunnyside.

Other bins are available in Church Street, Bakers Lane, Church Green, West Street, Thrapston Road, Mill Road and two in Highfield. In the last days of the old East Northants Council it was calculated that Woodford had more dog waste bins per head of population than any other town or village in the district. Dog walkers – please use them.

The council has received a number of complaints regarding the state of the verges within the village, due to the wet weather. Please try to avoid driving on the verges to minimise damage. The Parish Council does not have the resources, neither financial or physical to carry out repairs, and any requests for repair should be made to North Northants Council vis www.fixmystreet.co.uk.

 

December 2023 Parish Council

The main subject for discussion was the budget for the forthcoming financial year.Following the completion of the streetlamp upgrades it will be possible to reduce the budget for 2024/5 by £4,000, and consequently the amount raised through Council Tax will also be reduced by a similar amount.

Traveller’s Site in Thrapston Road

There are various rumours circulating about what can and cannot be done on the Traveller’s Site in Thrapston Road. When the Planning Inspector agreed to a temporary approval for three years, various conditions were also specified. These conditions can be found in the Inspector’s Report. The actual layout of the site which the applicant should be working towards was submitted to NNC in February 2022 and it is this plan upon which the Inspector based her decision.

Change of Local Election Arrangements

The Local Government Boundary Review has taken place over the past twelve months and the recommendations to be put before Parliament will reduce the number of Councillors at NNC by ten, and change many of the ward boundaries with effect of the 2025 Local Elections. Woodford will be part of the Thrapston Ward comprising three councillors. The Irthlingborough Ward will reduce from three to two councillors, and will also lose the parishes of Ringstead and Denford which will become part of the Raunds Ward. Ford full details see the Commission’s Report.

November Parish Council Meeting

Mrs Sally Bryant was welcomed to her first meeting.

It was reported that NNC would not install a dog waste bin at the Newtown Allotments due to the restictive access for vehicles servicing the bin and the lack of comlaints regarding dog fouling in the area. If you see persisant evidence of dog fouling please report to NNC.

It was agreed to obtain a quotation for the installation of a new street lamp in the High Street between the former infant school and Sunnyside. All street lamps requiring upgrade had now been replaced.

October Parish Council Meeting

At the October Parish Council meeting Councillors hear approval had been given to the Planning Application for a side extension at 78 Highfield and a rear extension at 3 The Moorings. A discussion regarding the alteration to glazing at Manor Farmhouse was also on the agenda, but no objections were raised to this application.

A long standing vacancy for a Prish Councillor was filled with the co-option of Mrs Sally Bryant of Mill Road. This brings the number of Councillors up to the full allocation of thirteen.

It was reported that the remaining orange sodium lamps in the village will be replaced shortly with energy efficient LED models as used in the rest of the village.

The provision of a dog waste bin near the Newtown allotments is also being investigated. Dog fouling is on the up in the village, and there is a legal responsibility for dog owners to clean up after their pets and dispose of the waste in a hygienic manner. The provision of dog waste bins is not required by law but are generally provided to assist the dog owner. Please use them. If on the other hand you are aware of dog owners not clearing up after their pets please report to North Northants Council by visiting www.northnorthants.gov.uk and in the search field enter “dog Fouling” or follow this link.

Lastly, the council is looking to employ a villager to cut the village greens next year following Mr David Cullum advising he wishes 2023 to be his last season. The successful applicant would be directly employed by the Council and would be covered by the Council’s insurance. Fuel costs are reimbursed and a payment for the “hire” of the mower is also made. Further details are available from the clerk.

 

September Parish Council Meeting

At the September meeting of the Parish Council councillors discussed planning applications for 13 Church Street, and also Twywell Station House. No objections were raised.

The Energy Park at Burton Latimer was briefly discussed and councillors learned that a joint letter from local Parish Council had been sent to North Northants Council lamenting the methods that had been employed with regard to the style and scope of the consultation.

