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Tewkesbury Town Council Newsletter, November 2007

  Vernon Smith, Chair of Floods Infrastructure Committee
Among the 1,500 flood victims were certain councillors: John Badham, Geoff Pope, Vernon Smith, Mike Sztymiak, Barbara Cromwell and Borough Councillor John McCloy. They, along with all other councillors, are determined to do whatever we can to influence bodies with power and money to ensure that a disaster on this scale is not repeated.
An emergency meeting of the Council in August 2007 set up two committees for this purpose:
1. Infrastructure, chaired by Vernon Smith
2. Emergency Plan, chaired by Geoff Pope
Council Action since July 07
18 August, mass demonstration to Borough Council Offices.
September and October lobby meetings of Borough Planning Committee with concerns about building on the flood plain
September: submission of evidence to Government EFRA Committee of Enquiry
17 October, Infrastructure Committee appears before County Council Scrutiny Committee to give evidence: report due November.
4 December: meeting planned with Association of British Insurers
Representations made to Gordon Brown & Hilary Benn
Infrastructure Committee Report
1. Responsibility for all matters of flood control and planning to be with ONE SOLE agency with adequate power and finance.
2. Ascertain why the submission by Town Council Tewkesbury, Development within the Flood Plain, in 2002 was not implemented.
3. Halt all developments and plans which are currently taking place on or near the flood plain until enquiries have reported.
4. We have recommended improvements short, medium and long term -which could be made to the Town to enable us to live with flooding for details, see the Council website. However, this would require a significant amount of National Funding.
Emergency Committee The Committee aims to submit to the Council in December, a Booklet planned primarily to deal with flooding but also relevant to other emergencies.
The aim is to add the Town Hall ¯Bronze Level, to the existing Silver (Borough), Gold (Police/Ambulance/Fire).
The booklet will contain all emergency information and action plans, together with contact numbers that show a communication system of authority and responsibilities, co-ordinating all voluntary groups & emergency services.
Planning
The fortnightly meetings, on a Wednesday at 6 p.m. are open to the public.
We have sought the advice of the Civic Society to see whether the Conservation Area, last fixed in 1987 needs revising to include Chance Street, Rope Walk and Cotswold Gardens.
We are also concerned that shops in the Conservation area, which are not themselves listed buildings, do not have to obtain permission to erect signs and fascias.
We have opposed present plans submitted for
the old Coffin Store in Oldbury Road.
The ex-Popular Angling Club
We are now scrutinising all plans for development near water courses to ensure they will not exacerbate the flood problem.
Cllr. Cromwell has been temporarily seconded to the County Flood Scrutiny. The technical knowledge of Cllrs. Dawson, Aldridge, Smith and Pavey works in harmony with historians Cllrs. Badham and Dixon!
Calling Young Motorists Look out for the PassPlus Scheme after you have passed your test. For insurers who offer discounts to participants see www.insureyourfirstcar.co.uk
Welcome to New Residents’ Associations!
In addition to Mitton, we have:
Newtown: Secretary Dave Witts on 290314
Wynyards: Chair Doug Stocks on 07780845685
Watson Hall Committee
The bad news is that thieves targeted this building and stole lead to the value of £1,300. We hope this loss will be covered by insurance.
The good news is that ideas have been put forward to make better use of this valuable asset:
1. to freshen up the complex with internal decorating.
2. to hire out facilities for 2 hour coffee mornings etc
3. to create a garden outside the Tudor Bar - this would include a BBQ facility.
4. install a second Bar, closer to the main Hall, so that Bar & Hall could be let as two separate venues at the same time.
Ideas from users of the Hall would be much appreciated.
Town Hall
The Town Hall was built in an era when modern day regulations where not an issue so adapting this property for modern day use is not easy however it is a major historical building in the Town and as such clearly needs looking after for this and future generations
The building continues to be used well by many differing businesses and organisations; annual income has doubled over the past decade!
The Council approved sometime ago a 3 year plan of action to
improve the internal decoration
address items affecting the building fabric like re pointing
make the building easier for disabled use. We are in year 2 of this plan. We are also looking at ways to improve, without massive expense,
audibility in the Chamber
the reception area
Quality Parish Status We continue to prepare our application for this enhanced status and, to that end, we met a councillor and Town Clerk from Cam, which is currently enjoying Quality Status. Ever keen to avoid a mere ‘tick-box’ approach, your Council has already agreed to start an experiment to enable members of the public, attending council meetings, to put a question of, or make a statement, to the Council concerning the evening’s business. More information is available from the Town Clerk and we look forward to greater public participation in our deliberations

Remembrance Sunday, 2007.

