Calne Town Council Annual Report 2015 - 2016

Annual Report 2015 - 2016

TOWN MAYOR’S REPORT

At the Annual Meeting of the Town Council in 2015, I was very proud and honoured to be selected as Town Mayor.

This was my second term of office so I believed I was prepared for the year ahead, having a good understanding of the role and implications of holding this position. What I didn’t expect was the increase in the number of invitations to attend such a diverse range of functions. The year has been extremely busy and I can honestly say I have thoroughly enjoyed each visit. It is heart warming to know that the residents of Calne still respect and support the role of Town Mayor, which is evident by a very full diary.

The role of Town Mayor also requires interaction with other Town Mayors, and being part of the Mayoral ‘Chain Gang’ as we are affectionately known. We offer support and advice to each other, thus forming friendships that last beyond the year of office.

It would be impossible to mention each and every event, but I would like to highlight a few that immediately jump forward: • The Town Council events, the Summer and Christmas Festivals, Bonfire Night, Food and Drink Festival, the Spring Sing – all of which bring the community and visitors into the town, we seem to have a reputation of putting on a good show, and by goodness we do.

• A visit to Salisbury Cathedral to celebrate the 800 year anniversary of the Magna Carta – definitely a ‘once in a lifetime experience’.

• School visits are always a pleasure for me. I think it is very important that our young people have a good understanding of what the Town Council is trying to achieve and talking to students does help in making sure we deliver what they really need. The Fundraising Day at St Mary’s School was a fabulous day, and one I would not have missed.

I could not write this report without stressing the ‘business’ side of the role. As Town Mayor it is important to remember that whilst Councillors are elected under a party political system, once in post it is our responsibility to ensure the day-to-day business of the Council is to provide good services to the community, obtain best value for all services and goods provided to us and ensure the day-to-day operations of the Council are legal and compliant with all current legislation – that alone is no mean feat. To carry out this role it is vital to know your town and its people, its hopes and aspirations and also its fears. We are all dedicated to build on the foundations put down by previous Councils to achieve a place where people want to live and are proud to call home.

Now comes to the time where I thank those who have helped me through the year.

My heartfelt thanks go to : • The Mayoress my lovely wife Alison, who has stood at my side and supported me completely throughout the year.

• The Town Clerk, Mrs Linda Roberts – who not only conducts the day to day business of the Town Council, but is also working so hard on developing the town to enhance the lives of the residents.

• Councillor Tom Rounds, who has carried out the role of Deputy Town Mayor admirably. He has stepped up on many occasions to help cope with the very fully diary this year. I am supremely confident he will make an excellent Mayor and be a huge asset to the town.

• Mrs Clare Harris, Secretary to the Town Mayor. Not only does Clare carry out this role, she is also PA to the Town Clerk and is supporting Linda in her role. Clare’s efficiency and experience as Town Mayor’s Secretary has meant that I can give my full attention to the task in hand, confident of her full support.

• I cannot finish without mentioning the rest of the staff at Bank House, the Town Hall, the Depot and at Beversbrook. They are truly inspirational – without their unstinting support and enthusiasm this town would not be the place it is. They always seem to go that extra mile and then some.

Cllr Howard Marshall

TOWN CLERK’S REPORT

Calne Town Clerk Linda Roberts, with Calne Town Mayor Howard Marshall and Calne Town Crier Mark Wylie (top right) and with other Wiltshire Town Clerks at the 2015 Magna Carta celebrations in Salisbury.

Last year I started my report as follows:WOW! Another year has passed. Time goes so quickly, especially in a busy council like Calne. So, what has happened in the previous twelve months?

Well, if last year passed quickly, this year we must have achieved maximum velocity – the content of this report explains in more detail what, when and how we have been conducting the business of this council.

There is no doubt that this Town Council is extremely proactive, both in the formal business of the council and the development and welfare of the town and its residents. This is I believe a multi-factor achievement – resulting from an extremely positive and forward thinking team of Councillors and Staff, none of whom want to sit back and do nothing when it comes to enhancing the community, the town and its facilities. There is obviously a legal and professional side to the council that has to be adhered to, but there is also a strong desire to continue to improve and expand the range of services to enrich daily life.

One of my themes for this year has to be nurturing the strong links between the Town Council, the local community and its many volunteers. This town has always been able to pride itself on the number of community groups that quietly go about their work, providing support to the townspeople in many guises. Such individuals are frequently nominated to receive recognition under the Town Council’s Civic Award Scheme - if you know anyone who deserves recognition please do not hesitate to nominate them for next year’s awards.

The town again has been recognised for the high standard of its floral displays, including those of its residents – by gaining Gold in the South West in Bloom Competition. We are grateful for all of the positive comments from visitors and residents alike – we also welcome not so positive feedback; anything that helps us improve the town has to be a bonus. Thanks must go to all of the staff, volunteers and community groups involved in this project. If any of you are visiting the town on 14th July 2016 – Judging Day, please help us by picking up any litter you may see, it may be a small thing, but it is something that registers highly with the Judges.

The CCTV system continues to be a valuable tool in maintaining the safety and well-being of the town. The CCTV Manager and his team of volunteers continue to monitor the streets to keep the levels of petty crime and traffic misdemeanours to a minimum.

The Town Council Events again struck a high note this year, the Summer and Christmas Festivals, Bonfire Night, along with the Town Crier Competition, the Spring Sing and Food and Drink Festival drew amazing numbers of residents - even when the weather wasn’t particularly kind to us. The sight of a rather cheeky robot strutting his stuff in the Town Hall Car Park and camels trotting through the town followed by hundreds of lanterns aren’t sights you would normally expect to see on your local High Street.

Whilst we are working hard to develop the future of the town, we are also strongly promoting Calne’s heritage. Calne Heritage Quarter was delineated over a year ago by community tourism group Calne Our Place and is one of a number of the group’s initiatives to raise the town’s profile as a place to visit.

The Heritage Quarter is an area of the town celebrated for its historic character and charm. The quarter benefits from an attractive mix of architecture spanning several eras, a range of independent businesses, peaceful green spaces and notable buildings such as Grade I listed St Mary’s Church. Find out more about the town’s past by visiting Calne Heritage Centre, located in the heart of the quarter.

During this year we held a Heritage Week, with guided walks around the town pointing out historical features. The Almshouses and gardens were opened to the public and demand to visit these was much higher than anticipated. To engage the younger generation a Weaving Workshop was held on The Green, where children had the opportunity to weave through stakes in the ground and also to make their own designs out of scrap materials and card which they could take away with them.

