The technical hitch has been resolved and the village survey form is now available again for you to complete if you have not done so already.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Remember this: ‘It’s time to raise your voice’. Rutland County Council (RCC) had previously proposed that in its consultation on the ‘Statement of Community Involvement’ (SCI) that consultation on the Local Plan could only be done online via their proforma, limited to 400 characters.

North Luffenham Parish Council (NLPC), and other parishes objected strongly on the grounds that this seriously limited feedback on the Local Plan.

RCC have now agreed that the SCI will make it clear that paper and email responses to planning consultations will be accepted and that a proforma is not mandatory.

But your voice needs to be heard again as the final consultation on the Local Plan  began on the 27th August and lasts just six weeks. This is the only chance to influence the St George’s plan – once the Local Plan is agreed, development WILL go ahead and planning permission cannot be denied.

NLPC knows from surveys it has carried out that an overwhelming majority of the parish are against the sheer scale of this proposed development and will vigorously challenge the soundness of the Local Plan. This is the time to make your voice heard – we need as many residents as possible to independently raise objections and this needs to be done in the six week period.

Just saying you don’t agree to the Local Plan will not be sufficient, objections need to be specific. NLPC will post and circulate advice on how to make your opposition effective, covering the lack of meaningful consultation, transport and sustainability issues.

In the meantime please go online and look at Fight 4 Rutland – DO NOT LET RUTLAND BE RUINED – STOP … for further information and how you can support the campaign.

Have you thought it would be great to reinstate some of the railway lines axed under the Beeching Cuts. It is not such a pie in the sky idea as in 2019 the Government promised £500 million ‘Beeching Reversal’ fund.

The possibility of re-instating Luffenham railway station and providing services in the Corby direction as well as Oakham & Stamford/Peterborough has been raised by the Welland Valley Rail Partnership. This would be a long term project and the first step would be a feasibility study and therefore there is uncertaintainty that it could be enacted. However it is an interesting suggestion, it chimes with the times, and North Luffenahm Parish Council would be interested in comments to this post, in the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire, or to clerk@northluffenham.org.uk

For much further information please click on this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/10rw6h4fn43ooxi/WellandValleyRailConcept-v3.pdf?dl=0

This leaflet is being delivered to all households in the parish and has been produced by the North Luffenham St. Georges Barrack’s Group and has the endorsment of the Parish Council. Please download the complete leaflet by clicking on the following:

Please tick one of the boxes on the back of the leaflet and return to The Fox or email your response to timsmith@northluffenham.org.uk by Wednesday 15th July. You may want to respond to RCC’s online questionnaire and make your views known at http://www.rutland.gov.uk/sci If you want to know more of the issues involved then download the link below. This will form the basis, along with your views, of NLPC’s reponse to the Statement of Community Involvement consultation

Consultation of the Local Plan will begin in August: this not only has profound implications for local parishes but for the whole of Rutland. North Luffenham Parish Councillors have been involved in the initiation of a campaign, ‘Fight4Rutland‘ https://fight4rutland.org/

Please be aware that a man is going from house to house this morning trying to sell ‘Persian Rugs’ for £1 each that he says were left over from a sale in Uppingham.

The Rutland Community Wellbeing Service has scheduled a series of webinars, and a virtual Volunteer Party to inform and support volunteers and Community Groups across Rutland.  Please click on the link below for information.

There has been a very good response so far to the short questionnaire on the proposed St. George’s Barracks development. North Luffenham Parish Council would like to hear from as many resident as possible and if you would like to give an opinion please click on the following link: https://forms.gle/8Sfm5VjrL56ASptL9

Thank you for your time. Your opinion matters.

The volunteers at the Rutland Food Bank would like to thank the residents of North Luffenham for their donation. In only a few days 37 kg of various food items have been donated and delivered to the Food Bank.

Your continued generosity would be appreciated but no fresh food items as these can go off in the time it takes to turn around collection and delivery.

The Parish Council has been asked to organise a litter pick and this has been arranged for Saturday March 7th. (Hopefully we won’t have a fourth weekend storm in a row) . If you would like to take part than please come to the car park of The Fox 10.30 – 11 am.

The Parish Council has some litter pickers, high viz tabards and bin bags but if you have these items please bring them along. Make sure you are dressed for whatever the weather is forecast to be and wear protective gloves.

Children under 16 must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult. Good safety advice can be found on the following sites: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean/clean-preparation-and-safety-advice, https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/pick-litter