Harwell Village News and Gossip

It is clear that the current Chairman June Blissett is out of her depth and has lost focus, it is also clear that many of the Councillors are inappropriate for the roles they have undertaken. We need a new agenda, we need a new approach, and we need to bring Harwell back to the people of the village.

Here is where we could start:

Environmental Issues. Let's define a statement towards the environment. What the villagers expect, and how the council should act.

The Didcot Development. Lets get the best possible houses for the people that are going to live there. Lets not worry about personal agendas and stubborn rejection of the plans, and get back into the talks and make things better for our new Parish residents. We should explore with the developers how we can help the people of Harwell by looking at rebuilding some of the crumbling Harwell facilities.

Business Development. The Parish Council have no idea or plans to help businesses within our area. Lets see what we can do by talking to local businessmen, and working these ideas into the plans for the Parish.

Recreation. Our ground staff are among the best, but are not supported by the Parish Council. Use of the playing fields, and signs to show people how to get there will increase the use of these facilities, and allow Harwell to utilise the empty back field. We should also look to Lottery funding to help renew the worn down play area for children.

Web site. The technophobic nature of the existing Parish Council make this impossible to support. Let's open up the Parish to the world, and allow email to the Councillors and staff.

People management. This is clearly something that can only get better. Introduction of NALC policies and guidelines (something rejected by the current Parish Council) will improve staff morale, and improve the public's ability to gain access to the Councillors and the Parish Council staff.

Review the current contracts with a view to selecting the contract with the highest merit and value.

Planning. Define a set of Parish standards that will help the people of the Parish understand the general rules under which the Parish Council will accept planning applications.

Facilities. While the Parish magazine stands out as a clear success, most of the services offered to the village are in decline, or have been suspended. We need to document what is available to us, and how we are going to make the most it.

But to do this we need to remove the current Chairman June Blissett, and realign the appropriate Councillors to the new plan.