Hello. We hope you had a good Christmas and will have a happy and healthy new year.
The beginning of the new year starts with our first litter pick/weeding/tidying up session on Sunday 7th January at 9.00am. We will meet at the Town Hall steps. If you want to start a little later let us know then we can arrange to meet up with high-vis jackets, pickers, and tools etc. We are making progress and communicating to the residents of Leyburn what we are trying to do each time we meet.
Litter/Weeding
This is ongoing and costs nothing other than our time. We have been given money to buy brushes, dustpans and buckets and other tools some have already been donated at the Council office in Thornborough Hall. The wearing of the high-vis jackets has been noted and the fact we do these sessions regularly is greatly appreciated. It would be useful to know if you go out litter picking on other occasions and where you go so it can be noted on the register. There are a lot of areas to cover over a relatively small space. We can expect to find a lot of litter around Leyburn after the incessant wind, Christmas, and New Year activities, together with the fact that we have not been out since November.
Open Reach is to be contacted by Councillor Sedgwick to ask if the constant bits of coloured plastic covered copper wires could be cleared every time work is carried out at the telephone junction boxes and not left on the ground. The waste bits are extremely difficult to pick up.
An area near one of the cafes has been weeded and another area in front of one of the public houses awaits attention when weather permits. There are still other areas in the squares needing weeding, but these could wait until spring. Before if the weather permits!!!!!!!!
Benches
We are still expecting all the wooden benches to be repaired and painted by those who will be using the new community shed as soon as it opens. Thank you to Rose for drawing up the list which will guide us as to which ones should be done first. The metal benches will need to be shot blasted, galvanised, and painted which will cost. Rough estimates suggest the price could be in the region of £300 per bench. Once such work is done the benches would last for a considerable number of years. Of course, the council would not be able to fund this work so discussions need to take place to consider how we could help. It has been suggested that perhaps there are too many benches to maintain and whether they are in the best places. Are there individuals, groups, businesses who would support this work? The majority of the benches in the squares are well used so it would be a shame to leave them in the state they are in now.
Trees
Derek has completed two very thorough and useful reports which have been presented at the council meetings recently. Thank you, Derek, for all your work. Councillor Henry and Derek are going to work together to follow some of the actions suggested in the reports. Derek may need help from some of us in the near future. A few of the trees will need money spending on them to adjust/replace the guards around them. The majority of the work can be done by volunteers with little or no cost.
Signage
The report written by Rose has been sent to Highways, discussions have been had and actions are being taken at last. Not all things on the list are the responsibility of Highways. We are optimistic that these can be done in the near future by those responsible. Thank you Rose.
Tourist Information
Unfortunately, we cannot write that anything has been done about improving tourist information other than the signs will be adjusted or removed. Those of you who came to the public meeting last February will be aware how important many of us thought a tourist facility, however small, was for the prosperity of Leyburn. Could existing boards be improved? Are there enough information boards with the appropriate information?
The Pod
Communications have been established with people in the authority who have knowledge of how this resource can be supported and repaired. They are now aware of what needs repairing and have suggested names of funds which could be applied to make it safe and attractive for the young ones of Leyburn to use. Hopefully we can involve the young ones in improving this facility.
Buildings
We all very aware of the increasing number of buildings empty and falling into disrepair. Things can be done. Letters can be written!!!!! We feel sure there are societies, charities, companies, and groups who can offer advice and suggestions as to what we can do. Sheila is very concerned about the state of the Market Shelter and is looking to get funding to repair and restore this to its former glory. We do not want it to follow the same fate as the HSBC building.
Market Store
This very useful building will be where we will store all our equipment when it has been sorted, emptied, and cleaned out. Rose and Melanie have keys. We look forward to having a home!!
Going Forward
We decided the occasional meeting may be useful to pool our ideas and plan what we can do to make a better Leyburn and this meeting will take place next week. The most important item on the agenda would be funding our activities. The Precept had not been set at the last Council meeting so we do not know if there will be any money available for us to use.
Importantly the councillors made it clear at the last meeting that they appreciate what we are doing and will support us as much as they can.
Thank you to everyone for your support. We look forward to a busy year.
Rose and Melanie
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