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Upper and Lower Benefield is situated in East Northamptonshire, along the A427 in between Corby and Oundle.
Benefield Parish Council consists of 7 elected members who represent both Upper and Lower Benefield. The Parish Council Meetings are held approximately every 6 weeks in the Village Hall, Brigstock Road, Lower Benefield. The Draft Minutes for the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 24th February 2020 are now available.
The Draft Minutes from the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 11th January 2021 are now available. The date of the next Parish Council Meeting is due to be held on Monday 22nd February, the agenda will be available nearer to the time.
There is a growing Cricket Club, the Cricket Pavilion has been extended, which is situated in Upper Benefield.
The Village Church is in Lower Benefield, along the Brigstock Road, which holds regular services on Sunday’s along with an Annual Flower Festival and Garden Fete.
The Village Hall is also available for hiring, and events along with contact details are on the Village Hall News Page.
Dog Fouling – Clean Up After your dog – It is the Law
There have been several reports of dog poop bags being thrown into the hedgerows along the permissive footpaths, please take it home and put it in your black bin.
The Law
Using powers in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (2005), East Northamptonshire Council has implemented four dog control orders including “Failing to remove dog faeces”. This applies to all land that is open to the air and the public are entitled or permitted to have access to with or without payment. Using these powers the council can issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 to any person that lets their dog foul and does not pick it up. Being unaware that your dog has fouled is not considered a reasonable excuse for leaving it.
If you are issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice and you don’t pay it you could be taken to court. The maximum penalty then rises to £1,000. Whenever you go out with your dog carry some bags with you, just in case. Having no bags with you isn’t a reasonable excuse for not clearing up and you could still be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.
Enforcement
East Northamptonshire Council’s Environmental Services Officers patrol areas where problems with dog fouling have been reported to try to catch the offender or act as a deterrent. If you would like to report a fouling problem it would be helpful if you could give them as much details such as approximate times when the fouling is happening and if possible descriptions of the dog and/or its owner. We may also be able to put up some signs warning owners not to let their dogs foul. Please see our dog fouling page for more information.
Please use the reporting dog fouling form to report an area to us where dog fouling needs to be cleaned up.
St Mary’s Church, Benefield
As we contemplate a “different” Christmas to those we have enjoyed in the past, I am writing to say that we are holding two Christmas Services at St Mary’s .
PLEASE JOIN US ON
Sunday 20th December – “Lessons and Carols” in the churchyard at 11.30 am.
The service will be led by Caroline Hawkins and Rev Stephen Webster will join us.
Wrap up warm, bring a seat if you need one and a flask of coffee or mulled wine and we will have a shortened version of “ Nine lessons and Carols”.
Socialising is not permitted under government guidelines but we may gather socially distanced to sing carols and worship outside.
Christmas Day – we will have a Christmas Morning Prayer service in church at 9.15 am, led by Rev Stephen Webster.
Social distanced seating and masks to be worn please !
St Mary’s Church and churchyard is funded, run and maintained by a team of volunteers, our fundraising has been seriously impacted this year, so please support your local church and church community so that we can be there for you, for your pastoral care, church services, church festivals, christenings, weddings, funerals and burials.
We are part of the benefice of St Peter’s Oundle, St Leonard’s Glapthorn and St Mary’s Benefield.
- At present St Peter’s Oundle broadcast an online service every Sunday at 10.30am, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday there is a midday service on Facebook Live, they are then loaded on the St Peter’s Youtube channel shortly afterwards.-
- Please see the website oundlestpeters.org.uk /or the Facebook page St Peters Church for details.
- For those people without access to a computer you can dial in to the most recent service recording on 01832 773449 (calls charged at local rate).
- Charles Wide of Glapthorn broadcasts Evening Prayer every Sunday which can be viewed on the Glapthorn Church Facebook page this is also uploaded to St Peter’s Youtube channel.
- At this very difficult time if you need support or assistance the Pastoral care number for those in need is 07904929279 or email pastoral@stpeters.co.uk – please get in touch if you need help or know of someone who does.
Please will you let me know if you intend to come to one or both of the services ?
Jane Berridge
Village Hall
Unfortunately, our Annual General Meeting scheduled for the 15th April and our popular Sunday Roast on the 26th April have had to be cancelled due to the on-going pandemic. We look forward to re-scheduling these and other events as soon as possible. The Village Hall Committee wishes all villagers the best of health and look forward to seeing you soon
New Items
Church News Page has been updated on 17th December 2020
Village Hall Events page updated on 24th March 2020
Local Events page updated on 6th November 2019
Neighbourhood Plan Document has been added and Details of How the Council Tax is Calculated on Tuesday 3rd September 2019. These Documents can be found under the heading of Parish Council.
