No increase to share of council tax for villagers

Parish still going ahead with playground plan

RESIDENTS living in a Staffordshire Moorland parish will not see any increase in their parish council’s share of council tax for the forthcoming year.

Members of Ipstones Parish Council, which covers Ipstones, Foxt and parts of Bottomhouse, Winkhill, Froghall and Consall Forge, agreed to a zero increase at the last meeting of the authority.

But despite no increase to residents the parish council agreed to go ahead with an ambitious project by leasing a large play area to safeguard its future.

The parish council is in negotiations with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to take on the lease of the public open space located off Mayfair Avenue in Ipstones.

The future maintenance of the land would then come under the jurisdiction of the parish council.

The parish council is also looking at a proposal to make a community orchard on land off Froghall Road in the village where a selection of fruit trees would be planted along with making a donation to Ipstones and Foxt villages to help with celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this summer.

Chairman of the parish council, Councillor Linda Malyon, said: “We are currently working with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to obtain a lease on the land adjacent to Mayfair Avenue. Councillor Andrew Hart has been working alongside the parish to help us achieve our aim, which will be to tidy the area and make it an area children can once again play on and people can enjoy.

“At the same time we are working with Your Housing on the piece of land on Froghall Road, we are hoping to come to an agreement with them so that fruit trees can be planted there. Councillor Joe Porter is running a project for climate control to which parishes and towns can apply for these trees.

“Ipstones Parish Council has been successful and we hope once they are planted and eventually bear fruit, people in the parish will be able to pick them and enjoy. We are also hoping to put a seat in that area so people can enjoy the area. The council is also looking to help both the villages of Foxt and Ipstones with a grant to help them with their Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

“We will be looking at the Foxt play area later in the year to see what is needed there. This is just some of what the parish is doing for the area.”

The council agreed on a zero increase on the precept of £25756.94.