Huntingdon NewsNews andand viewsviews fromfrom youryour TownTown CouncilCouncil Issue No. 11 June 2018 Huntingdonshire History Festival 2018 | Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Freedom Parade Also: Welcome to the new Mayor of Huntingdon www.huntingdontown.gov.uk June 2018 The Bridge Arts Festival THE BRIDGE Arts Festival is bringing an Extravaganza of Art to Huntingdon & Godmanchester, over the weekend 6/7 April 2019. You will see work from our twinned towns, visual and performance art, everything from paintings, sculpture, carving, photography to music, theatre, dance and art workshops, something for everyone. ALL FREE TO VIEW. HOW can you help to make this project come to reality? The Bridge Organising Committee of volunteers (from Huntingdon & Godmanchester Twinning Association and representatives of the Town Councils) is working hard to put everything in place. A variety of venues will be involved including the Town Hall and Library in Huntingdon, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Baptist Church in Godmanchester and both town squares. The backdrop to the Festival will be a ‘yarnbomb’ of sites, showcasing the skills of all you knitters and crocheters out there! We need YOU to help us make this ambitious event happen for our towns! If you are interested in participating in the yarnbomb contact us at yarnbomb@ hgta.eu or call/text Liz on 07972 281579. We are starting to knit now, there’s a lot to do! If you would like to find out more, perhaps on how to involve your group or to help as an individual contact us at [email protected] or call David on 07546 528274. For further details over the forthcoming months visit our website www.hgta.eu for updates. 2 www.huntingdontown.gov.uk June 2018 Contents From the Town The Bridge Arts Festival 2 Clerk’s Desk… From the Town Clerk’s Desk 3 Welcome to the Summer issue of Huntingdon which once again is Staff Profile - Sally Marchant 4 packed full of information about the town, the council and activities Finance Committee Overview 4 scheduled throughout the coming months. Leisure and Community Following the Town Council elections on 3rd May, there is a complete Services Committee Overview 5 change in the make-up of Councillors, with thirteen new Members Planning Committee Overview 5 being elected to join the six returning Members. At the Mayor Making News from The Medway Centre 6 Ceremony on 16th May, Councillor Sarah Gifford was unanimously elected Town Mayor for the ensuing Municipal year. The Town Mayor’s News from Coneygear Park 6 first civic function was to Grant the Freedom of the Town to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Princess Wales’s Royal Regiment on 24th May. Huntingdon 2018/19 7 On the Town Council staffing front, we are pleased to welcome The Mayor of Huntingdon’s our two new apprentices. Tom Parris joined the Estates Services Community Shield 7 Team as Apprentice Groundsman, and Sam Wood has joined as an The Mayor of Huntingdon’s Administration Apprentice. In addition, Georgia Elderkin has been Community Shield 7 appointed the Democratic Officer and Andy Hunt has joined us as News from the Head Groundsman 8 Caretaker. David Page our Cemetery Supervisor has completed Huntingdon In Bloom 8 30-years’ service with the Town Council – Congratulations David! And we are sorry to be saying goodbye to Jay Mansfield – Groundsman, as Reporting non-emergencies online 9 he leaves us to take up his dream job as a fireman – Good luck Jay for Huntingdonshire History Festival 9 the future. Cromwell Museum History Progress continues with the Town Council’s projects, the new Multi Festival Events 10 Use Games Area at Coneygear Park is now completed, the planning News from Huntingdon Library 10 application for the new Community Building is to be heard by the Huntingdon Rugby Club 11 District Council in June. The new Cemetery and Crematorium plans, although granted planning permission, were subject to a Judicial Review Huntingdon In Bloom’s following a complaint by Dignity (the rival application); continues with Best Kept Front Garden Competition! 12 new plans submitted to be heard during the summer. Huntingdon’s Food & Drink Festival In addition, the Estates Services Team have been extremely busy with and Sandwich Competition 12 the planting of the flower beds, baskets and containers across the RAF100 Service – Monday 3rd town, and we look forward to the Anglia In Bloom judges visit during September 2018 13 July and hopefully the success of achieving a medal. The 2018 Huntingdon Beach Party 13 Enjoy your summer Forthcoming Civic and - Closer to the People Community Events 14 - Local to our People Unity in the Community Multi – Cultural Event 15 - Value to our People Huntingdon Tennis Club Open Day 15 Philip Peacock Huntingdon Carnival and Live in the Town Clerk Park Festival Weekend 15 The Thinking Soldier 16 The management and production of this magazine is overseen by Huntingdon Princess of Wales Royal Regiment Town Council’s