Lord Salisbury, 19th century aristocrat, politician and briefly Prime Minister, said something similar to the words above apparently referring to taxation. Little would he have known that simply adding the word ‘climate’ enables a powerful point to be made about the world in the 21st century.

Whatever any of us may think about Greta Thunberg addressing the United Nations, Extinction Rebellion bringing London to a standstill and governments setting targets for zero emissions in 30 years’ time, perhaps it is worth looking closer to home? Certainly many individuals are taking more and more personal steps to improve our environment in the end to slow and stop climate change. The science is confirmed and how we react as a nation, a community or as citizens of our country will literally shape the future.

For sure, we all have or know someone with solar panels on the roof, a hybrid car, a vegetarian diet, or who is just trying to use less fossil fuel. Sadly I don’t pass many environmental awareness tests, but I do seriously plan to improve!

That's why I’m pleased that Amber Valley Borough Council has declared a Climate Emergency, and in various conversations around the village I’ve been encouraged to learn of people’s increasing interest in the whole climate change and environmental awareness issue. Potentially there are many things that could be done, including getting involved in the Woodland Trust’s tree-planting days, the reduction or eradication of singleuse plastic and maybe even car-charging points in the village!

I am very sure that there are residents in the village with the skills, imagination and real enthusiasm to make a difference. If you are one of these people, young or old (or in between), and you might be willing to get involved, please send your contact details to environment@crichstandard. org and register an interest in the overall project. Your reaction will shape the next steps in the Climate Emergency challenge for Crich Parish.

We may not be able to change the world, but with some ambition and energy we can surely improve our Crich community environment! 

Tony Mills Chair, Crich Standard

Our co-opted councillors, Tony Mills and Kevin Holt, were formally appointed at our September meeting.

The planning application to build 71 dwellings at Woodside Farm, off the Common, Crich, has been amended. The number of dwellings has been reduced to 58 but the scheme still conflicts with the Crich Parish Neighbourhood Plan in several respects and the Parish Council has therefore lodged its objections.

Another day of training in the use of defibrillators has been held at the Glebe and we are grateful to the first responders for giving up their time to do this. The Fritchley defibrillator was deployed recently and it's good to know that it was there when it was needed.

We are still waiting for the Diocese to give us a date for the consecration of the extension to the Burial Ground. Apparently the reason for the delay is that the Bishop of Repton, who will conduct the consecration, is on sabbatical leave.

Severn Trent Water have been reporting to us regularly on their work to eliminate the sewage smell from the Bowns Hill area of Crich, and we thought that the problem had been eradicated. However, further complaints have been made and we are therefore taking up Severn Trent's offer to come and meet us to discuss the issue.

We have encountered problems this year with putting up the large Christmas tree in Crich Market Place because of a parked vehicle. The tree will therefore be going up later than usual.

Next summer we hope to extend the floral displays in the Market Place, in partnership with the local businesses.

The PLACE project has obtained funding for a youth shelter and another swing for the Recreation Ground.

The Parish Council has established a working party to look at climate and re-greening issues. It is hoped that this group will include the wider community in the longer term, given the overwhelming importance of climate change to all of us, especially our children and grandchildren. Initially the group is looking at planting trees and shrubs around the parish but will examine other possibilities beyond that.

Finally, I should like to wish all of our parishioners a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Cllr. Margaret Lane

Chair of Crich Parish Council

Amber Valley Borough Council are currently reviewing the polling districts and polling places in Amber Valley. You can find the current proposals for polling districts and polling places below.

Notice of review

The council has a duty under the Representation of the People Act to conduct a review of all polling districts and polling places in its area. A review ensures that polling stations are within a polling district to serve the voters who are allocated to it.

The last review was conducted in 2015 and under electoral legislation the council must complete a review of all polling districts and polling places by 31 January 2020.

The consultation for the review commenced on Wednesday 16 October 2019 and it will end on Monday 16 December 2019 at noon. All representations will be considered and a full report will be submitted to council for approval on Wednesday 29 January 2020.

