On Saturday 24th July, Wombourne Parish Council held the first of 3 planned village entertainment days to encourage the people of Wombourne and visitors to support our independent shops and businesses.

In the weeks leading up to the event, a sub Committee formed-High Street Recovery and Rejuvenation. Members, made up of Parish Councillors and independent traders visited many of the village retailers and businesses to ascertain whether they wanted to take part. Many were happy to display posters and share ideas on the WhatsApp village retailers group.

The theme for the day was music. At various sites in the village centre and in Common Road, musical performers entertained shoppers and passers by.

The Bluebird Belles and Inspiration Drive proved very popular as did Every Little Dream who performed as Anna and Elsa from Disney’s Frozen.

Simultaneously, Sam Morgan, Karen McKee, Kenny Kaos, Matty Mac and the Music Makers provided muscial variety in Common Road and Giggetty Lane.

MC Paul Maddox kept shoppers updated on special produce, offers and promotions as well as playing additional popular music.

Wombourne Players group performed a selection of plays to audiences at the rear of the Civic Centre.

Many of our enthusiastic traders added fun by dressing up a musical characters. They also generously provided canopies and electricity for the performers.

Fortunately the weather was fine and dry and it didn’t pour with rain as was forecast so contingency plans for bad weather were not required.

On the day we were very pleased that Gavin Williamson MP was able to come along and support us and that Parish Councillors were in attendance too to provide information and maps at HQ.

Chairman of the Parish Council, Councillor Dan Kinsey visited all of the participating businesses to thank them for their collective efforts.

Our second event is on Saturday 21st August themed heroes and the third on Saturday 18th September themed Fairy Tales.

We look forward to more exciting opportunities to promote our village shops and businesses.

Councillor Daisy Tait
Chairman of the High Street Recovery and Rejuvenation Committee

The Summer Reading Challenge launches in libraries across England this Saturday, 10^th July. 

Children are encouraged to visit the library to join and the Challenge is to read 6 books over the Summer Holidays.  To encourage children to participate they collect stickers along the way and a medal and certificate if they complete the Challenge.

One of the benefits of participating is that it helps children to maintain their reading levels during the long summer break from school and it means that teachers and children are not having to play catch-up in September.

PARK WARDEN

VACANCY

Wombourne Parish Council wishes to appoint a Park Warden with immediate effect to unlock and lock the gates at Brickbridge Playing Fields, Wombourne.

The Park Warden will be a friendly and approachable face of the Parish Council and will contribute towards ensuring that the Parish is kept clean, safe, well presented, and maintained to a high standard. This role would suit a person who is community minded. The successful applicant must be flexible and willing to work outside in all weathers.

Hours: Monday to Sunday weekly. Currently the playing fields are unlocked at dawn and locked at 4.30pm in the winter and 8.30pm in the summer.

Pay: £31.19 per week, equating to £1621.88 per annum exclusive of the relevant HMRC monthly deductions – this is based on 30 minutes per day at National Living Wage of £8.91 per hour, rising in line with National Living Wage increases.

Responsible to: The Clerk to the Parish Council and in her absence, the Assistant Clerk.

Personal skills: Experience of working in a similar role would be beneficial as well as working with / in close proximity to members of the public. Important attributes are initiative, common sense, self-motivation, the ability to work alone and good communication skills.

Annual leave: 21 days per annum rising to 25 days after 5 years’ service plus 8 days per annum for bank holidays (to be agreed with the Clerk, but to include Christmas Day).

Notice period: After successful probationary period, the minimum notice period for the termination of employment is 4 weeks’ notice in writing from either side.

General: The role is to unlock and lock the gates at Brickbridge Playing Fields. The Park Warden will be expected to check the playing fields to ensure they are empty prior to locking the gates. Any anti-social behaviour on the playing fields should be reported immediately to the Police. A job description and person specification/selection criteria are available from the Clerk to the Council.

How to apply: Please submit a covering letter detailing your career history, skills and why you feel you would be suitable for this role along with your CV to Mrs. R Wright, Clerk to the Council, Council Offices, Civic Centre, Gravel Hill, Wombourne, WV5 9HA, or via email to enquiries@wombourneparishcouncil.org.uk. For enquiries, please call the Parish Council office on 01902 896300 or email info@wombourneparishcouncil.org.uk

Closing date: 5pm on Wednesday 2^nd June 2021. Interviews will take place week commencing 7^th June 2021. The successful applicant should be able to start immediately after receipt of suitable references and clear DBS records.

Questions: If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Parish Council office on 01902 896300.

Your Parish Precept Explained

It’s almost time for South Staffordshire Council to issue their Council Tax letters for the forthcoming year.

Included in the breakdown of your Council Tax, you will see an element for Parish Precept which South Staffordshire Council collect on behalf of Wombourne Parish Council.

The attached document explains what the precept is, why it’s an important part of the Parish Council’s income, and how much the average home will pay in 2021/2022.

We hope you find this useful.

Re-opening of playgrounds and outdoor gyms

You may have seen that the Government announced on 23^rd June 2020 that playgrounds and outdoor gyms could re-open on 4^th July 2020, providing certain safety measures were followed. Guidance on managing these areas safely was issued by the Government on 26^th June 2020. Whilst the guidance is informative, some points still require clarification. One example is that the guidance states that high touch points need to be cleaned frequently, however, there is no information given as to what ‘frequently’ means.

We are currently working with the District Council, the National Association of Local Councils, and our Insurers to seek further clarification on certain points. In the meantime, risk assessments are being drawn up and measures are being put in place to ensure that our play areas remain a safe place for all.

Unfortunately, until we are able to seek further clarification on the guidance, we will not be in a position to open Bratch Park or Poolhouse Play Area on 4^th July 2020.

We appreciate this news will be as disappointing to you as it is to us, since we are keen to re-open our play areas as quickly as possible. However, we must be assured that when we do re-open them, we can do so with as little risk to our residents as possible. Please continue to follow this page and our social media for updates.

Wombourne Parish Council were sad to hear of the passing of former Councillor Henry (Harry) McTaggart aged 90.

Mr McTggart had served Wombourne Parish, South Staffordshire District and Staffordshire County Council’s for 26 years between 1963 and 1989.

He lived in Wombourne from 1959 until his passing on 20th May 2020.

His funeral will take place on Thursday 25th June, when will take one last journey around Wombourne village green at approximately 10.35am/10.40am before a private ceremony at Gornal Crematorium.

Our thoughts are with his children Carol, Maureen, Alison and Peter at this sad time.

Wombourne Parish Council were shocked and saddened at the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25^th May 2020.

We stand in solidarity with Black and minority ethnic residents in our community, and would like to express our rejection of racism, brutality and hatred.

We are proud to represent the people of Wombourne – a place where racism has no place. We hope that in the coming weeks and months, people from all backgrounds can come together to intensify efforts to combat racism and secure true racial equality, both in America and across the world.