Parish Council

Hot on the heels of the BBC World Service programme featuring Buriton’s dark night skies (see here), the South Downs National Park Authority has published a ‘case study’ report about the community’s initiative (see pdf document at the foot of  this page).

This has been published as an example for other communities to follow and it is a useful achievement for our work to have been singled out in this way.

Since the focus on Climate Change at the Annual Meeting in May, a group of volunteers has begun to explore ideas and actions - with a focus on domestic measures and transport. 

And the Parish Council has adopted a ‘Climate & Nature Charter’ to ensure that its own activities consider climate change and to encourage others to act appropriately.

Consultation on a draft document took place after the Parish Council’s meeting in July with the draft being promoted on the community website, in the Parish Magazine and by email circulations.

What does Buriton have in common with Salt Lake City, Hong Kong, the Atacama Desert in Chile and the Kalahari Desert?

Answer: they were all included in a radio programme on the World Service in September 2021 about light pollution and how it can and should be tackled.

Whilst there was reference to some fantastic dark skies in very remote parts of the world, the place that they chose to focus on to show how communities can improve the quality of starry night skies was the South Downs International Dark Skies Reserve.

Lots of people like the long grass around the edges of the Recreation Ground which is helping wildflowers and insects.

But this has to be cut at least once a year or else the grass forms a thick thatch and wildflowers can’t survive.

And then all the cuttings have to be removed to reduce soil fertility which is the key to helping more wildflowers in the future.

The mowing will take place fairly soon and then it’s hoped that lots of parishioners will join a ‘Community Hay-Day’ by bringing rakes and wheelbarrows on Saturday 18th – from 10am.

Although delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic the re-surfacing work at the village hall car park has now been completed.

The first phase, undertaken in July 2020, had increased parking capacity, provided protection for tree roots, retained a porous surface and added cycle parking facilities.

The remaining work required re-surfacing of part of the tarmac area and this was done on Friday 3 September with very little inconvenience to any users.

The focus on Climate Change at the Annual Parish Council Meeting in May has led to a group of volunteers beginning to explore ideas and actions - with a focus on domestic measures and transport. 

Now the Parish Council has also produced a draft ‘Climate & Nature Charter’ to ensure its own activities consider climate change and to encourage others to act appropriately.

Comments on the draft, which is attached at the foot of this page, are welcomed prior to 25^th September.

The Parish Council is keen to consider ideas to make better use of the changing room block, alongside the village hall – and any bright ideas can be considered.

In recent years the building has only rarely been used and it could soon cost the Council more to maintain than it earns.

Although there might be a need to keep some sporting facilities, people might have other suggestions for alternative uses.

Other villages are facing similar issues and some are considering office spaces, shops, cafes and other ideas.

With the Planning Application for ten new houses adjacent to Greenway Lane having been submitted by the developers (SDNP/21/02014/FUL), the Parish Council arranged this public exhibition so that parishioners could look at the proposals and ask questions.

Normally this sort of event would have been held in the Village Hall - but the Covid regulations currently prevent this. Monday 17th May was, however, the first day that larger gatherings (up to 30 people) could be held outdoors and so the Parish Council arranged this event on the Recreation Ground.

The Parish Council considers all planning application in the parish and (as reported on this web-page) there have been some large and significant ones in the early part of 2021.

Updates are as follows: