Planting out day for this year's Britain in Bloom competition will be on May 30. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes for this annual competition, which is tougher each year as more and more criteria are judged: it is no longer just a floral competition, but considers other factors such as recycling, care for the environment and involvement of local youngsters.

Residents should all have received a leaflet summarising the Parish Council's response regarding the Site Allocations consultation, and some will have attended the 'workshop' evening at the Dixie Grammar School Hall on Thursday 19 March.
The Parish Council urges all residents to write in with their comments and would welcome any emails or letters of support for its own response as summarised on the leaflet distributed to all households. If you wish to see a copy of the Parish Council's full response please email the Parish Clerk to request a copy via email - even if you don't agree with everything in it there may be parts that you can use for your own response.
The next event is a drop in session at the library on 26 March - please attend if you can and make sure you send your comments to the Borough Council by April 6 at 5.00 p.m. Remember your opinions are being sought on allocation of land for housing, gypsy/traveller pitches, a car park and further employment - please let the Borough Council know if you agree or disagree with the proposals.

Sadiq Khan MP last night awarded Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and Leicestershire Police Hinckley Local Policing Unit (LPU) Beacon status for their outstanding work in Managing the Night-time Economy. The Borough Council and the police walked away with a share of £3m government funding to expand their work and help other councils achieve the same success.

The Beacon awards recognise local government’s excellence and innovation in improving quality of life for their residents and communities. More »

Please note that there will be a black bin collection this Thursday 12 February, but NO blue box collection. The collection of brown bins, plastics and cardboard scheduled for 12 February is cancelled.
There will also be a black bin collection next Thursday, 19 February, when there WILL also be a blue box collection.
The next brown bin collection will be on Thursday 26 February. Additional bags of plastics and cardboard will be taken providing they are in the official council bags, to offset the change on 12 February.
It is hoped that services will then resume as normal.

The documentation on the preferred options for site allocations has been published by the Borough Council. Judging by correspondence, residents are relieved that a recent proposal to include gypsy/traveller pitches on the Station Road site has been removed from the consultation documents. However, it must be understood that the proposal may be resurrected if, following consultaion with the rest of the Borough, it is decided that the fairest distribution of pitches is to include some in Market Bosworth after all. It is therefore essential that, if you object to this possibility, you write or email to the Borough Council to voice your concerns rather than remain silent.
The Parish Council is to prepare a letter objecting to the possibility of gypsy/traveller pitches within the settlement and it is hoped to distribute information to every household in Market Bosworth as soon as possible. The whole premise of the Core Strategy to date has been to develop Market Bosworth as a tourism hub and the Parish Council believes that to site gypsy/traveller pitches within the settlement is contrary to that premise.
The site allocations cover other issues, including housing, play areas, employment and a car park and the consultation process about these takes place between Monday February 9 and Monday April 6. All letters in support of, or in objection to, the site allocations, must be submitted within those dates or they will not count -if you have already written before February 9 please write again. There will be a presentation and workshop session at the Dixie Grammar School on Thursday 19 March, 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm (for which you need to book a place) and a 'question and answer' drop in session at Market Bosworth Library on Thursday 26 March from 4.45 - 6.45 m (for which you can just 'turn up').
You can make your comments known via:
Online: www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/siteallocations.
Email: ldf@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk.
Post: Strategy & Regeneration Team, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council,Council Office, Argents Mead, Hinckley, LE10 1BZ.
Mr R Palmer, Strategy and Regeneration Manager will attend the March meeting of the Parish Council on Tuesday 3 March at 6.30 p.m.

Have your say on where you think new housing, employment, parks, gypsy and traveller sites should go.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN TO THE BOROUGH COUNCIL ABOUT ANY OF THE SITE ALLOCATIONS THOSE EMAILS/LETTERS WILL NOT COUNT. IF YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT ANY ISSUE, EITHER TO SUPPORT IT OR TO REJECT IT, YOU WILL NEED TO WRITE AGAIN, BETWEEN 9 FEBRUARY AND 6 APRIL, FOR YOUR OPINION TO COUNT. IF YOU AGREE WITH THE RECENT REMOVAL OF THE PROPOSAL FOR A GYPSY/TRAVELLER PITCH ON STATION ROAD PLEASE WRITE IN AND SAY SO, RATHER THAN REMAIN SILENT, OR THE PITCH MAY BE REALLOCATED FROM ANOTHER PARISH.
Remember also that you can put forward comments in support of, or in objection to, any of the sites contained within the document, which also covers play areas, a new car park, housing and employment. You can also put forward alternative sites for the Council to consider. Please note that all representations will be made available to view by others.
There will be presentations and workshops as well as 'question and answer' drop in sessions relating to the proposed site allocations.
A presentation and workshop event will be held at the Dixie Grammar School, Station Road, Market Bosworth, on Thursday 19 March from 6.00 p.m. - 8.00 p.m. For this you will need to book a space by either emailing ldf@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk and leaving your name and contact details, or by ringing 01455 238141.
A question and answer drop in session will be held at Market Bosworth Library on Thursday 26 March from 4.45 p.m. - 6.45 p.m. There is no need to book for this.
The proposed Site Allocations document will also be available to view at (i) the Parish Council Office at 20a Market Place, Market Bosworth, (ii) at the Borough Council Offices and (iii) on the Borough Council website at www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/site allocations.
The consultation process takes place between Monday 9 February and Monday 6 April 2009. All comments must be received in writing during this consultation period. You can make your comments known via:
Online: www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/site allocations.
Email: ldf@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk
Post: Strategy and Regeneration Team, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, Council Office, Argents Mead, Hinckley, LE10 1BZ.

