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For more and information and to tell them what you think, visit www.discoverdiscussdecide.co.uk or you can call 08457 91 91 55 to request a paper copy. The consultation period is open until 10th March. Here's a link to the main consultation document, and some resources you may find useful.

Library Volunteers wanted - the local library depends very much on the help of local volunteers. If you're interested in helping, you can read a little more here.

Other recent additions - village spring newsletter, events through until the end of May, a write-up of the Local History Society meeting on '1656 - One Document's Story' and Church services for May and June. Parish Council draft minutes for the Annual Parish Meeting held on 10th April plus the schedule for future meetings. See below for a link to the latest newsletter (March 2013) on faster broadband.

The Northamptonshire Association for the Blind - have an array of gadgets etc to make life easier for people with poor eyesight. For more information, click here.

Daventry & District Over Fifties Forum - regularly hold meetings to interest people with more free time on their hands; their website can be found here.

Ash tree waste - I've read contradictory advice on how to deal with fallen leaves etc from potentially diseased ash trees - Daventry DC website states:- "If you have leaf litter from Ash trees and are unable to dispose of this in your own garden on a bonfire or by home composting, you can continue to place this in your brown bin for collection. All green waste collected from brown bins is sent for composting."

Faster Broadband - Northamptonshire County Council has submitted a bid for improved infrastructure to support superfast broadband speeds throughout the county. You can read more about the project here and it's important for as many users as possible to sign the E-Petition which can be found here. The latest Northants CC newsletter (No.8 published 8th March 2013) giving the latest progress on the superfast roll-out can be found here. If you're looking to compare different broadband provider costs and packages, this is a useful site - Choose.

Mobile Library - comes to Whilton on the fourth Saturday of every month from 2.20 to 2.40 pm at The Green - see here for information.

Allotments available - there are two half plots available now - see here for more details.

Community Chest Fund - Daventry and District Community Chest provides funding (up to £5,000) and/or labour for small projects that will improve local areas and benefit communities across the district. The money is earmarked for sustainable community projects in the district to improve community buildings and facilities. Any project idea will be considered (from any person, organisation or group) that will enhance the local environment and make the community a nicer place in which to live. If you'd like to know more, read here and if you'd like to submit an idea, the application form can be found here.

Bus Service - we now have only one bus per week into Northampton on Wednesday leaving at 9.37 from the Green and returning at 12.45: details of the service can be found here.

Right to Roam - some people seem to consider all the fields around Whilton to be totally free to public access because of the government's legislation regarding 'the right to roam.' This is not the case - the Act refers only to mapped areas of mountain, moor, heath, downland and registered common land - none of these apply around Whilton and you should stay on the public footpaths. See here for more details of the Act.

Great Brington - Kimbell's Field - the good people of Gt Brington have recently opened their refurbished pavilion at Kimbell's Field. I understand that the sports field is available for the use of Whilton folk provided Brington people are involved to some extent. For more information, please contact Ian Dexter on 01604 771353.

Northants CC has built links with community websites in the area and they have created a map on their site with links to all the other local sites in the area - see the map here. They have also created a mobile version of their site to allow people to access it from their smartphones - you can download the app here. There is a 'street doctor' page where members of the public can report road faults and problems - check it out here. This should be used rather than reporting problems to our Parish Council. The contact number for general enquiries is now 0300 126 1000. For other ways to contact the County Council, click here.

Daventry Job Club - Are you looking for a job or do you know someone who is? Daventry Job Club offers guidance and support for job-seekers. They have regular meetings in the town - see here for their website.

Age UK (formerly Age Concern) - are now running the Lifetime Prevention Development Project. The aim of this Project is to provide a service to the older people of Northamptonshire to help them look after themselves, participate fully as active members of their local communities, choose and receive the type of help they need, when they need it and remain safe and secure while enjoying a good quality life. They can come out to talk and engage with various groups, arrange lunch clubs and so on to see what people want in South Northamptonshire and how they are able to deliver it. As you will see from the attached leaflet they can offer a wide range of varied and stimulating courses and activities.

DACT Travel Club - Daventry District Council is supporting DACT (Daventry Area Community

Transport) in promoting their Travel Club Concept which they wish to expand into as many villages as possible within the District of Daventry. Some villages are already enjoying this useful service for residents enabling them to have affordable means of transport for shopping trips and access to facilities in nearby towns etc. Whether it’s sporting facilities for the youth or retired people going out to lunch, the service is especially useful if there is no viable means of public transport which is the case in Whilton. For more information, read the explanatory letter from DACT here and see their poster here. If you are interested in playing a part in such a club and improving our local transport facilities, contacts for the members of the Parish Council are here.

The history of Whilton - "Living in the Gap" a book covering the history of Whilton village from 1,000 to 2,000 AD is now available. If you would like to buy a copy (281 pages £12.99) then please contact the author, our local history expert, Anthea Hiscock, on 01327 843319 or by email. See here for an independent review of the book by independent local resident Tom Price.

If you've not visited the site recently you might be interested to know that we've introduced some new items. You can now find the current newsletter and previous editions going back to mid 2007. On the Parish Council page you will be able to find notices of forthcoming meetings and minutes of previous ones. The Parish Design Statement has been formally adopted by Daventry District Council as a supplementary planning document - you can see it here.

You might be interested to know that in 2008 we were awarded 1st place in the East Midlands in Bloom competition (small village category) with 161 points out of a possible 200. We are now holders of the Silver Rose Bowl and we also received a silver gilt standard certificate to join the others hanging in the village hall. In their report the Judges stated "the residents of Whilton continue to maintain very high standards in the presentation of private and public areas. We were impressed with all aspects of the judging tour of the village which typifies most people’s idea of English rural life."

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