PARISH PUMP

The first Parish Council meeting of 2012 held on 12th January was attended by nine parish councillors, the parish clerk, two ward councillors and two members of the public.

A number of matters of concern were raised.

Recycling and Refuse Kerbside Collection
Several households in the village have been putting out their refuse on the wrong days, presumably because of the change of days following bank holidays. Brentwood BC has issued a collection calendar to all households in the district with full details of how and when to dispose of waste. Will households please endeavour to stick to the timetable thus preventing the build up of unsightly rubbish.

Litter
Following on from the above, it is very disappointing to see the amount of litter that exists in our village. Litter does not get there by itself. It is created by thoughtless individuals who take no account of the hard work that volunteers put in to keep our village clean and tidy. Please use the litter bins!

Dogs
There have been further reports of dogs running free on Poors Field. It must be emphasised that dog owners are required to keep their animals on a lead at all times when using the field. A number of owners appear to object to this but they should appreciate that this ruling is for the benefit of dog owners and all other persons who wish to enjoy this facility.

Parking in School Road
There have been delays in resolving this problem due to changes at Brentwood BC and also the reduction in the number of police officers available. The Parish Council is pursuing this matter and hopes for an early resolution.

'Outstanding Citizenship' Award
The response to requests for nominations was somewhat disappointing but nevertheless a number has been received and the names of the recipients will be published shortly.

Doris Dancing
This local group (who like to raise money for charity and have fun at the same time) would like to thank all who attended the Shepherd Pub on New Year's Day to witness their antics and who contributed the sum of £370 for the British Heart Foundation. Well done everyone.

Senior Citizens' Lunch

Another successful event for the village with everyone who attended having a great time. A full report follows below. Plans are already in hand for this year's lunch which is booked for Sunday 9th December 2012.

The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday 9th February 2012 at 8pm in the Committee Room, Village Hall, School Road, Kelvedon Hatch. Members of the public are welcome - why not come along and air your thought on village matters?

David Stacey
Seniors' Christmas Lunch 2011
On Sunday 11th December the Parish Council held its now traditional Christmas lunch for senior citizens living in Kelvedon Hatch.

After a welcoming sherry, guests took their seats and enjoyed a traditional Christmas dinner. 'Helpers' ensured that glasses were topped up with wine or soft drinks. During the meal carols played and this was followed by our singer Jesse Garon who sang all the favourites. We were then treated to a surprise item from Steve and Kim Saunders' daughters Georgia and Casey performing an Abba tribute. They were excellent.

A free raffle followed thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and donations. Jesse Garon finished off the afternoon with more songs and those who felt inclined took to the floor for a dance or two. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

Our thanks go to David Felon of Village Taxis who provided free transport for those unable to get to the event under their own steam, Scott Norris our local farmer who donated £100 and Jackie Oliver at The Green Man, Toot Hill who donated £20.

Prizes for the raffle were donated by Keith Ashton Estate Agents (a bottle of Champagne), Richard's Pantry (a farmhouse fruitcake), Stuart Darnley at the Eagle (6 bottles of sherry), Dennis and Violet Ahier (a bottle of wine), Chris James of CJ Cleaning Services (wine) and Steve Saunders of Saunders Witherspoon(a George Foreman grill).

Finally a big thank you to our 'helpers' who helped to ensure that everyone was looked after and that the afternoon ran smoothly.

Derek Munro
Parish Clerk