The Town Hall is currently having a face lift, during the winter months the Groundstaff painted the Corn Exchange, new curtains will be sourced to spruce up the Corn Exchange and work has been done to improve the Foyer. We are really excited about the prospect of achieving a bid to Heritage Lottery Funding to improve the Town Hall and its associated buildings which will create a real community and visitor focal point.

A hugely important cornerstone of the Town Council has to be its staff. I am extremely proud and thankful to have such an amazing team of people working with me. The content of this annual report is testament to the dedication, innovative ideas and sheer hard work they give to the council which must be applauded. In addition to their everyday jobs, they are always ready to go that extra mile, turning out at the council events to perform the duties of marshals, first aiders, town guides and finally at the end of the day litter-pickers.

I have been acutely aware that many of my staff have skills and qualifications that have been under utilised. To redress this and to ensure there is sufficient staff with the appropriate skills to move the council forward for future years and meet the never ending demand of services the Town Council felt it was time to undertake a staffing review. A Consultant with expertise in this field was engaged to interview all of the staff, find out their strengths and weaknesses, their hopes and aspirations for not only their future but the future of the council as well.

From those confidential interviews the Consultant identified there were many unused skills and noted suggestions of how a new structure would enhance the work already provided by the council. The Consultant and existing Managers then devised a new structure, which when implemented would ensure the council remains competent, proactive and legal as well as meeting the ‘wish list’ of the staff. I was deliberately not involved in the initial interviews and early meetings between the Consultant and Staff as I felt it was important for everyone to be able to express themselves freely and in confidence.

The new structure will actually increase the number of posts available. The next step is for the Managers to build their teams from the existing staff and recruit to fill any vacancies outstanding. I am very much looking forward to having the new staffing structure in place and would like to express my sincere thanks to the staff for their patience, understanding and co-operation during what in other circumstances could have been a very unsettling time.

Finally to close, on a personal note, I must again thank my staff for their support during my year of office as the President of the Society of Local Council Clerks. This was a busy time for us all, but as usual the team stepped up, worked together and achieved to some what would be impossible.

In my role as President I definitely put Calne and Wiltshire on the map nationally and shared many case studies with colleagues and councils on what can be achieved through determination and commitment to your community. We are a town which punches above its weight and I am proud and honoured to serve it in the capacity as Town Clerk.

Linda Roberts Town Clerk BA (Hons) Fellow ILCM

CONTENTS CORPORATE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

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INTRODUCTION Councillors Council and Comittee Meetings Town Council Staff Staff Training Work Experience

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FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Financial Services Legal Services Personnel Servcies The Budget Process Partnership Working

3 3 4 4 4 4

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Internal Audit Best Practice Health and Safety Equal Opportunities Statement Freedom of Information Devolution of Services The General Power of Competence (GPC) Planning Applications

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 8

CIVIC AND CEREMONIAL Ceremonial Civic Awards Grants and Donations

9 9 10 14

COMMUNITY AND OUTDOOR SERVICES Visitor and Community Information Centre Calne Town Hall Curzon Street Cemetery Allotments Open Spaces Stabilisation and Repair of Historic Wall in Castlefields Park Street Cleaning Calne in Bloom Beversbrook Sports and Community Facility Calne Community Area Dementia Action Alliance Two Hours Free Parking in Calne Heritage Quarter New Heritage Quarter Map Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

15 15 16 18 18 19 20 21 22 29 32 33 33 34

EVENTS, PUBLICITY AND PROMOTIONS Calne Spring Sing Calne Town Criers Competition Summer Festival & Carnival Calne Festival of Food & Drink Calne Heritage Week Bonfire and Fireworks Display Christmas Festival Wedding Fair Big Screen Beversbrook Newsletter Website Social Media

38 38 39 40 41 41 42 43 44 44 45 45 45

WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL - HELLOS AND GOODBYES Farewell and Thank You to Welcome to the Team Hasta Luego!

Welcome Back

46 46 47 49 49

REPRESENTATION ON OTHER BODIES

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APPENDIX A - COUNCILLORS AND THEIR WARDS

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APPENDIX B - STAFFING STRUCTURE

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APPENDIX C - INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

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APPENDIX D - HOW YOUR COUNCIL TAX IS SPENT

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YOUR VIEWS

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CORPORATE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES • To represent the views and wishes of all the residents of

Calne.

• To promote equality of access to every resident.

• To preserve and enhance the culture and traditions of the town.

• To work both independently and in partnership with others to improve the quality of life by developing and improving facilities and services to the highest standards.

• To maintain the highest standards of Corporate Governance in the administration, performance and conduct of the Town Council.

• To attract investment from both the public and private sectors, in order to ensure the economic well-being of Calne’s residents.

• To ensure the town and future growth is managed in a careful and planned manner by working on a Neighbourhood Plan.

• To comply with the requirements of the Government’s Local Council Award Scheme criteria.

• To use the ‘Power of General Competence’ for the benefit of the community.

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INTRODUCTION Calne has a population of approximately 14,000.

COUNCILLORS Calne has nineteen Town Councillors who are elected for a term of four years; the next election will take place in May 2017. Councillors are responsible for making key policy decisions and deciding on the Town Council’s spending plans and budget for the financial year ahead.

By-elections are held if seats become vacant. The Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor are elected annually in May. A list of councillors and their wards is available at Appendix A. COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS Meetings of the full Town Council are held every two months to carry out the majority of the council’s business. These meetings are supported by three other committees: • Policy and Resources • Amenities • Town Development and Planning The Policy and Resources and Amenities Committees meet on average five times a year with the Town Development and Planning Committee meeting every three weeks.

The date, time and agenda for each meeting is advertised by means of a notice placed on the Town Council’s notice boards and in the Visitor and Community Information Centre in Bank House, Library, on the Town Council website and in the Calne Connection newsletter which is delivered to every household and many businesses in the town. Minutes of committee meetings are also placed on the Town Council’s website.

Members of the public are very welcome to attend these meetings. At the beginning of each meeting, 15 minutes is allocated for public participation during which members of the public may address councillors on any matter relating to policy or decisions of the Town Council. The councillors will not be able to enter into a debate on any subject raised during this time of public participation, but may consider the subject at a later date and respond accordingly.

At the beginning of each municipal year councillors are requested to state a preference for the committees they wish to serve on. This has proven very successful and is instrumental in councillors becoming very knowledgeable and accumulating experience in the area they choose.

