Utkinton and Cotebrook Community Website

Part of our commitment to maintaining our War Memorial is to take regular pictures of the refurbished stone and between March and last weekend, this appeared;

Whilst indistinct it spells out a name; Ian, Jan or Pam.  If you know of anyone who might have made this ‘inscription’ please get in touch.  The residents and contributors recently donated almost £4,500 to get the War Memorial refurbished.

Not only is it an offence it is insulting to the memory of the soldiers who are commemorated there.

Sadly, our Parish Clerk, recently announced her wish to tender her resignation and we are seeking a replacement.

SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS

An oil painting by Salvador Dali.

The name of the Church where we come to worship is Saint John of The Holy Cross.

John drew a sketch of Jesus on the cross. This depicted the pain, suffering and agony of Jesus during his Crucifixion.

This Sketch was shown to Salvador Dali in 1945 and from it he painted ‘John of the Cross’. It took him four months .

When it went on view for the first time people were astonished. The impact was most profound on all who saw it

Dali took the centre of his painting as the bowed head of Jesus and drew a triangle around it from the outstretched arms to the feet.

This to represent The Holy Trinity and Life Everlasting.

The Dawn of a new beginning.

It is a view of a tormented God The Father looking down on his Son from above against a darkened sky. Floating over a tranquil body of water on which there is a fishing boat and fishermen: ‘The Fishers of men’.

The land behind represents the lands where Christianity spread.

It was purchased by The Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow.

They were much criticised for purchasing a painting from a non-Scottish Artist.

Many also had a view that it was too Catholic.

Nevertheless, it was seen as a wonderful painting of great impact and all who see it cannot help being affected and greatly moved.

The Spanish Government offered to purchase it from the Gallery for $80 million. This was not accepted.

It has been on loan to The Royal Academy, London and Exhibited at The Dali Museum, St Petersburg. It returned to Kelvingrove Art Gallery in 2018 and has become Scotland most treasured painting and has become the most profound Religious work in the world of the modern age.

Dali was invited many times to visit Glasgow to see his painting, but sadly he never managed to make the journey.

Our Church, in Cotebrook, now has a wonderful print of the painting donated by a kind and charitable parishioner and it hangs in ‘pride of place’ in the Church on Stable Lane, Cotebrook.  It can be viewed when there is a service on a Sunday from Sunday 7th May.

Written by a proud parishioner

In the spirit of cooperation across our Ward, we’d like to publicise a campaign to fund a new roof to Tarporley and District Community Centre:

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/TCC-NEWROOF

We know that we all have our own Parishes to think about, but Tarporley is our Key Service Centre and the roof is beginning to show signs of the dreaded ‘wear and tear’.

If you can, please donate, every penny counts.  Even if you contribute just enough for one tile …

A list of the ‘runners and riders’ for the 07:00 at Utkinton on 2nd May (there is a similar course at Cotebrook, but you will have a card to tell you where to vote).  Going may be ‘heavy’ but sunshine is forecast.

Please feel free to share these lists.

Candidates for Utkinton and Cotebrook Parish Council;

You may vote for between one (1) and nine (9) candidates – vote for more than nine (9) and the ballot paper will be considered as spoiled and discarded from the count.

Candidates for Borough Council

You may vote for one (1) Candidate only

Earlier today, the President of the Rotary Club of Tarporley and Utkinton resident, Matthew Grant undertook a litter pick along from Utkinton to Tarporley via Utkinton Road.

He collected four bags of rubbish along with a broken drone.

Please follow his good example and pick up any litter you come across or better still respond to the article posted on this website on 3rd April asking for interest in a Parish wide litter pick.

A couple of years ago, Cheshire West and Chester (CWaC) made a decision to move away from the ‘New Homes Bonus’ to a restructured ‘Community Infrastructure Levy’, both were funded from any new development and then a benefit would be available to Parish and Town Councils across the Borough.

Utkinton and Cotebrook Parish Council were notified of a small sum that had been allocated to the Parish (£514.50) and we now have to decide what this can be used for.

Below is an extract from their web-page that goes someway to explaining the process and how the funds can be used:

What is CIL?

Here is the link to CIL on CWaCs website.

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/planning-and-building-control/community-infrastructure-levy/neighbourhood-portion.aspx  

This is a condensed version about what it can be spent on:

(a) the provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure; or
(b) anything else that is concerned with addressing the demands that development places on an area.

Infrastructure is defined as:

• Social infrastructure: e.g. art and culture, sports halls, education, health, social care, emergency services, community centres, village halls
• Physical infrastructure: e.g. pavements, cycleways, flood defences, highways, transport links
• Green infrastructure: e.g. play areas, public open space, woodlands

Please note that Parishes/towns can use Section 106 money and CIL money on the same project in the local community if the wording within the specific Section 106 agreement allows it.

Below is the part about public consultation:

How do Parish Councils identify projects?

It is important for parishes to consult with the local community to develop a list of the infrastructure priorities in the area. Publishing these priorities can help for projects to be delivered in a timely and transparent way.

What’s next?

So, residents of the Parish, we are looking for some ideas.  It isn’t urgent but the funds have to be spent within five (5) years or they have to be returned.  Please put your thinking caps on and let us know via the feedback page or write to the Parish Clerk or come to a Parish Council meeting and put your case forward.

Utkinton and Cotebrook Neighbourhood Plan

The Draft plan is in its final stages of preparation prior to it being circulated as part of our commitment to a full and transparent consultation with the residents of the Parish and those groups with whom we have had previous contact.

It is likely that a final draft will be available in the next week or two and once this has been agreed by the outgoing Parish Council and we have taken advice from CWaC and CCA, we will start the process of printing and distributing copies for you all to look at.

Once we have circulated it there will be a period of six-weeks for you to respond with any comments or amendments.

Ian Priestner and Tony Dahill – Steering Group

We have been advised that the A49 will be closed at night in the Spurstow, Beeston, Brassey Green area.

The road will be closed on 13th April for a maximum of five days but is expected to be closed for three.

This is to allow Network Rail to carry out repair work.

Please see the attached for more details including the diversion.

TRO 4353 A49 Whitchurch Road