Felton Regil and Winford Community and Environmental Group

 

This is an informal group independent of the Parish Council, but working closely with it. It was set up 10 years ago, part of the Agenda 21 movement resulting from the World Summit in Rio de Janeiro, which placed environmental issues firmly on the political agenda for the first time. Our initial task was to complete a Parish Appraisal ; this led on to a Character Statement which was adopted by North Somerset Council as supplementary planning guidance, and has helped to shape e.g. the current plans for the improvement of the centre of Winford.

 

The questionnaire which was sent out to every household in the parish during this process identified various needs which we have attempted to address over the ensuing years. These include the establishment of the Community Cars, the Community Transport and the Welcome Packs for newcomers.  Other achievements have been the Community Composting Site, which has recently provided a large quantity of much needed mulch for the beech trees by Felton Church, and the start of the cycle/footway which we hope will eventually run all the way from Winford up to the A38. Another major environmental achievement was the planting of the Millennium Wood between the two villages of Winford and Felton in partnership with the Woodland Trust.

 

From the start the group has run on the principle that committed individuals who have a passion for a particular scheme will be encouraged and supported to pursue it. We are always delighted to welcome new members with new ideas, for example the surveying of all the parish  footpaths which has been carried out over the past year. The latest project to be proposed is a concerted litter pick round the parish lanes.

 

The Parish Council believes the time is now ripe, especially in the light of the publication of the BIA masterplan  and with local elections due next year, to be thinking about preparing a Parish Plan. This is an up to date evolution of the old Character Statement, and all parishes are being encouraged to produce one. It would require a lot of work from dedicated people from our three villages, but they would be well supported by both the Parish Council and North Somerset, and it would provide an opportunity for all local people to shape the way our  communities develop in the years to come.

 

 If you have a burning issue which you would like to work at, you will receive a warm welcome from us, and for more information you should contact me by email:

 Bridget Smith 

 

useful links:

http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/index.htm

http://www.unep.org/Documents.multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=52&Article