WHITESHILL & RUSCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL

Society

• People would like more events for the village, i.e. fete, party/music in field, art exhibition. Street Fayre.
• Help needed to run and support events.
• Do a village community event like the Scarecrow hunt, or Village best garden competition. Bring the community together.
• Events happen but not everyone knows they are going on, need better communications.
• Form a history group in the village.
• Support an amateur dramatics.
• A volunteer system to help the aged or disabled persons.
• Adopt a gran / grandad: a scheme for old folks who would like a visitor.
• We are not part of Stroud.

Energy Issues

• Support for wind power but not wind farms.
• Support for solar panels.
• Grants for renewable energy installations needed.
• Renewable energy schemes should be implemented on community buildings
• Drop planning restrictions on double glassing for listed buildings.
• Use dead wood from local woods
• Work with local land owners on renewable energy projects.
• Investigate energy self sufficiency
• Aim to become a transitional parish.
• Oppose the Severn Barrage.
• Make better use of water mills.

Facilities

• Need to keep all existing facilities.
• Must retain the school.
• Village composter is a good idea.
• Would like a skip for garden waste to reduce bonfires.
• Need more plastic and cardboard recycling facilities in the village.
• Would like a travelling cinema in the village hall.
• Encourage more people to volunteer to help with the village shop.
• More dog mess bins needed.
• Another car park near church for functions there and village hall and for people in village without parking facilities.
• Play area. Some new equipment, i.e. balancing beams and tunnels.
• Make better use of existing facilities for village events
• Include the church and chapel in the plan.

Natural Environment

• Encourage wild verges, native hedgerows and also fruit trees and meadows - Could we ask Glos Highway to spray less?
• Don’t cut verges so much, nor the churchyard until the orchids are over.
• Let’s have some sheep in the churchyard.
• Please don’t mow the verges like a lawn.
• Develop a plan a to educate the public in footpath use and farming issues, dog waste, vandalism.
• If we wish to keep fields/open land, we must support farming and respect same.
• Whatever you do don’t cut down good trees. The conker tree by the swing was presented by Ken and Kate Baynes (about 1976). It would be a pity not to preserve it.
• Support for bee houses, Village adopt a beehive. www.adoptabeehive.co.uk
• We are quick to plant trees (e.g. fruit trees in playing field) but are loathe to attend to them. They are not developing well because the roots are surrounded by grass and weeds. A circle should be hoed around each.
• Educate the schoolchildren to be more conscious of rubbish dropping. Keep the school area free of rubbish.

Built Environment

• Support sustainable (carbon neutral) homes. More important than prettifying a pretty Cotswold setting.
• Self build should be supported as they build homes they want to live in. Distinct from developers who are after profit.
• New properties – we need to encourage families to keep the village young and thriving.
• Large developments should be opposed. But infill and small one property builds must be allowed.
• Find out need for social and/or sustainable housing in the village and act accordingly - need more affordable housing.
• Look to support our children with housing in their future.
• We need to have social housing to ensure a balanced community.
• We don’t want Tricorn House in the village, thank you, it should be in keeping.
• If we had less patios and (more) flowers useful for bees etc, we would all gain.
• Support a Conservation area in Ruscombe
• Ideally new houses should complement the area and not stand out like a sore thumb. So Cotswold stone is good.
• Rebuild Cotswold stone walls as it is part of our identity.

Travel

• Need safer crossing for children.
• Can we make some of the footpaths cycle tracks so we can cycle with children to town?
• Use single Decker buses at non peak times and introduce bus services on Sunday.
• Buses stop too early in the evening. Push for late bus around 10-10.30pm.
• Stop parking on pavements.
• Snow plans in the event of the village being cut off.
• Need some safe parking.
• Need a 20mph speed limit especially at school times.
• We need speed humps right across the road and a roundabout at the lane junction above St Paul’s church.
• Walk like Randwick 2000 steps.
• Improve pavements.
• Walk booklet – great idea. Shop could stock it and pub.
• Have car club vehicle kept in car park.
• Handrails for steep slopes.