In addition to the committees listed above, councillors also serve on a variety of sub-committees and working groups, all of which are affiliated to one of the main committees.

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The Town Council supports the young people of the town by sponsoring the Drop In Centre in Wood Street, run by Councillor Mrs Mercy Baggs. These premises offer young people the opportunity to have a safe place to meet, rather than spending their time out on the streets.

The young people have access to computers and a wide variety of games – not forgetting soft drinks and snacks.

TOWN COUNCIL STAFF The Town Council employs 22 full-time, 7 part-time, and 24 casual employees; the staffing structure is at Appendix B. Officers also provide support to councillors as required and a qualified Proper Officer (the Town Clerk) is present at all council and committee meetings to provide legal and practical advice and record decisions that are made.

STAFF TRAINING Calne Town Council is dedicated to offering training opportunities to all members of staff, which not only widens the skill base of the employees but also offers them variety of work which they may not normally encounter. The Town Council also believes that the offer of training makes the employee feel valued and reinforces the value of the work they are undertaking.

WORK EXPERIENCE Working in partnership with local schools, the Town Council offers young people the opportunity to work at the Council Offices for a week each year to gain work experience. This is a rewarding experience for both the officers and the young people. For the officers it is the pleasure of seeing young people, who for the most part are fairly apprehensive about work experience, actually enjoying it by the end of their week. From the young people’s point of view – the day when realisation dawns that really school isn’t that bad and having a job is quite a serious undertaking.

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION The finance and administration of the Town Council is carried out at the Town Council’s offices in Bank House. Finance and administration includes support to councillors, general office support and support for front line services.

In addition, finance and administration includes the employment of specialist consultants to undertake quantity and structural surveys, legal services, valuation and land agency services in respect of the Town Council’s property portfolio.

FINANCIAL SERVICES The Town Council undertakes a range of financial functions, including accountancy, budgeting, payroll, asset management, debit and credit control. All functions are carried out in-house, although external support from consultants is commissioned on occasion.

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LEGAL SERVICES The Town Council requires legal services in connection with the management of its commercial properties and in respect of other aspects of its operations. General legal services are subject to a fee quotation periodically with specialist services employed as and when necessary.

PERSONNEL SERVICES The Town Council administers its personnel services under the national terms and conditions of the National Joint Council for Local Government services.

THE BUDGET PROCESS The income and expenditure account and balance sheets are at Appendix C. The Town Council’s formal budgetary cycle commences in October when a report is presented to the Full Town Council recommending a budget for the year commencing the following April.

Any percentage increase will take account of changes in staff costs to reflect agreed national pay awards, the likely level of inflation for other supplies and services needed by the Town Council and any expenditure on committed capital programmes.

During October the Town Clerk presents draft budgets for consideration by each of the three committees. The report presented to the committees will include a summary of the net level of Town Council expenditure for the following year, the resultant Council Tax (precept) to be levied and the cost per Band Household. The budget will then be approved at this meeting.

The Council Tax will be collected on the Town Council’s behalf by Wiltshire Council and information on how your Council Tax is spent is available in Appendix D, on the Town Council’s website and from the Visitor and Community Information Centre. It will also be included in the Calne Connection newsletter.

The Town Council does not receive any revenue support grant from the Government, unlike Wiltshire Council, and neither does it receive any funding from local businesses through the National Non-Domestic Rate. A copy of the budget is available on the Town Council’s website or on request at the Visitor and Community Information Centre.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING Calne Town Council and Wiltshire Police have established a firm and productive working relationship; this is in part due to the excellent work and investment made by the Town Council into CCTV services.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Corporate Governance ensures that the Town Council is doing the right things in the right way for the right people in a timely, inclusive, open, honest and accountable manner. This is critical in order to deliver the intended outcomes for citizens and service users and to operate in an efficient, effective and ethical manner.

INTERNAL AUDIT During the year audits are conducted by an internal auditor into processes of both a financial and non-financial nature to determine honesty, best value and ensure that adherence to the law and council policy has been observed. A report of audit activity is submitted to the Town Council. Audit frequency is determined by risk factor and recommendations for efficiency savings are made on both audited processes and non-audited processes as required.

BEST PRACTICE The Town Council complies with the Accounts and Audit Regulations and applies Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) as a method of accounting the costs of central overheads.

HEALTH AND SAFETY The Town Council complies with Health and Safety legislation and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT The Town Council is an Equal Opportunities Employer and complies with all statutory requirements of employment law and issues an Equal Opportunities Statement to all employees when appointed.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION The Town Council complies with the Freedom of Information Act, details of which can be found on our website at www.calne.gov.uk.

DEVOLUTION OF SERVICES Negotiations are underway for the transfer of assets and services to the Town Council from Wiltshire Council and include the Fire and Ambulance Station (part of the Town Hall Complex).

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THE GENERAL POWER OF COMPETENCE (GPC) The general power of competence is a new statutory power available to eligible town and parish councils in England provided for in the Localism Act 2011.

The GPC gives a local council the legal capacity to do anything that an individual generally may do that is not specifically prohibited by law. The council would no longer need to ask whether they have a specific power to act, and the GPC is a power of first resort; this means that when searching for a power to act, the first question to be asked is whether the council can use the GPC. For example, you ask whether an individual is normally permitted to act in the same way.

• An individual can’t put someone in prison – and neither can a local council (although, like an individual, the council can press for a prosecution).

• An individual can’t impose taxes on other people – so a local council can’t use the GPC to raise taxes.

On the other hand, an individual: • Could run a community shop or post office (provided they abide by relevant rules) – so a local council can do likewise.

• Can set up a company to provide a service. The GPC clearly permits a local council to engage in commercial activity so long as it sets up a company or co-operative society (s4) for this purpose.

Sometimes a council can do things that an individual can’t do – such as creating byelaws, raising a precept or issuing fixed penalty notices – but it must do so using the specific original legislation. The GPC does not mean that the council can delegate decisions to individual councillors – this is a procedural matter that remains enshrined in law.

Eligible Town/Parish Councils The freedom of the GPC is available to local councils that meet two criteria for eligibility (LA 2011 s8) set out in a statutory instrument known as the Parish Councils (General Power of Competence) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012 that came into force in April 2012.

As a Town Council we must decide at a full meeting of the council that we meet the criteria for eligibility at that particular point. A resolution to this effect is then required, clearly written in the minutes of the meeting. The Town Council would then be required to revisit that decision and make a new resolution at every ‘relevant’1 annual meeting of the council that we still meet the criteria.

