THE HISTORY OF WINSHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Parish Council Meetings

1976-1990

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1975-1979

1980-1984

1985-1989

1990-1994

1995-1999

Summary 1975-1979
Miss Harding led the Parish Council through until March 1977,when the Rev. B.  L. Bateson took over. Roy Smart was Parish Clerk until 1979, when he resigned. He then became a Councillor and immediately was voted in as Vice Chairman. .Jean Cameron became Parish Clerk.

The main issues related to the introduction of Street Lighting towards the end of 1979 and the development of Davies Close in1975. The smell from the new sewerage plant was also a topic of frequent comment. 

Many Planning applications were considered and it is interesting to browse through them, with the benefit of knowledge of the eventual outcome!

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Summary 1980-1984

Two long running issues dominated the deliberations of the Parish Council during this period, which in retrospect seems to have been a fairly quiet one. The first related to the problem of establishing a path to the cemetery through land that was owned by the Diocese prior to the sale of the Vicarage. This was finally reconciled in 1984.
Another problem was the difficulty in establishing a speed limit through the village, and at the end of 1984 the argument was still raging.
Other items of interest related to problems of flying cricket balls and the dangers they presented to the residents of Davies Close and Bakersfield, and whether or not Winsham should declare itself a Nuclear Free Zone (as an example to the rest of the world!). It was also agreed that the problems of duplicate numbering of houses in Fore Street and Church Street should be put right. Ken Harvie became Parish Clerk in1983 ,a post he was to hold for nearly twenty years.

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Summary 1985-1989

A recurring theme throughout this period was the smell from the sewerage 'works' at the eastern end of the village. Nothing ever seemed to get done, but there were a lot of complaints. Towards the end of the period it seems to be admitted that the smell was getting less. The Kitchen and Committee Room extension to the Jubilee Hall in 1988,costing nearly £18,000 is referred to frequently. The Parish Council had no responsibilities  in this matter, but obviously they had an interest. Behaviour of the youngsters around the War Memorial also caused a lot of concern in 1985 & 1986. Street Cleaning also features as a 'bone of contention' with the District Council. Some things never change! 

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Summary 1990-1994

A strange mood seems to permeate the Minutes for this period. The introduction of Street lighting seems to be the major event and that not until 1993. A climate of mild dissatisfaction seems to come through, with a raft of what seems now to be minor complaints. Bad parking, litter, noise, 'never see a policeman'. Perhaps it was a reflection of the economic downturn of the period. Miss this section if you want to be cheered -up!

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Summary 1995-1999-the end of a millennium

During this last five years of the Millennium the main topics were the extension of the Cemetery , principally involving the acquisition of the land and then organising it to ensure that it is kept in an appropriate manner at reasonable cost.(1996 marked the actual acquisition).

This period also saw Colin Slade become Chairman, and the retirement of Ken Harvie as Parish Clerk after fourteen years service, who was replaced by Mrs Pat Green, the first Parish Clerk not to live in Winsham, coming from Ilton. With these changes also came a determined effort to modernise the Parish Council's administrative procedures. As part of this, the Personal Computer and the Internet made its debut in the managing of Winsham Parish Council affairs, as they were doing in many areas of local government work and in most other walks of life.

In 1997 Winsham won the Somerset' Village of the Year 'award, and the national award in the 'Youth' category.

1998 saw the appointment of a Parish Paths coordinator which resulted very quickly in a great improvement in the condition of many of the styles and gates found on the public footpaths .This year also saw the Planning Approval for the Court Farm Close development.

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