PARISH COUNCIL: At their March meeting, parish councillors, chaired by Cllr Tony Wilkins, were shown draft plans for a possible new pavilion by Mr F J Edmunds, chairman of the Ilmington Playing Field Committee. The chairman said that there had been no mention in the parish plan of the need for a new pavilion, only of extensions and alterations to bring the existing building up to date. Mr Edmunds said that it would probably cost as much to update the existing building as it would to build a new one. The committee had not done a fully costed plan because members wanted to hear the parish council's views before incurring any significant expenditure. County councillor Issy Seccombe suggested that the playing field committee should produce a business plan, and she pointed out that the cost of running a new or extended pavilion could be high. Cllr Rob Hawkins said a proliferation of buildings dotted around the playing field would be undesirable, and he felt that if a new pavilion was built, it should be given to the playing field committee in trust, as had already happened in Ettington. He agreed to take up the matter with the Parish Councils Association. The parish council agreed that the playing field committee should send its outline plans to the district council for advice, and should discuss with the district council the matter of grants for feasibility plans for both the existing and proposed buildings.

Mr Edmunds reported that two or three people were in the habit of exercising their dogs on the playing areas of the field on which there had been some fouling. Any parish councillor or member of the public should speak to the offenders and tell them to exercise their dogs around the perimeter of the field or on the rough land area.

Mr Daniel Perkins from County Highways had written to say that the dotted lines along the lay-by on Armscote Road would be re-marked when the lining contractor returned to the Stratford area, shortly after April. The no parking in the turning area at the end of Bennett Place would be marked at the same time.

The clerk had spoken to the district cleansing services manager about damage done to the verges in Middle Street and Valenders Lane by the Biffa vehicle. He had said it would be too expensive to send a smaller vehicle to two or three areas in the village, and all he could suggest was that the parked vehicles which caused the Biffa vehicle to damage the verge were moved on Friday mornings.

The chairman had spoken to Mr Greenstock about the Howard Arms parking, and there was no easy solution. He did not know whether it would be possible to extend their existing car park.

A notice had been received from the county council of a temporary road closure from April 3 for ten days of the stretch of the Stratford Road from the entrance to York Farm to the junction with the Admington Road.

The clerk reported on progress with the parish plan so far. National Grid had replied about the possible connection of the village with the nearest gas supply. Assuming that there were about 300 homes within the scheme, they would require a minimum of 84 to agree to the contribution of £5,048 per household for the mains cost of bringing gas to their properties. In addition there would be the standard service connection charge currently £432, giving a total cost per household of £5,480.

OPEN DAY: The village's annual garden open day will be on Sunday, April 9 from 2pm until 6pm. The Manor House and seven other cottage gardens are open. Ilmington Morris Men and their visitors will be dancing at several venues in the village. The visitors this year will be The Ripley Morris Men from Derbyshire. Teas will be served in the village hall and proceeds will go to several charities.