A ‘relevant’ annual meeting is the annual meeting (mayor making) of the council after the ordinary election that normally takes place every four years. The confirmation does not have to take place every year.

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To qualify as an eligible parish council, the council must meet the following conditions: a. the council has resolved at a meeting that it meets the conditions below: b. the number of members of the council that have been declared to be elected, whether at ordinary elections or at by-election, is equal to or greater than two-thirds of the total number of members of the council; (co-opted or appointed councillors do not count as they are not elected). Therefore Calne’s requirement is 13 elected councillors. c. The Clerk to the council holds:(i) the Certificate of Local Council Administration (CILCA) (ii) the Certificate of Higher Education in Local Policy (iv) the first level of the foundation degree in Community Engagement and Governance awarded by the University of Gloucestershire or its successor qualifications; and d. The Clerk to the Parish Council has completed the relevant training, and passed the short section 7 of the CiLCA 2012 in order to be fully qualified for the purposes of the GPC (see below).2 e. The Town Clerk holds an honours degree in Community Engagement and Governance from the University of Gloucestershire and has recently completed and passed the relevant training at paragraph ‘d’ above. This means that the council does meet the conditions to qualify as an eligible council.

Risks and Restrictions limiting the GPC There are some risks associated with using the GPC. Inadequate community support or insufficient funding are significant risks while there are several statutory or legal restrictions that the Town Council should consider before using the power. Those risks include:• If the Town Council is already subject to a statutory duty, then that duty remains in place.

So, for example as a Town Council eligible to use GPC we must continue to abide by our duties. For example: - The council has a duty to act with regard to the likely effect on crime and disorder and to do all it can to prevent crime and disorder in its area (Crime and Disorder Act 2006 s17).

- The Natural Environment and Communities Act 2006 s40 imposes a duty on local councils to consider conserving biodiversity in exercising its functions.

- The Smallholding and Allotments Act 1908 s23 (1) gives councils a duty to provide allotments if they are of the opinion that there is a demand for them.

A Clerk who has studied the University of Gloucestershire module covering law for local councils before the academic year 2012/13 (but who doesn’t have CiLCA 2012) must also pass Section 7 of CiLCA 2012.

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PLANNING APPLICATIONS Calne Town Council is statutorily consulted on planning applications submitted to Wiltshire Council relating to Calne Town. The Town Council also passes comment on applications in the community area, in particular those that will impact on the town.

The Town Development & Planning Committee meet every three weeks on a Tuesday evening in the Town Hall to consider and comment on these applications.

During 2015/2016 Calne Town Council was consulted on 150 planning applications. Five planning applications were strongly objected to, a number of which were upheld by Wiltshire Council, the most important of which being the refusal of the application for 32 retirement apartments in the town centre.

The applications considered included: • • • • • • •

Home extensions and alterations Conservatories Tree Works Changes of Use Applications Waste Site Applications Advertising/Signage New housing development sites

As well as discussing planning applications, members also commented on and made decisions and recommendations on: • Speeding and parking issues in the town.

• The implementation of a new Christmas lighting scheme.

• A proposal for a two hour free parking trial for the Heritage Quarter Car Park off Church Street.

• Street naming for new developments.

• Licence applications in the town.

• Wiltshire Council consultations.

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CIVIC AND CEREMONIAL CEREMONIAL The Town Council upholds the civic and ceremonial traditions of the town.

During 2015/2016: • Civic and ceremonial events attended by the councillors were:

- Mayor Making - Remembrance Sunday - Calne Music and Arts Festival Church Service -Town Criers Competition

• The Town Mayor attended some 63 engagements in the town and across the county, including visiting schools and community groups in the town, opening events, presenting awards and attending civic dinners representing Calne.

• The robes are maintained by the Support Service Manager and Town Hall Caretaker.

They are checked annually by an approved contractor.

• The Town Mayor is supported on ceremonial occasions by the Town Clerk, Mace Bearer and Town Crier.

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CIVIC AWARDS Historically, the presentation of Civic Awards was a component part of the Annual Parish and Mayor Making meeting held in May each year, and one of the final official duties of the outgoing Town Mayor. However in 2015/16 Town Mayor Howard Marshall felt the presentation of awards should be recognised for its importance for the town and the recipients and requested the Award Ceremony be removed from the Annual Parish and Mayor Making Ceremony and be added to the Calendar of Events in its own right.

For this edition of the Annual Report, the Civic Award Scheme will cover the years 2014/15 with awards being presented in May 2015 and 2015/16 with awards being presented in March 2016.

Civic Awards for 2014/15 Presented by Town Mayor Ms Heather Canfer Young Citizens Award Nominee: Daniel Jacob Adams Nominated by: Mrs Rosemary Coombs Daniel has a natural passion and talent for gardening. He first came to the notice of the Calne in Bloom Judges in June 2014 when they visited to judge his front and back gardens. At that time, aged only 15 years, Dan had converted a tiny back garden packed with builders’ debris into a raised bed allotment. He had produced detailed computer printouts of his planting schemes to show the Judges. In July 2015 the South West In Bloom Judges visited to assess Daniel’s ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ entry and were amazed at the shrub beds in the areas of Page Close and Oak Close. His work has been recognised by the local housing association, who have made him official “Community Gardener” and provided a small budget to help with his work. He is currently maintaining 14 community beds on Curzon Park and is a great favourite with the residents who appreciate his work and enjoy chatting about the plants.

Dan has also run a Junior Gardeners club, made a Bug Hotel for the winter and taken part in the RSPB Bird Watch.

The Town Council were so impressed with his work he was asked to plot the layout of perennial flower beds in the Town Gardens. He will complete some of the beds for the South West in Bloom portfolio.

Dan is very proud of the awards that he has achieved so far and the Young Citizens Award will encourage him in his efforts for the junior gardeners and community work.

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Town Mayor’s Civic Award There were two nominations for this award, Town Mayor Ms Heather Canfer decided both nominations were worthy of recognition and the award was shared between Mrs Herta Buckeridge and Mr Peter Steadman.

