Empty Homes Week 2021

Residents who are struggling to bring empty properties back into use and communities who want to take action on derelict properties in their neighbourhoods are being urged to come forward.

Due to Covid-19 and its impact on local councils, the 2020 Empty Homes Week was rescheduled and it is now taking place across England from 15 to 21 February 2021.

The campaign is organised by the charity Action on Empty Homes, which uses the week to highlight the problem of long-term empty properties across the UK.

In Lichfield District there are around 120 long-term empty properties. Lichfield District Council has a policy that sets out how it will work to bring these homes back into use.

As part of this, the council’s housing team can work with the owners of the properties that have been empty for the longest time, with a view to getting them brought back into domestic use.

As part of Empty Homes Week, the council is urging anyone who is struggling with an empty property and needs help to bring it back into use, or anyone who is concerned about an empty property in their area, to get in touch for advice.

Councillor Angela Lax, Cabinet Member responsible for Housing, said:“Derelict properties can blight local communities and, with housing in short supply, they are wasted opportunities to create much needed homes.

“Empty Homes Week gives us an opportunity to raise awareness locally and encourage people to contact us if they own an empty property or are worried about a derelict property in the district.”

If you are concerned about an empty property, please email housing@lichfielddc.gov.ukor telephone Lichfield District Council on 01543 308000.  

Find out more about Empty Homes Week atwww.actiononemptyhomes.org.

The Parish Council has been informed by Home Farm that there are a couple more maize deliveries next week, but probably not too noticeable, and we are grateful to them for keeping us informed.

We've been asked to share this with local communities;

Are you missing reminiscing in your local? Do you miss long walks and rambles in the countryside? Are you finding home-schooling a thankless challenge?

Through the Transforming the Trent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme (funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and led by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust) we are relaunching our Tales From The Riverbank project to give you the opportunity to tell us your stories, re-explore nature and to give you a break from learning restrictions at home.

The project would love to hear from everyone about their childhood stories and experiences of playing along the Trent Valley – the Dove, the Trent and the Tame in East Staffordshire or South Derbyshire – and will also provide a free downloadable resource pack for children to revitalise their lockdown learning. If you regularly visit these rivers still or used to live by them we want to hear from you.

How many of you played in rivers and went home with a soggy bottom? How many of you played pooh sticks, set sail to distant climes or found treasures in the water? Have you been fishing and caught a whopper? Where did you play? What wildlife did you see?

How different are your memories to that of your family and friends? Can you help the project to showcase how outdoor play has changed over the generations?

Already we have received tales about motorbike mishaps, horseshoes being found in streams and happy canoe trips under bridges.  Can you top that?

Please tell us your stories through emailing Nicola.lynes@supportstaffordshire.org.uk, by visiting the Trent Valley website at https://www.thetrentvalley.org.uk/childhoodmemories.php or by posting them to Transforming the Trent Valley, 19 Lower Brook Street, Rugeley, WS15 2BZ.

For more information on any of the above, look on our website www.thetrentvalley.org.uk, or you can call us on 07837 127165 for a chat with our Community Engagement Officer.

We look forward to reading about your memories of the riverbank.

Flood warnings and alerts can be sent to you by text, phone message or email if you sign up to the free Environment Agency service.

Register on https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings 

or phone 0345 988 1188

Notes on February 8th 2021 meeting

The February meeting of the Parish Council heard again from residents about the ongoing problems in Eddies Lane, where water from the archaeological excavations on the field was reaching garages as well as the lane itself. Elford’s hard working Flood Warden had attended and explained about discussions with the contractors on site which led him to hope that they would take action to solve this in the short term and in the long run reach a solution to the run off affecting The Beck and The Shrubbery as well as Eddies Lane.

A long discussion was held on comments to be sent to the Planning Officer now dealing with the site of the former Social Club. If the application was approved a sum of money could be agreed to be paid by the developer in compensation for the loss of the club, to be spent on upgrading the pavilion at the Sportsfield for community use. The Parish Council were keen to have this application resolved rather than leave the site as an eyesore in the centre of the village.

The Clerk reported on other matters including the continued problem of the road in Brickhouse Lane, measures against dog fouling, damage to the smaller climbing frame at the playground, and a proposal to use the phone kiosk as a book swapping facility.

For details on these and other issues discussed by your Councillors please see the Minutes section of the website http://elfordparish.co.uk/index.php/parish-council/minutes

Dog owners are requested to please:

• Take your doggy bags with you every time you walk your dog
• Clear up your dog’s poop and put it in the bag
• Put the bag in the dog waste bins or take it home
• Take a torch if it is dark so you can see if Fido has done anything!
• Watch your dogs, especially when they are off the lead (not your phone, or someone you’ve met!)
• Remind your teenagers to do the above!
• Plus don’t let your pet bark or jump up at other people – some people are scared of them!

Everyone should pick up and bin the poop – but if they don’t, please report it to Lichfield District Council on www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/dogfouling

More details on reporting can be found here

Envronmental Health will be making frequent patrols of the village to advise dog owners.

The Parish Council has received a request from Bromford that children should not play on land near their properties on The Beck, as this is private land and causes annoyance to their residents.

Please supervise children and ensure they play safely.

The Parish Council met online on Monday night, beginning with Open Forum when we were informed that a contractor’s HGVs had used Eddies Lane to access the field which is earmarked for development. The Parish Council had informed the Planning Department and would help to resolve this.

Planning applications were discussed –

• a new application to change the access and gateway which Lichfield District Council had refused at Elford Lowe Farm
• an application to demolish the former Clarke’s Depot garage and replace the rear buildings with others for storage and light industrial use
• The former application at the Social Club would be chased up as no progress had been made
• No further information had been received on the application for 25 houses on land off The Shrubbery

Brickhouse Lane remained in poor condition and discussions continued with Highways on a longer term solution.

Concerns were expressed about fast traffic in Church Road near the junction with The Beck, where a cat was recently killed. The Parish Council would help with signage encouraging drivers to slow down.

The Environmental Health Officer was patrolling regularly to encourage responsible dog ownership and reminders about dog fouling would be on Facebook and the website.

More details available in the Minutes on http://www.elfordparish.co.uk