Verge cutting this year was reported as being haphazard due to issues with staffing but hopefully will return to more regular cuts until the end of the season.

Lastly it has been reported that Mrs Susan Hayman, Parish Clerk from 1984 to 1998, and Parish Councillor 1999 to 2011 passed away in early September at the age of 91 years. Condolences are expressed to the family by the current Council.

May 2023 Parish Meeting and Annual Parish Council Meeting

The Woodford Annual Parish Meeting was held prior the May Parish Council Meeting. Annual Reports were given by the Parish Council, the General Charity, the Temperance Hall Charity and the Reading Room. The Parish Council report drew attention to some of the costs incurred last year and the huge increase in lighting costs faced by the Council. The Council had commented on twelve Planning Applications, had continued to maintain the Village Greens, pay for verge maintenance and litter picking within the village. The children’s playground is also maintained at the Council’s expense. The General Charity donated £3,220 to good causes and widows and pensioners in the village benefitting 148 individuals last Christmas. The Temperance Hall Charity had provided £7,000 towards works at the Reading Room, Woodford Sports and Community Complex and also contributed towards the upgrading of some of the street lighting. The Chairman of the Snooker Club / Reading Room advised that the snooker club now had fifty members but was still struggling with the cost of electricity. It is also home to the Woodford Library where books can be borrowed for free, or a voluntary donation. There are over 2,000 books to choose from so why not pay them a visit one Tuesday or Saturday morning.

At the Annual Parish Council meeting Mr Guy Banham was re-elected as Chairman and Mr Ivor Vaughan as Vice Chairman. Appointments were made to the two village charities. Planning applications for properties in Highfield, The Moorings and Church Street were all discussed but no objections raised.  The additional information for the proposed green waste recycling plant near General’s Corner was discussed and the Council continues to object to this application. A discussion also took place with regard to the Policy Document being created for the so called “Kettering Energy Park”. A large number of concerns, comments and objections were raised and these will be forwarded to North Northants Council in order to shape the future of this site

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Rather than being found on Facebook at.

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we can now be found at www.facebook.com/woodford.pc

April Parish Council Meeting

At the April meeting of the Parish Council Ms Sheree Southcombe of Long Row was welcomed as a new Parish Councillor. There is still one vacancy should there be another villager interested in entering local politics. Please see contact the clerk for more details.

There were no new planning applications however, the appeal for the traveller site will be held on Wednesday 24^th May at the NNC Thrapston Council Offices. This is a public hearing, so anyone can attend, although it is necessary to register your intention to attend as space is limited. Contact  appeals.ENC@northnorthants.gov.uk or call 01832 742143.

Advance notification of the three day closure of Addington Road commencing on 26 June for water connection works. Local diversions will be in place – see https://one.network/?tm=133581402.

The council discussed the proposed expansion of use for the “Kettering” Energy Park, which the council had previously been advsed was primarily for high energy use businesses, however, there now seemed to be greater emphasis on general warehousing. The greatest concern was that all traffic to the site would be routed from Junction 11 of the A14 past the Woodford and Great Addington junctions of the A510 which is well known as a local accident blackspot. The council is of the opinion that any further development on the energy park site should be coupled with junction improvements on the A510.

The May Parish Council meeting on 16^th May will be preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting at 7.00pm, and should any village organisation wish to attend and give a verbal report of their activities of the last twelve months please contact the Clerk no later than 9^th May in order to be included on the agenda.

March 2023 Parish Council Meeting

Councillors heard that a planning appeal for an extension to 1 Rectory Lane had been given the go ahead by planning inspectors. A planning application for a garage and store at 1Church Green had been refused by North Northants Council.

Funding had been received from North Northants Council to put towards the cost of repainting the Children’s Playground equipmnet in Highfield. This will be carried out by volunteers. A letter had been received from a Club Lane resident complaining about the speed and traffic using CLub Lane especially whe passing parked cars. This road is narrow and not ideal for both pedestrians and vehicles. Ideally if not visiting a propeerty in Club Lane drivers are advised to use Church Green, and similarly pedestrians are advised to use BakersLane which has very little traffic due to being even narrower. The matter has been forwarded to North Northants Highways for any suggestions they might have. Lastly, one of the Councillor vacancies was filled when Mrs Sheree Southcombe of Long Row was co-opted to the Council

February Parish Council

It is been confrmed that the Planning inquiry for the traveller site in Thrapston Road will be held at Thrapston on 24th May.This is a public enquiry and anyone can attend. It was agreed to borrow the litter picking equipment again from NNC for a village wide litter pick for use before the end of April before the verges start to grow too vigorously.

Councillor Vacancies

There are presently two vacant seats on the Parish Council. The Council meets on the 3rd Tuesday at 7.30pm each month to carry out business advised on the agenda. Meetings usually last about an hour and a half. Please view this document for more background information.

If you are interested in being co-opted please email the Clerk by 15th February providing a few background details about yourself and why you’d like to be considered

January 2023 Parish Council Meeting

Woodford Parish Council is looking for two Parish Councillors. If you’ve got two or three hours a month spare then you could be who we are looking for. The council will be co-opting new councillors at the next meeting in February. Consideration was also given and agreed that a request for a reduced speed limit be introduced between Woodford and Great Addington. The route between the A6 at Irthlingborough through to the A6112 at Islip is a frequently used short cut and whilst some of the route is protected by reduced speed limits the Great Addington to Woodford section is not, and this section has had a considerable number of incidents over recent years

December 2022 Parish Council

At the December Parish Council the main business discussed was the budget for the forthcoming year. The huge increases in electricity costs means that street lighting costs have increased by over 120% despite the move over the past three years to energy efficient lamps. The Parish precept (the amount of Council tax the council needs to fund its business) will therefore increase from £21,500 to £27,000. For a Council Tax Band D property this equates to approximately £9 per annum or 17p per week. Band A properties will pay about an extra £3 per year.

The Parish Council now has two vacancies for councillors. These positions will be filled by co-option at the January meeting on 17th January 2023. If you would like more information please see www.woodfordpc.co.uk or email the clerk@woodfordpc.co.uk. Interested persons wishing to put their name forward should do so by emailing the Clerk by 12 January providing some details regarding why they wish to be considered and what skills they could bring to the Council.

November Parish Council

At the November meeting a planning application for five dwellings in The Leys was discussed. This application would involve the demolition of the existing garages and the construction of three terraced houses one side of the road, and a pair of maisonette flats on the opposite side. A similar application had been approved in 2015 and had now lapsed. The Council welcomed the tidying of the disused site, and the fact that off road car parking for two cars per property was included in the scheme. The Council’s major concern was that the development would generate potentially ten additional vehicles using the narrow Whittlesey Terrace.

An application for a small extension to a property in Paddock Road received no objection.

The other main issue discussed was a new lighting power contract. Power for the streetlights had previously been supplied under a three-year contract since 2019. Last year the council budgeted for a 10% increase for this financial year, however, as is now well known since February this year costs have escalated far beyond that figure, with the present supplier forecasting a 200% increase increasing the costs by over £600 per month. The Council is working hard to find more competitive quotes, and at present is hoping to avoid switching lamps of, even if cuts are made elsewhere.

October Parish Council

The October Council meeting started in sombre mood with a minutes silence and tributes in memory of the chairman of the council, Mr Peter Bird, who had passed away at the beginning of October. The first formal business was to elect a new Chairman and Mr Guy Banham received the unanimous backing of the council. Guy has lived in the village for several years and has been a parish councillor for six years.

It was learned that an appeal had been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate regarding the recently refused travellers site in Thrapston Road. The timescale for the appeal is not yet known.

A request for a new dog waste bin in Church Street to be located between the field gate at the end of the road and the Rectory Lane junction was discussed, and advice regarding a location enabling easy emptying of the bin will be sought from NNC.