Nominee: Mrs Herta Buckeridge Nominated by: Mrs Jane Mannall Over many years Herta Buckeridge has contributed tirelessly to the community of Calne. Herta is renowned for her prodigious marmalade, jam and chutney making, which she has been doing for 25 years. In that time she has raised over £12,000 which has been distributed to several local charities including Friends of St Mary’s Church and Calne Community Transport. Herta has been Chairperson of Calne Handicap Club for 10 years and also Marden House for several years, not forgetting her work with Calne Community Transport where she was a Trustee and Committee Member for 22 years. She also ran the Church Angels, a group of volunteers who clean St Mary’s Church.

The many years of devoted service to others has been without formal recognition and it was felt Herta was more than worthy to receive an award from the town.

Nominee: Mr Peter Steadman Nominated by: Mr Mark Wylie Peter’s work as a film-maker, specifically regarding Calne events, has always been of the highest quality and portrayed Calne in a positive light. His work records not only the high days and holidays of the town, he has also recorded interviews with residents of the town capturing their own memories and stories to provide a first-hand account for future generations.

Peter’s work will no doubt provide a valuable historic account of the life and times of Calne and be a true testament to his dedication and loyalty to the town.

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Town Mayor’s Gift Fund Nominee: Jodie Bounds Nominated by: Steve Richards – Coach Jodie has been playing cricket at Calne Cricket Club for over three years. She has always possessed an amazing talent, but more impressive is her attitude and enthusiasm for the game.

Jodie is invariably the first to arrive and last to leave at training nights. She is not afraid to put herself in challenging situations and has often played for older age groups at the Club. Her ability enables her to play equally well in girl only and mixed teams, something that may daunt a lot of youngsters, but she takes it in her stride. Jodie has been selected for the Wiltshire County Girls Team Under 13s for the last two seasons.

A great achievement.

Civic Awards for 2015/16 Presented by Town Mayor Councillor Howard Marshall Young Citizens Award Nominees: Rebecca Green, Joe Provis, Jordan Holt and Beth Wheeler Nominated by: Helen Bradley – Community Youth Officer for Wiltshire Council Rebecca, Joe, Jordan and Beth are involved in Calne Local Youth Network. They are dedicated and passionate about improving the facilities for young people in the town. They achieve this by identifying the local needs of young people, importantly listening to what the young people really wish for. Involving youngsters in the decision making process encourages them to take ownership and care about the facilities provided, no longer just having to make the best of what us “oldies” think is best for them. The Local Youth Network help turn dreams into reality by prioritising projects and sourcing funding, making a positive impact on other young people’s lives by giving them new activities in the community. Members learn new skills from being part of the group and engaging with the community to help improve the local area.

All four nominees have been volunteering for 18 months. They have also attended the Skate Bowl and Magna Carta meetings and do lots of volunteer work as well as helping at town events and those events held specifically for young people.

The Town Mayor summed up the achievements of these young people by saying – “If I may quote from the lyrics of a Whitney Houston song – I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way. Whilst I do not wish to offend the young people here today by calling them children, these young people are most certainly brilliant examples of how the youth today can improve their own lives and will hopefully go onto greater things in the future”.

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Town Mayor’s Civic Award Nominees: Kevin Wells and Andrew Marshall Nominated by: Mr Mark Saint In the Spring 2007, North Wiltshire District Council closed the White Horse Leisure Centre leaving Calne with insufficient sport and leisure facilities. A community group stepped in and set up an I.P.S. (Investment Policy Statement) to take a lease on the building for 10 years. Calne Leisure Centre opened its doors to the public in January 2008 and has gone from strength to strength ever since.

The make-up of that community group has varied over the years, however one constant has been the involvement of two stalwarts Kevin Wells and Andrew Marshall. Both Kevin and Andrew have been there throughout providing guidance and leadership to the board and committees. Their dedication has ensured that sporting and leisure facilities, which without their support would have been lost, have continued and further developed. Such commitment must be applauded and they both deserve recognition for giving so much of their own time for the good of the community.

The Town Mayor congratulated both Kevin and Andrew adding “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate two very good sports for keeping such a good sports facility alive, and now that they will have so much free time I wonder what they will do, have you ever thought about taking up a sport lads!!”

Nominee: John Dawson Nominated by: Mrs Sadie Kenway John or “JR” as he’s known to many, has been an inspiration to the community of Calne over the years. His gentle encouragement has brought out the best in so many youngsters whilst making creations for the lantern procession in its early days and his voluntary contribution around Christmas time brings so much pleasure to both young and old. This encouragement has played a significant part in the town’s community development and has actively fostered the bringing together of different parts of the townsfolk, regardless of their background or social status.

“JR” trained as an archery coach at a time of life when many would sit back to let others “take the strain” and provided archery classes at Beversbrook Sports Facility. This is just typical of his versatility and “can-do” attitude. He sings for the local parish choir and for many years was a leading light of the Calne Players Amateur Dramatic Group, encouraging even the most shy to have-a-go.

The Town Mayor summed up JR’s achievements by adding “JR” has played a significant part with various charitable organisations over the years, not least his contribution to the life of Calne Community Hub, where he is Manager and a valuable resource”.

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Town Mayor’s Gift Fund Nominee: Ebony Bevan Nominated by: Robert Merrick Ebony is actively involved in the sport of Kick Boxing, competing in UK and World Championship Competitions. She is a member of Team GB and her achievements to date include:4 Silver Medals in the World Championships 1 Gold Medal in the European Championships 1 Title Belt in the ladies 55 kg Ebony started boxing when she was 15, following in the footsteps of her uncle who also boxes.

She trains six days a week to maintain fitness levels and develop her technique and is a member of the Kick Boxing Academy in Chippenham. A regular traveller to competitions in Birmingham, she has also had matches in France and Germany. Ebony has set her sights on travelling to compete in America next year.

Ebony is passionate about her sport believing it to be the perfect way to keep fit. The Town Mayor said “I hope that this recognition helps in the promotion of this sport and that the award will help towards the on-going costs for kit and travel expenses”.

GRANTS AND DONATIONS Grants and donations (including free use of Town Hall rooms) are awarded by the Town Council’s Policy and Resources Committee which meets bi-monthly. Awards to community groups and other non-profit making organisations are required to meet the Town Council’s strict guidelines and criteria. Any group or organisation receiving a grant must benefit the local community directly.

During 2015/2016, the following groups received grants or were permitted free use of the Town Hall: Calne Movies 1st Calne Scouts Calne Food and Drink Festival Calne Music & Arts Festival Royal British Legion CARP Friends of Abberd Brook Calne Community Link The Carnegie Building is leased to Calne Heritage Centre Trustees free of charge.

