Parish Council Meeting – September 2025

Here is the article from Chedworth Parish Council included in October’s Hill and Valley Magazine. The Council met on Monday 8th September 2025.

Play Equipment

The Parish Council is looking for volunteers to progress the play equipment project, this is a need for play equipment for the age group between the preschool/primary school equipment behind the village hall and the adult fitness equipment installed some years ago.  A number of parents have raised this need and Cllr Bella Amory has done a considerable amount of work identifying suppliers, and sources of funding, including contacting Woodmancote village (near North Cerney). Woodmancote have recently had very impressive facilities installed at very little cost to their Parish Council.   Bella cannot do it all, so we need some volunteers to help spread the load, as we decide what equipment we need, where to put it and then what the priorities are as inevitably the funding won’t cover everything.  If this is something you would like to be involved with, would you please in the first instance contact the PC at cpcplayground@gmail.com  or phone 01285 720313.

Traffic Matters

The Parish Council has written to Gloucestershire County Council asking them to extend the Fields Road 40mph speed limit around the Hemplands corner in answer to a GCC consultation on speed limits.  A request for road markings and a gateway similar to that on the Whiteway approaching Cirencester, has also been suggested.  The Council felt further changes to speed limits such as 20mph zones within the village required extensive consultation as there are widely differing views on this subject. The interactive speed monitor is once again promised for October, as it was earlier this year.

Footpath Warden

Councillors were delighted to welcome Mr Rod Sinclair to the September meeting.  Mr Sinclair has taken over as Footpath Warden for our area   Mr Sinclair writes, “ I have been extremely fortunate to be assigned to the Chedworth parish as a warden, having recently joined the Cotswold National Landscape volunteer group. If you are not sure what this entails, then think footpaths, and anything associated with their upkeep.  I can be found wandering the parish footpaths, mainly on Fridays and ensuring our paths remain in good condition, and I am very keen to hear from local residents about any issues you might have with the footpath network. I live in Cheltenham and have walked and run on the Cotswold hills for almost 30 years, but I recognise that my local knowledge of Chedworth will require support from those that live and work here. If you wish to reach me, please contact Chedworth Parish Council and they can pass on any messages.”

Local Green Spaces

The Parish Council has been asked to consider putting forward nominations for Local Green Spaces (LGS) as part of the update to the Cotswold District Local Plan.  The Local Green Space designation was introduced in 2012 through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).  It offers special protection against development for green areas that are of particular importance to local communities.  If you have a green space you feel should be protected, please email clerk@chedworthpc.org,uk and we will email you the CDC “Toolkit” which you can use to submit your nomination.

Fords Field

A link with history was revealed at the September meeting when Cllr Tony Kingsley provided evidence that the “Diggers Field”, part of the Grass Keep Field, used to be known as “Fords Field” and suggested it should revert that name.  This was agreed unanimously, and the field will now be known once again as “Fords Field”.

First Aid Courses

The Parish Council is once again arranging First Aid courses; the first one may well have been held as you read this as it was filling rapidly, so it is highly likely that a second course will be held. The course is free; the Council is paying, so if you are interested, please contact the Clerk 01285 720313 or clerk@chedworthpc.org.uk 

For any matters here you feel strongly about please comment below. Trigger warning, this is an area where there can be a robust discussion. Your comments will help to inform the Parish Council of wider views of parishioners.