The aim of the review is to ensure that:

• Electors in the constituency have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances
• As far as is reasonable and practicable, the polling places are accessible to all electors, and when considering the designation of a polling place must have regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons

The review will not consider ward boundaries, divisions or parliamentary constituencies.

How to take part

Please find a link to the polling district and polling places review.

www.ambervalley.gov.uk/pollingreview2019

The consultation is now live, with the closing day set at noon on Monday 16 December 2019.

The quickest way to send any comments is via the online consultation form.

Each year the Parish Council sets aside a small fund to help local community groups within Crich Parish. If you run a community group, or belong to one, have you considered applying for a grant? Perhaps there is an item that your group would like but cannot afford, perhaps you need help with running costs, or you want to organise a community event – a Parish Council Community Grant could be the answer.

Obviously, there are a few rules around applying, but they are simple and straightforward. When considering applications for grants to be awarded in January 2019 the Parish Council will be guided by the following criteria:

• The group must serve the community and must not be run for gain.
• The working of the group must involve a degree of self-help.
• The group must have an open membership policy.
• At least 50% of members must live in Crich, Fritchley, Whatstandwell, or Wheatcroft.
• The group must be able to demonstrate the need for financial support as shown by the presentation of current Accounts or a Financial Statement. Out of date Accounts or Financial Statements cannot be accepted. Bank statements cannot be accepted.
• Applications must be made in writing using the official application form.
• Grants will only be considered if the application has been made in the prescribed way; is complete, includes current Accounts or a Financial Statement, and has been submitted to the Parish Clerk by Friday 4 th October 2019. Incomplete and/or late applications cannot be accepted.

The application form is attached here, or can be obtained on request from the Clerk – Carolyn Jennings – clerk@crich-pc.gov.uk .

• Crich Parish Council grant application form 2019-20

I'm pleased to report that the co-option process has been successful in finding us two new Parish Councillors who will be appointed formally at our September meeting.

As I have reported previously, the controversial planning application to build 71 dwellings at Woodside Farm, off The Common, Crich, was passed by Amber Valley Planning Board in December, in contravention of our Neighbourhood Plan. The decision was made subject to the completion of what is known as a Section 106 agreement containing the conditions with which the developer will have to comply. No such agreement has as yet been signed and Amber Valley Borough Council has therefore decided to bring the matter before the Planning Board again. As yet, I don't know when this will be.

The first day of defibrillator training was very well attended. We are grateful to the first responders who ran it for us. We are waiting for them to let us have some more dates as we are aware that there are people who couldn't make the session in May who do want to do the training.

We have provided all of the information required by the Diocese to enable the extension to the Burial Ground to be consecrated and we therefore expect this to happen soon. We have also designated an area of the Burial Ground for people who don't want to be buried in consecrated ground as this is now a legal requirement for owners of cemeteries.

Most of our parishioners will remember that the Parish Council took over responsibility for the public toilets in Crich from Amber Valley Borough Council a few years ago, as otherwise they would have been closed. Unfortunately there has been a series of problems with their maintenance and upkeep recently. These have been quite costly to put right and we hope that all is now in order.

We have received complaints of a smell of sewage in the area of Bowns Hill, Crich. It seems to emanate from the large housing development which is still under construction on Roes Lane. The Parish Council has no power in matters of planning enforcement. All we can do is make representations on behalf of our community. Our Parish Clerk has had extensive correspondence with various bodies such as Environmental Health, Amber Valley Borough Council Planning Enforcement and Severn Trent, and it is Severn Trent that is now investigating and dealing with the problem. We will continue to monitor the situation and put pressure on those who have the powers to act.

The work being done for Cadent Gas in and around Crich Market Place has been causing inconvenience but, by the time you read this, it should be just about finished.

Cllr. Margaret Lane

Chair of Crich Parish Council

This news update is available in hard copy from The Glebe Field Centre.