HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS - Councillor Ted Hollick reports

WITH THE Borough and Parish council elections in May it is possibly the time to reflect on the past 4 years and look towards the coming four.

The first two were unlike any others previously experienced with the pandemic bringing about the advent of virtual meetings like zoom and teams with zoom in particular allowing a much larger public viewing of Council meetings than before as it enabled the public to view meetings from the comfort of their own homes.

In 2019 my appointment as the Borough’s Deputy Mayor and my wife Ann as Deputy Mayoress allowed us the honour and privilege to represent Groby and the wider Borough in those roles. Because of the pandemic it meant that our period as Deputies extended into a second year 2019/20 and 2020/21. Due to continuing regulations restricting public gatherings it greatly reduced the opportunity we had to hold any large events in aid of the Mayor’s charities but even so I was able to contribute an equal donation to Cancer Research UK, MacMillan Cancer support (locally), Rainbows Children’s Hospice and The Dog’s Trust.

Help Given

During the past 4 years I am pleased to have been of assistance in various ways even when on holiday to residents of Groby, including as one of the Parish Council’s Emergency Committee releasing cars and their occupants from locked Parish Council car parks (not physically possible when on holiday!).

I was the first Groby Councillor (wearing both hats) to publicly state my total opposition to the proposal of an ‘Employment Park’ which would destroy forever the greatly valued and much loved green fields pleasant walks and relatively peaceful countryside between Groby, Anstey and Glenfield. and I will fight to keep it so. With literally hundreds of emails received from not just residents but nature lovers from neighbouring villages also dismayed and horrified at the proposal. On the subject of footpaths I am very appreciative of the work of the Quarry staff and their Estates team for improving the unofficial walkway alongside Groby Pool which I requested.

Help Wanted

Following discussions with a resident, I have submitted a request to the County Council for the northern section of the former mineral line running from the church to the pool car park to be made a Definitive Path. The Parish Council and Neighbourhood Plan Steering group support this for which I thank them. With regard to this we need as many signed evidence of use forms as possible from people who have walked the track to the car park for more than twenty years. Forms are available through the Parish Office.

It is pleasing to hear that the Government is proposing to ‘green up’ the country by planting 1000s of trees - one policy that does make sense and will help to reduce our carbon footprint.