To kickstart the month of festivities, the Events Team led Christmas light-switch on is Saturday 2nd December starting at 4:30pm at Central Park. There’ll be a brass band, Santa’s grotto and the light switch on.

The Waverley outdoor Remembrance Sunday was held in November and led by our very own Reverend Philip from the Rivers Team Ministry. This year we also had a totem installed as a mark of respect for those we lost from COVID, conflict and to mark the Queen’s death. It is close to the memorial bench, as a location for residents to take a moment and remember loved ones who are sadly no longer with us.

FREE defibrillator training

There’s still time to join our defibrillator training sessions provided by Yorkshire Ambulance Service. There are two sessions to choose from; 4pm-5pm and 6-7pm on Wednesday 13 December at the AMP. Tickets are free of charge, though you can donate to the Yorkshire Ambulance Service on the day. Places are limited and must be booked in advance. Please contact clerk@waverley-cc.gov.uk or call on 07552 725732 to book your free place.

Number of homes on Waverley

At one of the last meetings with Harworth, they confirmed there’ll be around 3,000 homes built on Waverley. The implication is that the likelihood of the trigger for a second primary school being met is extremely low. However, the third form at the local Junior Academy is still being considered, and the WCC are pushing for this too.

The Head of Service Access to Education from Rotherham Council is attending our 10 January 2024 meeting. As always residents are welcome to attend and listen. There is no need to book, you can just show up just before 7pm at the AMP.

Gritting in winter

Most of the roads across Waverley remain unadopted. Adopted roads (Mitchell Way, Stephenson Way, parts of Wensley Road, Ashbourne Road and Matlock Way as well as all of Parwich Court) are the responsibility of RMBC to be gritted, but minor side roads won’t be gritted.

Harworth own Highfield Land and Lescar Road. This year Rotherham Council will grit these roads this winter, as well a Popular Way as usual.

The grit bins across Waverley have been left by various developers for residents. Grit bin locations include; top of Tideswell Walk, corner of Cressbrook Road with Stephenson Way, end of Rowsley Drive, Ashbourne Way (junction with Calver Way), and one on Ashford Court. Harworth will ensure these are refilled for residents before winter.

Harworth agreed to add three more grit bins on Highfield Lane including one near the school, another near Autumn Fields and one around Catcliffe corner. Residents are welcome to access the salt.

Residents can become a snow warden. Rotherham Council will provide you with equipment (snow shovel, hi-vis), grit and some training all for free. More information can be found on their website: www.rotherham.gov.uk/winter-roads/snow-warden

Precept

The WCC, like many parish and town councils, is funded by an annual payment, or precept, which in Waverley is part of your council tax bill from Rotherham Council.

The WCC have begun discussing the budget for the next financial year, with our precept request usually submitted to Rotherham Council by February 2024. Agendas and minutes of meetings are in the public domain via the website and residents are welcome to come and listen to meetings. Once agreed by the WCC members, the precept summary is placed on the website by February too. The April council tax bill will include the proportion of money to come to the WCC.

In the past year we’ve supported community groups, held another free joint event in June for residents, provided funding towards Aughton Early Years to support young families, and added the water supply to the community garden. We also raised funds and gained grants from the Ward Councillors for another defibrillator to be installed, as well as providing familiarisation training.

This year’s challenge is that the cost-of-living crisis has not dissipated, and the community centre is expected to be fitted out and in use. We cannot commence the fitting out of the community centre unless there are funds in place.

The WCC budget for 2024-25 is likely to be significantly larger, potentially 200% increase, than previous years, due to funding needed for the community centre project. Once a lease agreement is in place with Harworth for the community centre, we can commence large grant funding applications from organisations like the National Lottery.

If we are successful in getting a grant, this will off-set part of the precept request for the subsequent financial year (2025-26). Additionally, as the immediate vicinity of Olive Lane and the associated housing was not in the Master Plan, we‘ll receive funds from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CiL). However, because the building foundations are not in place, we do not know when the WCC will receive the funds.

If you are interested in the WCC proportion of your council tax bill, do come to the next two meetings. All details can be found on our website: www.waverley-cc.gov.uk/council-meetings

If you want to chat to any of the WCC members, you can find their email addresses here: www.waverley-cc.gov.uk/councillors

Rachel Graham, Clerk

The post December Waverley Community Council Update appeared first on WAVE Magazine.

Waverley families

Last September Aughton Early Year’s (AEY) approached the WCC for grant funding towards specific activities for new parents and their new born babies. The upshot is that AEY ran an active bounce & play session, Gulliver’s Town Tots, Splash Time, Baby Sensory Christmas party, and a Bloom taster session.

This enabled AEY to provide over 300 slots of activities to Waverley families, the feedback was that these were all well received and have strengthened the relationships with Waverley families.

On the back of this success, AEY approached the WCC again for grant funding for this new financial year. Another Gulliver’s session, family swim, play mania and a messy play session are planned and for the slightly older children they will work with SJD Sports to offer activities and a picnic in the park. Aughton Early Years are delivering these directly, but when you have a chance to join-in we’d love to get your feedback on which session you preferred and why.

In addition to this, the Clerk is doing some engagement work with new parents. This kicked-off in June at a coffee morning, and will include attending another session at the Wintergreen babies’ group and then a playgroup session at the Catcliffe Memorial Hall in July.

Planning

In response to residents’ comments, the WCC also objected to the Waterside development, and insisted that if it went ahead there would be provisions for a defibrillator and throw rope, as the development will go close to the Lakes.

Unfortunately, Rotherham Council permitted the planning application, but Barrett’s acquiesced to our requests. We have also objected to the Sky-houses development (RB2022/1866) near Olive Lane, we await the date for the Rotherham Planning Board meeting, to exercise the ‘right to speak’. Again, this has been done on behalf of resident’s feedback.

Waverley Funday

This is taking place on Saturday 24 June, is not so far away. The caretaker at the Waverley Junior Academy is kindly working with us to ensure we can get the stalls in place early, and will be there until the end, so we can clean-up and leave the playground as we found it.

It is an absolute pleasure to work on these community events with residents. It really shows that the community spirit is here and is impacting on our positivity and wellbeing. While there will be some fundraising by the WCC (towards a defibrillator at the Catcliffe Corner), as well as Rotherham Hospital and the local Junior Academy too, entrance will be free and so will some of the activities like the outdoor giant garden games, the inflatables, watching the dance performers, meeting the fire brigade, and maybe having a little dance too.

For those who did not make the Harworth consultation event at the end of May, there will be another chance to see their information boards at the Funday, and provide comment.

Rachel Graham, Clerk

The post Waverley Community Council Update – June 2023 appeared first on WAVE Magazine.