Media Sub Committee. The Committee is made up of the Freedom Parade 17 following members: Huntingdon to grant Freedom of the Councillor McAdam - Chairman, Town to RAF Alconbury’s 501st Combat S Dyne, J Dyne, S Mulcahy, Councillor Kadewere, Support Wing 18 Natasha Pierson and Georgia Elderkin. ‘Have a Go’ at Alconbury Weald’s Design and Print by: The Artworks 01487 842687 Festival of Learning in June 18 Huntingdon Town Council, Town Hall, Market Hill,Huntingdon, PE29 3PJ Tel: 01480 411883 www.huntingdontown.gov.uk Who's Who at the Council 19 Cover photograph: Hunts Post email: [email protected] 3 June 2018 Staff Profile – Sally Marchant My name is Sally Marchant and I moved to Huntingdon training events, coffee mornings with my husband and 3 children in October 2017. We and private social functions. The decided to move to escape the hustle and bustle of centre is a huge benefit to the London and for a better lifestyle. I am enjoying the community where everyone feels countryside and the friendly nature of local people. It’s welcome. very different to London! I have previously held positions I joined Huntingdon Town Council in January 2018 taking as an administrator for a County Council, a Training & on the role of Centre Administrator for The Medway Enterprise Council and spent some years working with Community Centre. The position appealed to me as The children as an OFSTED Registered Childminder. Medway is at the heart of the local community. I have also In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family. found that many people locally have London connections My hobbies include reading, cycling, walking and as they or their families moved to the area as part of the gardening. I’m also a huge animal lover and have two cats London overspill in the 1960’s. called Carlos and Fabio. Activities at The Medway are varied and range from bingo, Sally Marchant dancing, martial arts, church and community groups to Medway Centre Administrator Finance Committee Overview The Finance Committee is responsible for the management application, the investment will cover the provision of a and scrutiny of budgets and vetting all expenditure 3-5-year heritage programme, managed by a Heritage for council activities. The main changes concern the Officer. town’s financial commitments for a Neighbourhood Plan The Finance Sub-Committee Our FY18/19 precept figure is consultancy and referendum, a replacement eco-efficient £1,047,102 (up from £999,476 in 2017/18, an increase of community centre, extra burial facilities, a sports hub and a £47,626). This covers the public employers’ pensions and crematorium. These will provide us with sustainable assets national insurance contributions which has increased by 1.7 and with the latter, a non-taxpayer income to meet our percentage points. The extra burden for HTC is: £9,636 for costs in future. The most notable issues handled were: this FY. 1. Crematorium and Sports Village. The planning application The Staffing Sub-Committee main work concerned: the for the Crematorium and Sports Village was approved by continuation of a revised personnel appraisal policy, Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) on 18th December recruiting replacements and introducing an apprentice 2017. scheme. 2. Neighbourhood Plan. It has cost us £6,600 to implement The Lettings Sub-Committee reviewed our lease so far and we can apply for a grant from HDC to cover agreements, tenancies, hire rates for our buildings and remaining expenditure needed for completion. prices for allotments and burial plots. There will be an 3. Christmas Market and Lights. Expenditure on the allowance for the insurance of the Olympic Gym meaning Christmas Market and Christmas Lights was £25,339 with that we should receive a net income from this asset. income of £9,744 received from partner organisations The Grants Sub-Committee considered bids for awards. and charity stall holders. This year, Huntingdon Town These totaled £6,373.66 for 13 local community groups in Council will manage the Christmas Market inhouse. 2017/18 as grants for each request was capped at £500.00. 4. Church Wall Restoration. The project has cost £36,000 The Twinning Sub-Committee continues to monitor in 2017/18 for phase 1 and arrangements are being made Huntingdon’s activities with its twinned towns in France, to spend another £50,000 in 2018/19. The Church Wall Germany, Hungary and Italy. Projects and exchanges projects will continue over the next few years. include: 2018 Youth Festival and an Arts Festival planned to 5. New Community Centre. The application for the new take place in April 2019. Community Centre is being considered by HDC and we The Devolution Working Party was set up to enable your are in the process of installing a new Multi Use Games Town Council to evaluate measures that would form part of Area at Coneygear Park, where it is hoped the community HMG’s push to reduce centralised control of public money centre will be located.