Annual report of Belstone Parish Council 2025-2026

Chairman’s report

The Council has held 6 ordinary meetings and 2 planning meetings.

Members attendance at the meetings has been good. Representatives of WDBC, Highways, DCC, DNPA and members of the public have also attended. Councillors have also attended training meetings on various matters.

When Jon Pike stood down as a Councillor to take the post of Clerk on a permanent basis, Jackie Stevens was voted in by the co-option process to take his place.

There have been 5 planning applications, 2 of which concerned trees with TPO’s on them which were granted by DNPA. East Lodge was withdrawn and a decision has still not been made on the Town Living application.

A request was received from a resident to trade an ice-cream trike from the car park. It was felt that this was not a suitable location for this kind of trade and the request was withdrawn. Recently a request to site a coffee trailer has been made and this was also rejected on the same grounds.

Highways matters have again been many, the chief of which has been blocked HGV’s trying to reach the army camp. On the advice of Highways, the Council purchased its own sign which has now been placed at Tongue End. Highways agreed to site a sign at the Eastern slip road off the dual carriageway pointing in the direction of the camp. All the usual Highways matters have again cropped up, pot holes, blocked drains and matters regarding the cattle grids all of which have received new gates and hanging.

Car parking around the village remains a problem and various measures that have tried to cure this have had little effect.

The precept for 2026 – 2027 has been set at £4,060, a 2% increase.

Many other matters have received attention including repairs to the stocks and seats and the placing of a “residents only” sign at the right-hand end of the car park.

Correspondence, together with various surveys have been dealt with and action taken as required.

Many thanks to Mrs Khun for arranging the maintenance of the Pound Garden and to Chris Walpole for acting as internal auditor.

Finally, my thanks to my fellow Councillors for their help and interest in Council matters over the last year and to Jon Pike for taking on the role of Clerk.

MWJ Ash, Chairman 20/4/2026