The Book of Condolence in respect of Her late Majesty the Queen has been deposited at the Lord Lieutenants office for collation with other books from the County. Thanks were also expressed to the Reading Room Committee for allowing the book signing to take place on their premises.

Peter Bird dec’d (Chairman Woodford PC)

1935-2022

Peter Bird was born and bred in Ringstead and on leaving school served an engineering apprenticeship at Keunen Brothers, Irthlingborough, followed by the obligatory national service, as an RAF engineer. On demob in 1959 he joined Unilever Research at Sharnbrook where he worked in a variety of engineering and management roles until being offered early retirement. He met Woodford girl, Muriel,in 1951 but not being an impulsive man, it was ten years before they married in St Mary’s Church Woodford, moving into their newly built home in Church Street later that year. Peter served as a local preacher for over twenty years before becoming lay pastor of the Woodford Baptist Church in 1986, a position he held until earlier this year. He was a trustee of the Woodford Charity from 1963, and served two terms as a parish councillor, 1967-1970, and 1973–2022, over half the latter period in the role of chairman.

On retirement in 1990 he became a magistrate spending a day, most weeks, at Kettering Magistrates Court for fifteen years. He also enjoyed gardening, caravanning, all manner of DIY and travelling.

July Parish Council

At the July Council meeting a number of positive comments were aired regarding the visit of Taylor’s funfair. The fair owner was also pleased with  visit and has agreed to return again in July 2023.

The Council had no objection to the construction of a timber garage and car port at 1 Church Green. Plans for a car port (in addition to previously permitted works) at Five Spires had been approved by North Northants Council, but an extension to 1 Rectory Lane had been refused.

The Council is still seeking to co-opt a “community minded” individual to the existing vacancy. If you are interested please email the clerk before 10th August.

Lastly, the Council’s article in June Saints Alive, mentioned permission being given for the installation of bollards around the village green. To clarify: Earlier in the year the Parish Councill requested suggestions from North Northants Council how best to address the erosion around the green and how to control the unauthorised parking. North Northants Council advised they would permit, at the Parish Council’s expense, the installation of timber bollards. Information received in July regarding the cost immediately meant that such a plan would not even warrant discussion.  All rumours that the installation was a “done deal” could not be further from the facts.

Rumours regarding bollards around village green

It has been drawn to the council’s attention there are rumours regarding a decision to install bollards around the village green. These rumours are totally unfounded and no such decision has been made.

Faced with a number of complaints received from residents regarding unregulated parking on the village green, the Parish Council sought solutions from the Highways Department who responded that they would permit the installation of bollards around the perimeter of the green at the Parish Council’s expense. The council has no budgetary provisions for such works and no further discussions have taken place or decisions made.

May 2022 Parish Council Report

The May meeting of the Parish Council was preceded by the Annual Parish meeting when reports by the Parish Council and Village Charities were made. The Parish Council report can be found on the Parish Council website but included the following expenditure details; village green maintenance £1,400, verge cutting £1,400, litter picking £935 and street lighting £3,375, the latter being a considerable reduction since the council started to introduce low energy lamps two years ago.

The net cost of the new fencing around the Green in Paddock Road was £970 which was approximately 10% of the overall cost with the remainder being grant funded.

Only seven planning applications were considered in the last year with the council raising no objection to six of them.

Woodford General Charity reported that Christmas grants to pensioners last year totalled £4,605.

At the Parish Council meeting which followed Mr Peter Bird was once elected to the Chair and the Vice Chairman was Mr Ivor Vaughan.

Following a request to the Highways Authority regarding ideas to prevent vehicles parking on the village greens without permission they responded that under the circumstances they would give permission for the installation of bollards around the main village greens, but at the Parish Council’s expense. The cost to the council and consequently the feasibility was not known.

Lastly it was reported that after a gap of three years a Funfair will be on the green for a week in July reviving the “Woodford Feast” tradition. The Fair will be provided by Ian Taylor Amusements of Spalding, who are well known in this area for their fairs at Finedon, Thrapston and Higham Ferrers.