Town Crier-August2012 Governance Style Ideas 27/07/2012 16:26 Page 1
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Town Crier-August2012_Governance style ideas 27/07/2012 16:26 Page 1 The TownA u g u s t 2 01 2 Crier NOW DELIVERED TO 19,000 Your parish online www.sthelier.je ST HELIER RESIDENTS EVERY MONTH inthisissue p3 Royal Visit retrospective We’ve done it p4 Parish Matters p7 Countdown to Town Criterium cycle race p10 Dates for your diary again! p15 Portuguese Food Festival preview St Helier’s Parks and Gardens department, aided by our Community in p20 Fête de St Hélier Bloom group, have followed up their success at RHS Chelsea with wins at home and abroad – ‘Best Parish’ in the competition organised p26 Parish Notice Board by the Tourism Department, and a Gold medal at RHS Tatton Park, p30 St Helier Gazette with ‘Best in Show’ in the National Flower Bed competition. Town Crier-August2012_Governance style ideas 27/07/2012 16:26 Page 2 Town Crier-August2012_Governance style ideas 27/07/2012 16:26 Page 3 August2012 p3 Welcome to News around our residential homes and nurseries the Town Crier Westmount Day Nursery: Nine primary and junior schools took part in Welcome to the August edition of the creating display boards with the theme of the Diamond Jubilee celebration Town Crier. Parishioners are likely to be last month. Measuring 8’ by 4’, these are now on display on the hoarding at united in the wish for some sunshine this the Robin Hood junction. month to enable locals and visitors alike to Residents and staff from Maison de Ville attended the Parish’s annual Rates enjoy their weekends and summer Assembly on Wednesday 11th July to support the Parish Care Strategy holidays in Jersey. (P.3/2012). This proposal to convert Maison de Ville Residential Home into St Helier's contribution to the Island's festival care homes and a children’s nursery and develop St Ewolds Residential programme continues with the Portuguese Food Festival which has been organised by a Home to provide 40 extra beds and 23 care homes was extremely well sub-committee of the St Helier - Funchal received with only one vote twinning committee for the first time. There is against the project. also the welcome return of the Airtel-Vodafone Head of Home, Jules Seaside Festival at Havre des Pas on Sunday Broad, said that she was 5th August, thanks to the hard work of the delighted with the outcome organiser, Mario Pirozzolo. There is also an unusual event happening on and around of the Parish Assembly Parade Gardens on Sunday 19th August when which ended an unsettling the Lions Club is running a 'Pedal Car Grand period of uncertainty for Prix', sponsored by ABN-AMRO Private her residents and staff. Banking, and featuring local personalities Right: Westmount Day Nursery children creating their display board including Derek Warwick. Of course, the biggest and best~ festival is the Battle of Flowers which will transform Royal Visit retrospective Victoria Avenue on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th August. This will be the first Battle for the Last month's visit of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Duchess Lieutenant Governor, Sir John McColl, and Lady of Cornwall was focussed on our St Helier as their Royal Highnesses visited McColl, and we are confident that Battle will the Royal Square, the Central Market, 16 New Street and the Town Church. live up to its reputation for them and the After visiting Grainville School the royal party arrived in the Parish in Hill thousands of other spectators. Months of Street where they were welcomed by the Constable of St Helier. planning and preparation by the St Helier float 'Your Royal Highnesses, as the Parish of St Helier designers and builders will culminate in a welcomed the Prince of Wales in April 1646 and gave him Parish float that they hope will prove as refuge in Elizabeth Castle, and again, as King Charles II, in impressive as it has been for the last two years September 1649, on behalf of the people of this Parish I since the Parish's welcome return to the welcome you to St Helier in this year of Her Majesty the carnival. Other August highlights include the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.' summer concert of the Band of the Island of As well as unveiling a new pavement sculpture in the Royal Jersey in Howard Davis Park on the evening of Square, the visitors viewed the painting of the Thames Diamond Monday 6th August, three performances by a jubilee pageant by parishioner Emily Allchurch inside the States visiting brass band, ‘The Wingates Concert Building. The visit also included the RJA&HS showground at Trinity Band’, on 24th, 25th and 26th August, and the where all of the parishes had created displays of parochial life. International Bowling Club week at the Jersey St Helier's exhibit was entitled St Helier's Three Twins, and the Bowling Club