ANNUAL REPORT 2006-07

The Council has 13 Councillors representing four wards. New Heath Hayes, Old Heath Hayes, Hawks Green and Wimblebury. Four Councillors represent Old Heath Hayes and three each for New Heath Hayes, Hawks Green and Wimblebury.

The Council normally meets at Heath Hayes Library, Hednesford Road, Heath Hayes at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month except August. All members of the public are welcome to attend and the first 30 minutes is set aside for public participation. Issues can be raised here, or by contacting any Councillor or the Clerk.

5^th April

10^th May

7^th June

5^th July

6^th September

4^th October

1^st November

6^th December

3^rd January 2007

7^th February

7^th March

Councillor M. Doody (Chair). Coppice House, Hatherton Park, Cannock, WS11 1RF 01785-714702

Councillor I. Carr. 6 Hartlebury Close, Heath Hayes, WS11 2GH 01543-271471

Councillor R. Merry (Vice Chair). 3 Brampton Drive, Heath Hayes WS12 3DT 01543-279526

Councillor L. Bullock. 9 Newlands Court, Heath Hayes WS12 3YS 01543-276761

Councillor A. Bernard 3 Truro Close, Heath Hayes, WS12 2YU 01543-274427

Councillor K. Bennett. 1 Truro Close, Heath Hayes, WS12 2YU 01543-271235

Councillor R. Butler. 37 Hednesford Street, Cannock, WS11 1DJ 01543-504983

Councillor P. Barker. 7 Trentham Close, Heath Hayes, WS11 7YU. 01543-275152

Councillor J. Toth. 40 Highfield Road, Heath Hayes, WS12 2DX 01543-458506

Councillor Lesley Morris. 27 Brisbane Way, Wimblebury, WS12 2GR. 01543-458370.

Councillor B. Bottomer. 23 Scott Street, Wimblebury, WS12 2RP 01543-277115

Councillor D. Todd. 35 Lyndhurst Road, Heath Hayes, WS12 3HD 01543-278778

Councillor R. Todd. 35 Lyndhurst Road, Heath Hayes, WS12 3HD 01543-278778

Ray Smythe, 12 Thistledown Drive, Heath Hayes, WS12 3XW.

Phone and Fax 01543-450635. Email : raysmythe@msn.com

Cllr K. Bennett, P. Barker, L. Bullock and M. Doody.

Cllrs I. Carr, D. Todd and M. Doody.

Cllr P. Barker.

All Councillors.

Cllrs R. Butler, M. Doody, L. Bullock, R. Merry and R. Todd.

Cllrs A. Bernard, L. Bullock, I. Carr, D. Todd and M. Doody.

The Council publishes a quarterly newsletter that is distributed to every household and business in the area. This contains news and events, local information and contact details for Parish, District and County Councillors as well as the police. Additional copies can be obtained from Heath Hayes Library, Hayes Green Community Centre or by contacting the Clerk.

Agendas and minutes are sent to Parish, District and County Councillors, as well as the police and library.

The Council manages a website, which holds information about the Council, meeting dates, agendas, minutes and reports. It can be accessed on www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/heathhayesandwimblebury.

Thank you for attending the Annual Parish and Annual General Meetings of Heath Hayes and Wimblebury Council. We have come to the end of one four year term and the beginning of another. It is appropriate to review the changes and progress.

The Heath Hayes Cabin provides an affordable community meeting place. It is used by various groups, as well as the police, Parish, District and County Councils.

Last year, we successfully applied for a grant of £500 from the Community Council to purchase equipment. We have also created a charity to manage the Cabin and have successfully applied for rate relief, which will save nearly £1,000 a year.

We manage the Hayes Green Community Centre. Four years ago, the difference between income and expenditure was £15,000, last year it was £5,700.

The Centre is being gradually improved and has had new signs, a new kitchen window and a new boiler. The meeting room had been partitioned to allow for more efficient storage and a better looking meeting area. The gardens are tidier and the litter is collected regularly.

We also received a £500 grant from the Community Council and a £2,272 grant as part of the Quality Council scheme.

In the last four years, we have donated nearly £25,000 to local groups and we continue to support organisations that benefit the area. We also helped the Welcome Club obtain a grant for £500 for transport.

As a Council, it is our intention to provide the best value that we can. We have reduced the tax burden each and every year in the last four years, the Band D annual charge has reduced by 25%.

Last year, the County Council awarded us a grant of £4,000 for benches. The five local schools were invited to submit designs and two of the designs from each school were made. One further bench was placed at Heath Hayes Allotments. Cash prizes and certificates were presented to the best five designs at each school.

Councillor Bob Merry has created and chaired a senior citizens support group which has been very successful and raised over £2,000. He was awarded the status of "Community Champion" by the Scarman Trust and this group is being looked at as a blueprint for groups across the county. We congratulate Bob and the committee.

I would like to thank Peter Barker, Keith Bennett, Lesley Morris and Janos Toth who have left us and welcome Graham Garbett, David Hill and Joyce Merry.

I would like to thank you for allowing me to serve as Chairman. I have been on the Council since it was formed in 1985, and this last year has been the best ever.

I would like to make a special mention for our Clerk, who has been with us for 13 years. As well as working to help us reduce the tax burden by 25%, last year, he applied for and brought in nearly £10,000 from external sources. He applied for the Cabin Charity. He manages our website, in operation since August, which has won two awards, including in March this year, the national "Website of the Month" award.

On top of this, and best of all, in October last year, this Council obtained Quality Status. I was very proud to attend the County Buildings in Stafford to have the certificate presented at the Annual General Meeting of the Staffordshire Parish Councils Association.

No other Parish or Town Council locally has this status, and out of over 8,000 Councils in England and Wales, this Council, Heath Hayes and Wimblebury Parish Council, is in the top 4%.

This is a great achievement. I think the Councillors know the amount of work and the high standard that had to be reached. I know Ray is proud to be our Clerk and I would like to thank him for the tremendous work he has done for us.

Lets continue the good work over the next four years.

Thank you.

For the financial year ending 31^st March 2007

Precept £59,500.00

Grants £ 4,000.00

Interest £ 654.00

Vat £ 2,643.01

Total £69,069.91

Administration £15,211.54

Grants £ 6,927.00

Miscellaneous £ 10,807.93

Vat £ 2,643.01

Hayes Green CC £31,584.22

Cabin £ 5,187.47

Total £72,362.07

Balance brought forward £31,761.09

Plus Income £69,069.91

Total £100,831.00

Less Expenditure £72,362.07

Balance at 31^st March £28,468.93

Heath Hayes Senior Citizens £600

Benches Project £207

Christmas Lights Project £ 40

Heath Hayes Allotments £845

Gorsemoor School £200

Five Ways School £200

Heath Hayes School £200

Blake Valley Technology College £100

St Giles Hospice £400

St John's Church £500

Bourne Methodist Church £500

Hednesford Pentecostal Church £300

Cannock CAB £250

Cannock Chase Advice Centre £250

Heath Hayes Band £400

Heath Hayes 1^st Adventurers £150

1^st Heath Hayes Pioneers £150

Heath Hayes Beavers £150

1^st Heath Hayes Brownies £150

1^st Heath Hayes Guides £150

1^st Heath Hayes Rainbows £150

KONCAS £200

Victim Support £200

Cats Protection League £ 35

Family Focus £100

Meiji Judo £500