WOBURN SANDS TOWN COUNCIL
CHAIRMANS REPORT 2005/2006
I will give an overview of the Councils activities, but the Councillors who chair the various sub-committees we run will give a more detailed account of their committee activities. Councillor Ken Peters on the Halls, Councillor Ron Hale on the Environment and Edgewick Farm. Councillor Jacky Jeffreys on Planning, Councillor Clive Cowmeadow on the George Wells Charity and Accounts, Councillor David Hopkins our Ward Councillor. Each of these councillors will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Before writing my first Annual Report I thought I had better first read last years report and see what has changed in a year. It will be of no surprise to you to learn that the many issues and problems we were faced with last year are still concerning us today. Councillor Jeffreys has spent many many hours on our behalf on the Nampak Development, this development will have a huge impact on our town and environment, with its increased traffic etc. and Jacky is to be commended for her relentless pursuit for the very best deal we could make, keeping the town so well informed in the various rounds of planning negotiations. Jacky will also advise you of our frustration and unsatisfactory outcome over the newly constructed house on The Leys and the continuing problems with regard to the Bowls, Tennis and Sports & Social Club.
The Halls continue to be busy and well used, the prospect of a third hall when the Nampak Sports and Social Club are handed over to us as part of the 106 Development Agreement will bring up the continuing problem with the Memorial Hall and whether we have the need for this hall with its lack of parking, but no one can deny the attraction of its central positioning within the town.
We were extremely conscious of raising the precept to the extent that our committee budgets had to be reduced to make the increase as low as possible. The main expenditure being administration and open spaces.
We applied and finally received a grant towards the refurbishment of the play area of the Recreation Ground. For many years the play area has been extremely difficult to maintain, and when the large climbing frame was condemned we had to do something. I hope you all agree that the play area is a big improvement. Edgewick Farm goes from strength to strength under the guidance of the Greensand Trust and Val Russells volunteers, a big thank you to all of them.
The community events this year have been very successful. We were blessed with fine days and there was a very high standard of entrants in the Front Garden and Hanging Basket competition, prizes being donated by Frosts of Woburn Sands and awarded during the Band Fayre on Mowbray Green on August Bank Holiday. We received a Certificate of Merit for the Best Kept Village Competition, and were in fact only 2 points below the winner, the graffiti on the skate board park was the one thing that marked us down. St Michaels Church yard being highly commended for its excellent order. We had a good attendance at the annual Remembrance Sunday, Holocaust Memorial Day and Christmas Carnival. Unfortunately, due to a Health & Safety problem with insurance cover, we were unable to have the usual parade which precedes the Carnival, but this should be in place for this years event.
On the down side we have suffered from the scourge of twenty first century living in the form of vandalism and the ever present litter problem. We will be having a second clean up Woburn Sands campaign on Sunday 23rd April. We have received many complaints about the litter in the Network Rail land and we are presently in discussion with the company with regard to this matter, so hopefully we can get them to clear up this eyesore and maintain the area in a better condition.
New street lights will be put up along the lower end of Hardwick Road and Mowbray Green in keeping with the Victorian style lights currently on the High Street and Station Road.
The extremely successful shopping trips for the elderly finished in December. We are currently under negotiations to get another grant from a different agency, and we are quite hopeful that they will begin in the summer.
At the end of last year I went on a walk through the land which had been restored by Steetley Mining, who mined the Fullers Earth in the area. The footpaths are now fully opened. The manufacturing buildings have been demolished and the site made good, Woburn Estates have taken over the other buildings for storage. I was quite impressed with the high standard of replanting and the bridle ways and footpaths are once again being enjoyed by many people.
The Police Office opened ? then it closed a few weeks later for Heath & Safety reasons. We hope it will reopen soon, it sounds like a bad theatrical production doesn?t it?
Towards the end of last year our Town Clerk was very ill, it was pretty obvious to us all who had to pick up the pieces that she needed help, so at the beginning of January Pauline Biggs joined Lynne in the office, and has taken on much of the day to day running of the halls so that Lynne can devote more time to other issues and we welcome Pauline to the fold. The main council time this year has been taken up, not surprisingly, with the Nampak application, many many hours have been devoted to this ? we are trying to get the best possible deal for Woburn Sands, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow councillors for all their efforts this last year and to our clerk Lynne Stapleton who makes it possible ? you only realise just how much she does when she?s not there ? many thanks Lynne.
I hope I have covered in general, the overview of what has been happening this year, the various subcommittee reports will provide more details and you can ask questions if you wish. I am happy to answer any general queries but would not want to upstage any of my fellow councillors. After the meeting I am going to announce the launch of our Centenary Celebration in April 2007 and the Market Towns Health Check for Woburn Sands. We shall be looking for volunteers to take these forward.
REPORT GIVEN AT THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 28TH MARCH 2006
BY OUNCILLOR DOROTHY BLACKBURN