Who We Are and What We Do
The need for a Village Association in Troutbeck was first formally identified during the preparation of the Lakes Parish Plan which was published in October 2005. The possibility of forming a Village Association was subsequently discussed at a public open meeting held in the Troutbeck Village Institute in February 2006. Shortly after this meeting a Committee was formed and the aims and workings of the Village Association were agreed and documented in its Constitution.
Our Aims
The aims of our Association
are:
• to collect and represent its members’ views regarding the character,
amenities and environment of Troutbeck village
•
to work in cooperation
with existing village and public bodies to provide or enhance local
amenities and to improve, preserve and protect the village environment
•
to communicate to members regularly on matters of local importance,
for example through the Parish magazine and open meetings
•
to promote
a strong sense of village identity and community spirit
Our Members
Membership of the Association is open to all permanent residents of the Troutbeck Parish or the Troutbeck valley. At the discretion of the Committee, the membership may be extended to other persons with an interest or involvement in the community affairs of Troutbeck village.
Our Committee
The Association is managed by a Committee, which normally comprising around twelve members. The Troutbeck Institute Committee, the Institute Social Committee, the Women’s Institute and the Church Council each appoint and maintain one member on the Troutbeck Village Association Committee.
The current members of the committee, listed with their key responsibilities:
Les Bradley Secretary
Susan Black Treasurer
Margaret Lewis Chair
Pip Simpson Parish Councillor / Snow Clearance
Christine Tinn Footpaths
Louise Waterhouse Parish Councillor / Garden Trail
Roger Westmoreland Village Institute Representative
New members to the committee are normally appointed at the Annual General Meeting which is normally held at the end on April.
Our Activities
The Association’s first year concentrated on addressing the actions identified in the Troutbeck part of the Lakes Parish Plan. During our first year we completed or made good progress on 11 of the 19 actions identified in the Plan. The remaining actions are either in hand or have been considered no longer relevant.
Members of the Committee receive many suggestions from residents and these are discussed at the regular meetings of the Committee. In general the Committee will only action matters if the item is considered acceptable within the community as a whole. In terms of the workings of the Committee this means that all Committee members, and therefore the organisations that they represent, are all in agreement.
Many of the matters addressed by the Association involve working with local statutory bodies and organisations. These include LDNPA, CCC, SLDC, PC and the National Trust. We reflect and represent the views and concerns of residents to these organisations. Our frequent contact with these organisations also means we often aware of forthcoming plans of these organisations which affect Troutbeck.