on Westmount which begins on Duchess of Cornwall met representatives of each of the Parish's Sunday 12th July. The sporting theme twinning committees: Geraint Jennings and Annabelle Bishop (the continues in the Jersey Criterium Town Cycle jumelage); Angela Francey and Pamela Gabb (the partnerschaft); Race on Sunday 26th August, in which the Debbie de Sousa and Joe Veloso (the geminação). Above: Duchess of Cornwall meeting Geraint Jennings and Parish is entering a team to include the Below: Mr Crowcroft follows the tradition of welcoming royal visitors into the Parish (Tony Moore) Annabelle Bishop of the jumelage Constable, and the Jersey Triathlon on Sunday committee at the RJA&HS 2nd September. All in all, a lot is going on in St Helier in the month of August, and the Town Crier expresses the thanks of the many parishioners, business owners and visitors to the Parish staff and volunteers who ensure that this array of events passes off successfully. To contact the editorial team, please call The Town Crier is printed 811821 or email [email protected] on FSC Certified Paper Town Crier-August2012_Governance style ideas 27/07/2012 16:26 Page 4 p4 August2012 Long service Parishmatters awards – The Constable made A round-up of the latest news and events from the presentations to members of staff Town Hall, Parish departments and our associated clubs at the Parish at an and organisations. awards ceremony last month. 19 Annual Rates Assembly - On 11th July 2012 the annual members of staff Rates Assembly was held at the Town Hall. The meeting saw the were recognised Board of Directors, Procureurs du Bien Public and Connétable for having present the Audited Accounts for the last financial year ended completed 20 30th April 2012. The Accounts show a surplus for the year of years of service, £129,193 increasing the General Reserves to £779,480. making a total of Also presented were the Estimates for the coming year to 30th 507 years’ service, April 2013, which were approved without amendment. The Parish in departments ranging across the various municipal services, Rate was frozen for the third successive year at 1.10p, due to administration and care services provided by the Parish, while two sound financial control over expenditure and an increase in members of the team received awards for 40 years' continuous 1 Parish Quarters of 1 /2% from new developments in St Helier. service - Tony Andrews, Director of Parks, Roads and T&E Services However, the increase in the Island Wide Rate (set by the and Peter Goguelin from the Parks Team. Speaking at the States at a cost of living increase) has resulted in the combined ceremony, which was also attended by Procureur du Bien Public rates for Domestic (homeowner) ratepayers increasing by 1.1% Clive Barton and Deputies Bryan and Hilton, the Constable said and for Non-Domestic (business) ratepayers increasing by 1.8%. that the Parish deserved its reputation as a good employer, and Procureur Clive Barton updated the Assembly on progress was an organisation for which staff loyalty was shown in the large towards GAAP accounting. Previously Parish Accounts were number of staff who were clearly fulfilled in their careers with the prepared on a cash basis to produce an accurate cash Parish. Course tutor, Tom Evans, was present to give awards to the requirement for the Parish Rate. The GAAP accounts produced eight apprentices who have taken part in the horticulture course for this Assembly are a good step forward, as they not only run by the Parish in conjunction with the Economic Development produce a similar cash requirement for the Parish Rate, they also Department. properly reflect the full Asset value of Parish Property, Plant and Also at the awards ceremony held on 19th July, seven Vehicles, increasing the Net Asset Value in the accounts from Customer Services employees who have qualified in deaf £9million to £47million. awareness, with the aim of making communication with Town Hall The Audited Accounts and Estimates, plus summary GAAP staff easier for those with any level of hearing impairment, had Accounts, are available from the Town Hall reception. All their certificates presented to them. This has resulted in the Town enquiries or comments should be directed to the Finance Director, Hall being awarded a new kitemark that will enable Jersey’s deaf Andy Pemberton, who is keen to receive feedback from and hard of hearing community to better access their services. Parishioners, particularly on the proposed GAAP Accounts. The kitemark, called the ‘Standard for Good Customer Services to English Schools Athletics Event - The St Helier Youth dDeaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing People’, was developed Committee supported this event, enabling four parishioners to after dDeaf people reported the difficulties they encounter every attend and participate in last month’s competition.