As always the Town Councillors together with the uniformed services and youth groups paraded to the Abbey. This year Remembrance Sunday fell on November 11th: of course, it is the eighty ninth year since the guns fell silent on the Western Front. After four years of murderous carnage, nearly one million Britons fell fighting for their country. We can see the sacrifice that the little town of Tewkesbury made by a cursory glance at the War Memorial at the Cross. In the Abbey, there is also a list of the young men who volunteered. One in ten did not return.

Since then Tewkesbury men and women served in large numbers in the armed forces during the Second World War. When we look at the Cartland memorial in the Abbey churchyard, we can see the tragic consequences when two brothers were killed within a day of each other in May 1940. Yet we often think of this sacrifice as a matter of history: in the case of the young very ancient history.

We need to remember that thousands of young men and women have died in the many wars over the past sixty years. Perhaps most important we need to reflect on the young Tewkesbury men and women who have served - or are serving - in war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Whatever we think of the rights and wrongs of these conflicts, these young people have no choice and acquit themselves with courage and fortitude. They risk both death and injury. We should be proud of what they are achieving and the remarkable bravery they are showing. We should also be prepared, as the Town Council did in September, to speak out when their sacrifice is either inadequately recognised or insufficiently rewarded.

Major Mike Wilson

As announced in the press, our esteemed and long serving Town Clerk has decided that it is time for him to retire. We shall be marking the occasion later.

In the meantime, we are sure that our loss with be the gain of Spanish golf courses and we thank him for his excellent service to the Town of Tewkesbury. We wish him many happy years improving his golfing handicap.

Public Conveniences Saffron Road was not affected by the floods ¯ occasional vandalism is the problem for our hard-working cleaner.

The Borough Council toilets at Gloucester Road and Gander Lane were flood victims. Gander Lane will reopen shortly, but will then be shut for refurbishment before they are handed over to Town administration.

Borough Council officials and architect have been working closely with the Town in order to create an excellent facility. Gander Lane will be first to reopen but Gloucester Road will be delayed because of consultations with residents.

Once Gander Lane is refurbished, plans will go ahead to sell the land in Saffron Road for the benefit of the Town

Mayor’s Awards for Flood Volunteers

Even though there was no Emergency Plan, there was an immediate eruption of volunteers who worked so tirelessly to help flood victims and of generosity on behalf of many businesses.

The Mayor wishes to thank those volunteers in a ceremony to be held in the new future.

The Mayor would also like to inform the citizens of Tewkesbury that your Council is doing all it can to resolve many of your concerns concerning the disastrous flooding of July 2007

Tewkesbury Town Council

Phone: 01684- 294639

Fax: 01684 290753

Email: townclerk@tewkesbury0.wanadoo.co.uk

Councillors

John Badham , 295336; John Dixon, 294262; Chuck Pavey, 294086; Geoff Pope 297874 Ken Powell, 295031; Vernon Smith, 274248; Peter Aldridge 296679; Graham Dawson, 274083; Mike Sztymiak, 299743; Brian Calway, 291370; Barbara Cromwell, 299370; Ian King, 274738; Tony Partridge, 290335; Sandra Partridge, 290335 Claire Wright, 291914

We Are Here To Serve You

Members of the Town Council only have one really important function: that is to serve the people of Tewkesbury. We need to know what you think; we want to encourage you to attend our meetings.

Most important of all we want to lead the town in the direction of prosperity and well-being. Tewkesbury has often had a raw deal over the years: working together we can ensure that it does not in the future.

The Town Council puts the interests of Tewkesbury First.