Grounds Maintenance Contract 2023-25

Posted on By Pauline

Northleach with Eastington Town Council is inviting tenders for a two-year grounds maintenance contract with the option to extend for a further year. The scope will include grass cutting, strimming, hedge trimming, and other ground maintenance tasks as defined in the Specification and associated Plans. Areas of work comprise playing field, recreation grounds, churchyard and cemetery, and highway verges.

Please see the Invitation to Tender for further information and how to apply:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/11508ca4-273f-4f2f-af17-e59cf4ce3919

Tenders are to be returned in a sealed marked envelope ‘GM Tender’ to Pauline Rigby, Town Clerk, Northleach with Eastington Town Council, Westwoods Centre, Basset Road, Northleach, Cheltenham GL54 3QJ on or before noon on Thursday 12 January 2023.

Friends of the Cotswolds Awarded National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant

Posted on By Pauline

The Town Council is delighted to share this press release from local charity Friends of the Cotswolds.

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Friends of the Cotswolds awarded a grant of £235,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to create a range of volunteer-led projects over the next 2.5 years- Rooted in the Community: The Old Prison

NORTHLEACH – 21 October 2022 – The Friends of the Cotswolds has received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £235,600 for an exciting heritage project; Rooted in the Community: The Old Prison. Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project focuses on reconnecting the Old Prison in Northleach to the local community and bringing its heritage to new audiences.

The project will start in November 2022, and over the course of 2.5 years, will deliver a range of developments at the Old Prison including a Community Wellbeing Garden, an Education Programme working with local primary schools, an Oral History Project and events and exhibitions in partnership with Corinium Museum and Gloucestershire Constabulary Archives.

Supported through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will enable people of all ages to engage with their local heritage and explore the roots of this important heritage site. There will be many opportunities for volunteers to get involved and learn new skills with full training provided; new roles will cover all elements of the project with something for everybody.

The Friends of the Cotswolds is an organisation that works to protect and enhance the region’s unique environment, heritage and culture. Having bought the Old Prison in 2013, the Friends have worked over the past decade to ensure it remains open to the community and will now take the site forward to connect local people with the fascinating heritage of the Old Prison.

Commenting on the award, David Rockey said: “We are thrilled to have received this support thanks to National Lottery players and are confident the project will support more people to connect with the Heritage of the Old Prison.”

The total project costs run to £250,000. The Friends of the Cotswolds is incredibly grateful to local support for the project who awarded us grants totalling over £14,000 in match funding. Our thanks to:

  • Build Back Better Councillor Scheme- Gloucestershire County Council
  • Northleach Community Grant – Northleach with Eastington Town Council
  • Northleach Town Trustees
  • Northleach Youth Club and Community Trust
  • Notgrove Trust

About Friends of the Cotswolds

Friends of the Cotswolds is a small charity based in Northleach. We purchased the Old Prison from Cotswold District Council in 2013 to ensure it remained open to the public to visit and enjoy. https://friendsofthecotswolds.org

Our partners Relish run the café at the Old Prison, and we run the visitor attraction. The site is also home to the Cotswolds National Landscape team and community radio station Cotswolds Radio.

Away from the Old Prison, we support local apprentices through our Cotswold Craft Apprenticeship Scheme which we continue to promote with funds available for new apprentices.

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund 

Since The National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK.

Statement on Outside Dining in the Market Place

Posted on By Pauline

Published by Northleach with Eastington Town Council on 12 October 2022.

The Town Council at its meeting on 28 September 2022 resolved to support an outline proposal from Cotswold District Councillor Tony Dale to widen the pavement on the Market Place.

The reasons given were that the pavement extension would benefit the community, especially the most vulnerable who would benefit from a safer environment and residents who enjoy the vibrant atmosphere that a pavement hospitality scene generates.

Gloucestershire Highways has been informed and we are awaiting further information from them on the design and costs of the scheme.

The Town Council appreciates that many people value the outside dining space while others are concerned about the loss of parking spaces. We have been working with all parties to try and find the best possible outcome for the town.

The tables and chairs on the Market Place were introduced during the pandemic after new laws simplified the process for issuing pavement licences. Grant monies were available to provide planters and barriers around the tables and chairs, and Town Council officers put considerable efforts into developing the scheme. Unfortunately, a second pavement licence was refused by Cotswold District Council and we learned that the first licence had been issued incorrectly. The legal department at Gloucestershire Highways has advised there is no legislation permitting tables and chairs on the carriageway. The Town Council felt it could not justify spending public money on the scheme when permission could be withdrawn at any moment.

We now know that the existing licence was not withdrawn but has not been renewed by Cotswold District Council. The Town Council is supporting the proposal to widen the pavement which would allow for pavement licences to be issued in the future and will share further information as it becomes available.

Any questions about pavement licences should be directed to Cotswold District Council.

ENDS

For information about the work of the Town Council, please contact us.

Help Save the Black Cat Café

Posted on By Pauline

“More than just a cup of coffee”

*** THIS SURVEY HAS NOW CLOSED, thank you to all who responded ***

At the meeting on 28 September, the Town Council heard from residents how much they missed the Black Cat Café since it had ceased trading last month.

A group of people are trying to put a rescue package together, working with the directors of the café business, and the Town Council resolved to support the effort.

A questionnaire is the first step. We would like to determine the level of support for acquiring the building as a community asset and launching a new café business. We would also like to hear from anyone who feels they can help.

Take the survey

There is less time than we hoped to save the café. We have been tasked with producing a complete business plan by Friday 21st October, so please complete your questionnaire as soon as possible. Paper copies were printed with a deadline of 30 October, before this was known.

Paper copies of the questionnaire are being distributed to households across the parish and can be returned to the collection box in Fruitcakes. Every household in town, and as many supporters of the café as we can reach, will be asked to complete one questionnaire, ideally capturing the input of the whole household, not just the individual completing the form. 

It would be very helpful if you could complete your response online, as this will save us time when collating the results. Click the button below to access the questionnaire online.

Take the survey

The questionnaire has been produced by Northleach with Eastington Town Council. Responses are anonymous unless you choose to provide your name. Any personal data will be handled securely and in line with the council’s privacy policy.

The results of the survey will be published by the Town Council in due course.

National Moment of Reflection on Sunday 18 September

Posted on By Pauline

Northleach with Eastington Town Council, the High Bailiff and Town Trustees invite you to assemble at the War Memorial on the Market Place for the National Moment of Reflection. This will take place at 8pm on Sunday 18 September. All residents who wish to join us are welcome.

Please make sure that you arrive by 7:50pm, as to ensure a smooth and respectful occasion.

The silence will be followed by the local reading of the Proclamation of accession of King Charles III.

See more at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-moment-of-reflection.

Footway Improvement Works Starting 1 August

Posted on By Pauline

Residents will have seen signs advising of roadworks due to start on 1 August for 5 weeks. Gloucestershire County Council is carrying out footway improvement works along West End, High Street and East End. Traffic flow will be controlled by traffic lights and stop and go signs.

Please find attached the traffic management plan of the works taking place. There currently is no specific timescale for each section as this could change on a daily basis as it is dependent on many factors.

For more information on planned roadworks across the county see the Gloucestershire Roadworks map.

Click image to enlarge.