Apologies for absence: Cllrs J.S. Flanders, V. Leivers-Millership and R. Smith.

Review of the Year by the Chairman: Cllr Mrs Wise said that she had looked back at her report for last year and saw that some of the Council’s perennial problems such as the old Cemetery and overhanging vegetation had now been successfully concluded. The old Cemetery is in a much better state and the Cenotaph/Mosaic area are looking good and well cared for. Some work has been done on the Abbey Drive and the Village pavements and, though not perfect, there has been some improvement. Repairs have started at the Nursing Home on Fraser Street. A grant for the Hopping Hill allotment scheme has been approved but the Council has still to sort out ownership. The provision of the skate park has been approved and the Council is waiting for Gedling BC to find a suitable contractor to do the work.

Thanks to careful and considered spending the finances are healthy and the Council has been able to support several local organisations such as Treefest, Newstead Abbey and Village Cricket Club and the Gardening Club. The hoped for carry over of Capital Aid funding will enable the Council to go ahead with the surfacing of the Cemetery car park.

The Chairman reported some on-going deliberations such as the Cleaner/Safer Environment initiative. The Council would have to consider very carefully how many responsibilities it would want to take on and how would they be enforced.

The Youth Club has problems but work is being done to resolve them.

Finally the Chairman thanked Councillors, Clerk and contractors on behalf of the Parish Council for making the year a success and added her own personal thanks to all those who had supported her in her year of office.

Any items that members of the Public wished to discuss with Councillors. - No items were raised.

Closure of the Annual Parish Meeting. - The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.45pm.