On Saturday 9th April the Parish Plan steering committee held a Design Statement workshop in the village hall. Chairman Cllr Alan Parfrey stressed that the aims of the Village Design Statement are to “identify, enhance and preserve all those aspects of our village which the residents value as being important to the quality of life and the identity of our built environment”
There are examples of architecture ranging from the 15th century up to the 21st represented in Pailton.
Those present were then asked to use modern technology and carrying digital or disposable cameras dispersed throughout the village to photograph the various aspects, including street scenes, approach views, open spaces and individual buildings, which they found most pleasing and wish to be retained in future planning for the village. These images were then downloaded by Vice Chairman John Cunliffe from the individual cameras to a master program to record those aspects of the village treasured by the present residents.
This workshop in which about 30 people took part is one aspect of the Parish Plan which will endeavour to capture the views of the whole community and will form part of the future devolved local government process and will cover local housing needs, social and recreational requirements, transport, medical support and local business development and employment. This information will be used in the future within the local planning process, it will support funding requests and will be part of the Quality Council requirement which the Parish Council aspires to obtain.
As a follow-up to the workshop residents met in the village hall on 22nd April to view and discuss the many photographs which had been taken. Some architectural features were found to be repeated many times in the village in both older buildings and in the new houses that have faithfully followed the traditional designs of the past. Houses built close to the pavement, dormer windows, arches over doors and windows, lintels above windows, porches over doors, tall chimneys and thatched roofs are details that can be seen repeated throughout the village. During a general discussion on the village buildings it was noted by the audience that there are 5 listed buildings in the village; the Manor House, Pailton Hall, 25 and 27 Rugby Road and 36 Coventry Road.
Other features which were liked by the villagers were the open aspect of many of the homes with farmland round the village, frontages softened by hedges and picket fences, the use of hedges between houses instead of walls and the preservation of trees, although none are listed.
Another part of the ‘Parish Plan’ is the Housing Needs Survey. The steering committee has prepared a comprehensive questionnaire on this subject which has been circulated to the residents. These findings will be consolidated within the next two months and, together with the results obtained for the Design Statement, will be discussed with the Rugby Borough Council before being presented to the residents before the end of the year.
On Monday 25 April Rugby District Neighbourhood Watch held a meeting in the village hall to re-launch the scheme which was established in Pailton some years ago.
Chairman, Vaughan Owen, assisted by Community Support Officer, Clark Gardner detailed the value of a NHW scheme to our village. In partnership with the Police the volunteers (co-ordinators) within the village can relay information of possible dangers in the area, a warning can then be conveyed to all residents concerned. The scheme, funded by Rugby Borough Council, can act as the eyes and ears of the police and assist them in many aspects of their work while giving residents assurance that there is someone nearby to call when needed. Many people in the audience agreed to be co-ordinators, and registered as members of the scheme.
Mr Owen then introduced ‘Smartwater’, an invisible marking system in which each bottle issued has an individual DNA and can be used to mark all items belonging to a household so that they can be identified in case of burglary. ‘Smartwater’ was first used in Rugby and can be obtained only from NHW. The display of a window sticker announcing the use of ‘Smartwater’ will deter a potential burglar!
Residents were urged to report any illegal or anti social behaviour to their coordinator who can then inform the police through their established contact, eliminating the likelihood of recrimination which is feared by so many.
Now re-established in our village we trust that our Neighbourhood Watch scheme will grow, with more people becoming co-ordinators and helping the police in their fight against crime.