South Marston Parish Council are now inviting tenders for the delivery of the following village services from April 2018 to March 2019.

• Grass cutting
• Hedge cutting
• Waste management

Bids are to be received by 10:30am on Friday 17th November 2017.

Please contact the Clerk with any queries.

Help shape NHS patient transport by sharing your views about it via the survey below.

Deadline for response is 10th November.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NHS_NEPTHaveYourSay

As part of our audit process, the Parish Council offer a period for residents to exercise their public rights and view the accounts of the Parish Council.

This period runs until 7th August.

Please see below for details.

Notice of Commencement of the Period for the Exercise of Public Rights 2017

South Marston Parish Council Annual Return

Thames Water is appealing to customers to help identify privately owned sewage pumping stations.

The utility, which serves 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley, will take responsibility for around 4,000 pumping in October 2016, but needs to track down 1,800 currently off its radar.

New legislation means sewage pumping stations, which power wastewater away from properties and out into the public sewer pipe network, currently owned and maintained by customers will become legally owned and operated by the local water company.

The pumping stations are found in all shapes and sizes, and can be in places where there are a number of properties needing to connect to the public sewer network. Customers will know they have one as they’ll be paying to maintain and power them.

We’d urge anyone who thinks they may have one to get in touch so we can check they are eligible for the transfer of ownership. In some cases, as well as electricity savings, maintaining and replacing pumps can cost thousands of pounds so it’s an excellent deal for them.

We believe we know where approximately half of the stations we need to take over are, but really need help to find the other 1,800. Please get in touch if you think this applies to you and we can take on the responsibility forever.

Anyone with a private pumping station can make Thames Water aware at thameswater.co.uk/pumphunt

As the finer weather (hopefully) approaches, we know that some residents will choose to have bonfires to get rid of rubbish and cuttings.

Whilst there are no laws restricting the time and length of bonfires in private gardens, we ask that those planning bonfires follow the sensible guide below to ensure all residents can continue to enjoy their gardens:

• Please inform neighbours that may be affected that you intend to have a bonfire to allow them to take in washing etc
• Wet or green materials on bonfires will cause excess smoke.
• For safety purposes, and to reduce annoyance, it is best to burn a small bonfire and then adding to it as opposed to making one great big bonfire.
• Keep a hosepipe handy or have buckets of water prepared in case the fire gets out of control
• Never leave a bonfire unattended.
• Never burn anything which is likely to cause excessive and pungent black smoke.
• Rubber tyres and plastic containers should never be put on a bonfire.
• Avoid lighting bonfires on windy days as the wind will blow the smoke further causing annoyance to even more of our neighbours.