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COMMUNITY AND OUTDOOR SERVICES VISITOR AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION CENTRE The Visitor and Community Information Centre is based in the Town Council offices in Bank House. This office is staffed by one full-time employee and two part-time employees.

The centre aims to deal with enquiries from the public directly or ensure they are passed to the relevant authority on whatever subject, whether is it related to local government issues or not.

This office also acts as a Box Office for many community events held around the town, including the Music and Arts Festival as well as the events hosted by the Town Council.

In addition, available at the centre is a large selection of tourism brochures and local walking and cycling information.

During 2015/16 the centre handled 2904 telephone calls and a total of 3772 people passed through the centre’s doors. These enquiries covered a wide variety from local information to national tourism.

Other services performed by the centre include:• • • • •

A National Express coach ticket booking office Stockists of local and national brochures A point of contact to report highway defects The first point of contact for the Town Council Town Hall and Civic Wedding bookings

Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 4.30pm

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CALNE TOWN HALL The Town Hall comprises of the Large Hall, Corn Exchange, Council Chamber and bar, all of which are available for hire by the public, community and business groups for meetings, conferences and training purposes. In addition, the building may be used for craft markets, parties, theatre productions, cinema and displays.

The Town Hall is licensed to hold Civil Weddings, Wedding Receptions and Baby Naming Ceremonies and has hosted 5 Civil Ceremonies, 4 Civil Ceremonies plus Receptions and 3 Receptions in 2015/2016.

During 2015/2016 • Calne Town Council has been in the very early stages of a redevelopment project for the Town Hall. The project will transform spaces such as the old fire & ambulance station behind the Town Hall into areas that can be enjoyed by the Calne community and visitors to the town. Plans include developing a gallery space, cafe and atrium to unite all areas of the Town Hall creating a cultural hub and civic centre for the town. The project is several years away from • Councillor Heather Canfer completion and the Town Council would seek commissioned six large photographic Heritage Lottery Funding to support the work. canvases to brighten the Town Hall’s In 2015/2016 the Town Council has commismain staircase. The prints feature sioned a scoping study to instigate the project, images of Calne both from the Town set up a working group formed from community Council’s collection and donated by members and begun the process of community members of Calne Camera Club. consultation with an initial survey.

• The Corn Exchange and WCs have been refreshed with a new painting scheme.

• New LED lights have been installed throughout the Town Hall to improve the quality of the lighting for hirers and increase energy efficiency.

• New crockery has been purchased.

• Further CCTV cameras have been installed to increase security within the building.

Planned for 2016/2017 The Town Council will continue to modernise the facilities in the Town Hall with plans to install an electronic piano, new curtains in the Corn Exchange and rethink the cleaning facilities.

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The Town Hall has taken many bookings during the year: • The Town Council made 114 bookings • The Town Hall was used for private hire for 348 bookings.

Private hire can be further broken down into the following categories:Fitness/dance/zumba classes etc -

196

Meetings/AGM

-

12

Parties and Balls

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Weight Loss Classes

-

8

Weddings - 12

Cinema/Plays/Choir

-

77

Conferences - 10

Charity Events

-

5

Electoral/James Gray MP

Craft Fair

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1

-

-

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Consultations - 11 The Town Hall can provide the perfect venue for any functions. It is in the centre of town, with plenty of car parking in easy walking distance, and is also on several main bus routes from local towns and villages.

If you would like information on hiring the Town Hall for any event, please contact the Visitor and Community Information Centre on 01249 814000 or visit the Town Council’s website www.calne.gov.uk.

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CURZON STREET CEMETERY Curzon Street Cemetery is a non-conformist burial ground. It was opened around 1867 and has been in continual use since that date. There is a small chapel on the site which is available for hire for funeral services.

ALLOTMENTS The allotments at Beversbrook and Newcroft are continuing to produce an amazing variety of crops for their holders. Some of the plots not only produce the staple vegetables one would expect, like potatoes, cabbages and beans, but are also filled with mouthwatering strawberries and bountiful blackcurrants. Herbs give off heady scents as you brush past them, waiting for their time to fill freezers, jam jars or store cupboards.

There has been quite a large turnaround of plots this year, which means new people to the sites, many of whom have already appreciated the help and advice given by holders who have worked their plots for years. Many of the people new to keeping an allotment have small children. It is an absolute delight to see them with their Mums and Dads; picking up worms and uncovering odd shaped stones – which just goes to prove an allotment isn’t just for retired people.

The Beversbrook site’s Allotment Association continues to flourish and enhance the community feel of the site.

The current waiting time for an allotment is approximately 4-5 years at both sites.

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OPEN SPACES 2015/2016 has been a very busy and successful year for the Grounds Staff and the town, with the town achieving Gold for the second year in a row in the South West in Bloom competition. A huge thank you goes to everyone involved in working towards this award, the support provided on the judging day, helping out with last minute tidying, litter picking and dead-heading to ensure the town was presented at its very best.

We have also had many donations of trees and perennial plants. These generous donations are gratefully received as we are constantly changing and improving different areas of the town.

The Grounds Staff, as ever, continue to maintain all the amenity and play areas around the town superbly and the number of comments on how good the town is looking continues to increase year on year. Calne is a lovely place to live and visit – let’s carry on making it even better!

The River Marden Nature Trail is owned and maintained by Calne Town Council and lies within Calne’s Conservation Area. The present management involves keeping the path clear of vegetation and litter with occasional lifting of overhanging branches.

In 2015 improvements to the trail included clearing around the now established crack willows and the rebuilding of the entrance steps at Brewers Lane as part of the lead-up to the implementation of the Management Plan.

Since opening in 2015 the skatepark’s green spaces and community have gone from strength to strength, with the Bowl Group winning the regional award for Youth Achievement at the South West in Bloom Awards. Plans for 2016 - 2017 include installing a container for bike repairs, a table and seating area and a water fountain.

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STABILISATION AND REPAIR OF HISTORIC WALL IN CASTLEFIELDS PARK Castlefield Park’s historic stone wall in parts dates back to the 1600s, although the majority of the current wall is probably Victorian. This year essential work has been undertaken to stabilise the wall to ensure it remains for years to come.

Since 2012, defects have appeared within the wall forcing the use of 250 meters of security fencing in order to maintain public safety and provide a “fall” area should any of the wall collapse.

There was a large amount of intrusive vegetation on and hanging over the wall and many trees are in close proximity to the site. 23 assorted trees have been removed from this site with more than 30 native species planted a minimum of 8 metres away from the wall’s structure or within other areas in the park to replace those removed.

