About the Parish Council

What your council does:

This list is not exhaustive

• Looks after the interests of the community and its inhabitants.
• Acts as a consultee for planning applications within the parish.
• Contracts the grass cutting within the parish. Other than areas owned by Housing Associations.
• Contracts the Street Cleaning, Road Signs and Bus Shelters cleaning in the two villages.
• Manages and maintains three play areas, including the MUGA see location details below.
• Contracts the installation and emptying of Dog Bins.
• Provides S.133 & S.137 Grants for village halls, churches and local clubs.
• Considers and determines projects funded by S.106.
• Maintains the Blue Rock Trail in partnership with the Forestry Commission. (Look out for the 'Hod Boy' and 'Nearly There' sculptures.)
• Provides large storage Grit Bins (Soudley Hall and Buckshaft Road).
• Supplied and maintains the Cullimore Bridge, Railway Road.
• Produces and delivers a bi-monthly newsletter (Viewpoint).

What the council does not do:

This list is not exhaustive

• Make decisions on planning applications.
• Manage the two village halls.
• Supply & deliver salt grit to regular grit bins - contact 08000 514 514
  and DOES NOT manage snow clearance - contact 08000 514 514
• Potholes and Highway drains - contact 08000 514 514
• Street Lighting – contact 08000 514 514.
• Collect household refuse, recycled waste and garden waste - contact FODDC on 01594 810000.
• Pest and rodent control – contact FODDC on 01594 810000.
• Stray animals - contact FODDC on 01594 810000.
• Dog fouling fines - contact FODDC on 01594 810000.
• Consent permission for memorial benches on Forestry land - contact the Forestry Commission on 03000 674800.
• Manage Yew Tree Brake Cemetery.

The Parish Council maintain three playground areas in the parish - each has equipment suitable for toddlers to teenagers.

• Ruspidge Recreation Field, GL14 3AE
• Woodland View, Buckshaft, GL14 3DU
• Soudley Recreation Ground, GL14 2TZ

Ruspidge Recreation Field also has an Outdoor Gym and a floodlit Multi-Use-Games-Area (MUGA), where you can play basketball/netball/football/tennis, etc. These facilities are FREE OF CHARGE! Just bring your equipment and play.

Soudley Recreation Ground (GL14 2TZ) is also home to Soudley AFC, where you can watch the local football talent on Saturday afternoons.

Ruspidge also has a Football Pitch (GL14 3AW), which was well known in the local football fraternity for its extensive slope.
The pitch has been levelled and new changing rooms, referee room and toilet block units are available on site.

The field is available for hire for any suitable activity and any persons/clubs interested in hiring the facility should contact the clerk on 01594 825343.