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council is currently preparing the Local Development Framework, which will provide the outline for development of the Borough until 2026. The Framework will cover the whole Borough and the next and final stage involves the allocation of specific sites for housing, employment, play areas, open space and gypsy/travellers' sites.

Consultation has been ongoing for a couple of years and the Parish Council, residents and societies in Market Bosworth have all made comment on proposed options within the town. The Parish Council has submitted its observations, indicating preferred site options relating to housing, emloyment and open space availability. The Parish Council has objected to the recommendation that a minimum of a further 100 houses be built, pointing out that there is insufficient infrastructure, but has been encouraged by recommendations that development should support improved pedestrian and cycle access and even the possibility of the re-instatement of Market Bosworth Railway Station. The Borough Council planning department has explained that allocation for future housing provision is based on requirements laid down by central government and provision must be made to allow long term planning. More »

There will be an open meeting at St Peter's Hall, Park Street, on Saturday 6 December at 10.30 a.m. to review progress and to discuss the way forward. The Committee would welcome suggestions and offers of help for planting and maintaining the floral displays and for a multitude of organisational and fundraising activities that go on behind the scenes.

The Bosworth Chamber of Trade Christmas Festivities Committee, in partnership with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and the Parish Council,has arranged an exciting programme of events for this year's Christmas Festivities, as follows:
Christmas Lights Switch On, 27 November. 6.00 - 9.00 p.m.
Christmas Singing in the Square with the Atherstone Choral Society, 4 December 6.45 - 8.00 p.m.
Glice Rink for Children and Bosworth Battlefield Re-enactors, 11 December, 3.30 - 9.00 p.m.
Carols in the Square, 18 December, 7.30 p.m.

All local people are invited to share their stories and legends of Bosworth.

The annual Market Bosworth Festival celebrations run this year between Saturday 21 June to Saturday 28 June and include open air public entertainment in the Market Place; music, stalls and fun for all the family in the Country Park; a classical concert by Orchestra of the Swan in the parish church; a performance of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Bosworth Battlefield; and an open air Queen tribute concert by Mercury with local support band, also at Bosworth Battlefield. Why not ring 01455 291303 or 01455 290429 for further details?

Planting day will be on May 31, when the Bosworth in Bloom team will plant all the troughs around Market Bosworth. During the week the beds and hanging baskets will also be planted, in readiness for the East Midlands 'Champion of Champions' competition being judged the week commencing July 9, and the National competition being judged between 4 - 15 August. Why not visit Market Bosworth during one of those weeks, enjoy the wonderful floral displays and judge for yourself?

February has seen the official opening of a new visitor centre - the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre. Partly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund the new exhibition provides a wonderful day out: find out about Medieval England, those who fought in the battle and the equipment used by medieval surgeons; enjoy the hands-on interactive displays; try on armour; explore the Battlefield Trail. Schools/groups are also welcome, especially those studying at key stage levels 2,3 and 4. Ring 01455 290429 for further information or email bosworth@leics.gov.uk

The Pay and Display charges are low - 20p for 1 hour, 50p for 2 hours, £1 for 4 hours and £2 all day. The car park is free between 5.30pm and 8am. Income from car parking fees over the last nine months has amounted to £6,289. This income is shared between the Parish Council and the Borough Council but VAT and expenses have to be deducted from this amount.

Land adjacent to the public car park is being leased by the Parish Council to provide spaces for those who obtain a pre-paid permit.

Cathy Monkman was appointed to the position of Clerk to Market Bosworth Parish Council with effect from 8th January. Please feel free to call into the Parish Council office on a Thursday morning to meet her.