Greatest care was taken to ensure the safety of nearby wildlife during this work, which took place early in 2016 prior to the start of nesting season.

Following this work the wall will then be brought back to its former glory through repair and reconstruction. Hills Homes has funded the repairs through the Section 106 agreement of the nearby Station Road housing development.

The Town Council produced an information panel to explain the work (right).

The felled trees were recycled into chippings and used in paths within Castlefields Park (right) and in town centre planting areas.

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STREET CLEANING It is Wiltshire Council’s statutory responsibility to keep all of Calne’s streets and public areas clean and litter free. However, the Town Council employs a full-time person to provide a ‘top up’ service to the street cleaning provided by Wiltshire Council.

Keep Calne Clean Campaign This year Calne Town Council has launced a ‘Keep Calne Clean’ initiative to educate residents and help keep the town healthy and free of litter.

Members of Calne Town Council staff are now trained and able to issue on the spot Fixed Penalty Notices for dog fouling and littering, though whilst we have this power we hope to educate rather than enforce.

None have been issued to date, but an increase in dog waste collected from our bins has had a financial impact on the budget. Areas, on the whole, do appear to be cleaner – however it seems that there are still persistent offenders out there. Many people are aware of the scheme and the message seems to be getting across.

Town Council Streetcleaner Dave in Castlefields Park

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The Town Council has been raising awareness about the ‘Keep Calne Clean’ campaign through press coverage and poster which is displayed around the town and in schools.

CALNE IN BLOOM The Winter and Summer Planting Schemes devised and implemented by the Town Council’s Grounds Team not only enhance the town, but also contribute to the fantastic efforts made by residents to make this town a fragrant, colourful place in which to live and visit. The Town Clerk has received very complimentary letters from people either visiting the town or even just viewing from the top deck of a local bus.

RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood 2015/16 was a very good time for the Calne in Bloom team. A meeting was arranged with local Head Teachers at their monthly cluster meeting which included a presentation on the benefits of gardening within the school curriculum, highlighting the fact that all areas of children’s education can be covered during these sessions. This was received enthusiastically and as a result of this meeting three additional schools, Fynamore Community School, Holy Trinity CE Academy and Springfield Academy are now participating within Calne in Bloom as ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ groups. They all did exceptionally well for their first year with two achieving ‘Thriving’ and the third ‘Outstanding’.

Other youth groups involved this year were Calne Air Cadets, the Skate Bowl Group and residents of Page Close. The Skate Bowl Group shared the award for Best Youth Achievement in the South West. The Assessors were very impressed with the determination of the young people to get the skate park project up and running and the work they have done landscaping the area, their incredible edible project and their vision for the future of the project.

All ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ groups are assessed in the following categories: Community Participation Environmental Responsibility Gardening Achievement It’s Your Neighbourhood Results Level 3 - Developing Holy Trinity Churchyard Oak Close John Bentley Eco Garden Ogilvie Square – Air Cadets Calne Bowls Club Calne Free Church Calne Visitor & Community Information Centre Level 4 - Thriving Level Calne Methodist Church The Wharf Calne Heritage Centre Calne Skate Bowl Group Level 5 - Outstanding Castlefields Canal and River Park Springfield’s Allotment Project Page Close Beversbrook Sports & Community Facility Marden House Centre Friends of Abberd Brook

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Community Participation in Calne in Bloom Many of the town’s community groups play an active part in supporting the environment. Calne’s Air Quality Working Group and Local Youth Network group spent the morning of 11th March working with Town Council staff to plant six 12 foot silver birch trees in the Town Gardens which is one of the Air Quality Management Areas within the town.

As part of this year’s Clean for the Queen initiave for Her Majesty’s 90th birthday Friends of Abberd Brook, Calne Environmental Network and Calne Bowl Group organised litter picks.

Hanging Basket Workshop The Town Council again hosted a Hanging Basket Workshop in May 2015 at the Town Hall.

There were two sessions, both of which were very well attended. Those participating agreed they received excellent tuition from the Grounds Team, who were on hand to pass on tips and lend a hand where needed. Everyone brought their own hanging basket and liner, the Town Council provided the plants, compost and water retaining gel for a nominal fee of £14.00.

At the end of the event everyone was very proud of their baskets all ready to add to their summer displays.

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Participation From Local Schools and Groups During early June we invited children from the local schools to help with the annual summer planting displays in the town centre. This event gives the children a sense of pride in their community and also an insight into horticulture. The Council’s Grounds Staff oversee the planting giving guidance and information on aftercare of the plants throughout the summer season to ensure that the town has a colourful display for everyone to enjoy.

The schools participating were: Holy Trinity St Dunstan St Margaret’s St Mary’s Fynamore Priestley Many more schools and groups have joined the It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative and the RHS Campaign for school gardening. The new Skate Bowl group have also joined as an IYN and are in the planning stages of transforming the bank at the site.

This will hopefully be a community participation event.

The local Air Cadets group have also joined as an IYN; they are unable to change anything at their HQ so intend to be a mobile volunteer unit assisting in the town and with other community groups as required.

Facebook The Calne in Bloom Facebook page continues to be extremely popular with the Calne community and other ‘In Bloom’ groups around the country.

It is ideal for sharing ideas, advertising events and asking for help on projects

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South West in Bloom Judging Day Calne welcomed the South West in Bloom judges on Wednesday 8th July. After a reception and presentation in the Corn Exchange they were taken on the judging tour of the town’s green spaces, parks and town centre floral displays.

The Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum kindly offered to chauffeur the judges around the town in their Rolls Royce. The judges were shown evidence of improvements made since their visit in 2014.

The tour visited Castlefields Park, The Skate Bowl, The Nature Trail, The Recreation Ground, The Bowls Club, Marden Belles Yarn Bombing at the Family Inclusive Sports Area, The Wildlife Area at Priestly School, The Town Gardens and The Riverside. They were very impressed with the quality of the floral displays and loved this year’s purple, pink and blue vein surfinia petunia floral fountains, barrier and hanging baskets.

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Calne in Bloom Competition Calne in Bloom resident’s gardens competition was run alongside the annual allotments competition. This proved very popular with residents and we had a higher number of entries this year. The standard was extremely high as always which gave the judges a very difficult task.

The categories were Best Front Garden, Best Back Garden, Best Residential/Community Garden, Best Container Garden and Best Licenced Premises.

The first place awards were:

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1

1- Best Front Garden – Mr Paul Waite, The Rise 2 - Best Back Garden - Mr Paul Waite, The Rise 3 - Best Container Garden—Rose Southern 4 - Best Community Garden—Marden House 5 - Best Licensed Premises—The Talbot Inn

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Whitehall Garden Centre very kindly sponsored the “In Bloom” competition by providing gift tokens, these were presented at the Award Ceremony in September; the prizes were awarded by The Town Mayor, Councillor Howard Marshall.

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South West Presentation Day at the Brittania Naval College, Dartmouth

On 24th September Calne in Bloom representatives went to the South West in Bloom Awards in Dartmouth. 500 certificates were awarded to the RHS ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ entries from all over the south west region including 19 from Calne, all the groups involved did very well.

After lunch the main South West in Bloom Awards were presented by Jonathan Dimbleby. We couldn’t contain our excitement when the result was announced, Gold for Calne for the second year running!

Also for the second year running, Calne was nominated for the South West Tourism Trophy for the best judge’s portfolio and the ‘Art in the Landscape’ award.

Castlefields Canal and River Park were nominated for the best ‘Environmental Contribution’. The Bowl Group won the award for outstanding contribution by youths or youth groups for all their work on the Skate Bowl project, the cup is shared with St David’s Primary School & Exeter University Students. It was presented to representatives of The Bowl Group at the Spring Seminar in February and it will be here in Calne until the South West in Bloom Awards Ceremony on 6th October.

Huge congratulations and many thanks go to all the Ground Staff at Calne Town Council, members of the working group, the local schools and all the community groups involved.

Calne could not have achieved this without the constant support of many people.

Thanks to all our sponsors who include St Margaret’s School, Wilkins Builders, Lions Club of Calne, White Horse Veterinary Clinic, Calne Rotary Club, Eco Assist, Bil Group, Riverview Portfolio, Cllr Mercy Baggs, JPO Construction, Bevirs Solicitors, WEC, Peter Hodges Associates, IE Security Systems, Carlton Business Centre, Johnson and Daltrey Funeral Directors, Whitehall Garden Centre and Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum. Without their continued support we would not be able to achieve the standards required.

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South West in Bloom Seminar In February 2016 working group members attended the South West in Bloom Spring Seminar at Exeter University.

The programme concentrated on the basic requirements for groups entering the main and Pennant competitions.

Subjects covered were: - preparing for your entry, route planning and Portfolio & Presentation.

Later in the day talks were made by Sarah Cathcart RHS on the Campaign in School Gardening, Roger Burnett – Chair of Britain in Bloom, The Value of Parks and finally the Presentation of the Parks Awards. Calne did brilliantly yet again with Beversbrook and Castlefields achieving the top level of a 5 star award.

Top left: Jake Brock of Calne Bowl Group collecting their award for Outstanding Contribution

by Youths Top right: The Beversbrook team with their Five Stars Pride in Parks Award.

Bottom left and right: Mo Norrington collecting Castlefields Canal & River Park’s Five Stars Pride in Parks Award.

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BEVERSBROOK SPORTS AND COMMUNITY FACILITY

40,000 people visit Beversbrook each year and the facilty is home to: • 75 football teams ranging from 3 year olds to seniors • 25 other sporting, non sporting and governing organisations • Calne Table Tennis Club • Calne Tennis Club • Calne Cricket Club • Slimming World • Judo • Calne Camera Club • Youth Voices and Adult Choir Group • Calne Art Group • NHS Blood Donation Service

• • • • • • • • • • •

Children’s Centre Calne Archers Calne Running Club Calne SMARTT St Mary’s School – Lacrosse and Athletics SuppleCore Pilates Music Bugs Buggy Fit Green Square Zumba Big Screen Beversbrook

Since 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2016 Beversbrook has hosted: • • • • • • • • •

612 League and cup football matches 505 hours of football training on grass 550 tournamnet matches Hosted the North Wiltshire Youth and Minor Junior League Semi Finals Junior Premier Football League Fair Play Finals 202 training sessions for Swindon Town Football Club 45 Athletics sessions 1074 hours of football training on the Small Sided Court 3,266 hours of hall hire

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Beversbrook has also: • Proudly opened the Full Size All Weather Pitch • Installed a 3rd Generation Carpeted the existing MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) • Secured grants funds to build upon the success for the athletics project • Hosted three indoor marquee weddings

Community Events • Hosts of The Football Association Walking Football Programme for the over 50’s • 184 people have attended Big Screen Beversbrook • Hosted Calne Town Council’s Annual Firework Display • Hosted an English Ladies Cricket game

Awards • Winners in the Institute of Groundsmanship Best Grass Roots Sports Facility in UK and Ireland 2015.

• Achieved the level five ‘Outstanding’ achievement award in the Britain in Bloom “It’s Your Neighbourhood” Category.

• Achieved Gold in the Britain in Bloom Parks and Open Spaces Category.

• Runners up in The Football Association Grounds Person of the Year in 2015.

• Winners of the Wiltshire Football Association Ground Person of the year in 2015.

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Cark Parking at Beversbrook Sports and Community Facility Beversbrook Sports and Community Facility has become one of the leading sports venues in the South West of England and over the past six years the number of sports personnel and private/community hirers has risen to nearly 40,000 people visiting annually.

Whilst the Beversbrook team offer the highest standard of care and support to visitors, it was becoming very apparent there was one weak link in the chain – that being there simply was not enough parking spaces to accommodate to vast number of visitors.

The existing car park could accommodate 92 cars, with 200-300 parking spaces required on an average weekend which inevitably caused drivers to become frustrated and upset. This also had a knock-on effect to Beversbrook Allotment holders, whose allocated spaces were regularly filled by visitors.

The roadways on the Porte Marsh Industrial Estate were also full with parked cars, increasing the number of visitors crossing the main road which can at times be very busy.

The lack of sufficient parking space was soon identified as becoming a hazard. This was highlighted in September 2014 when an ambulance could not attend an emergency on the football pitches due to the disorganised parking. The emergency services require clear access to any area of the site and with this in mind, Beversbrook staff introduced bollards to keep the entrance and path free of cars and opened a grass over flow car park. Unfortunately, the overflow area could only be used during dry weather. In wet weather drivers run the risk of getting stuck and vehicles were damaging the grass, exacerbating the situation.

The Beversbrook team investigated many avenues to try to secure grant funding to build an all-weather parking area, which would also accommodate future growth at the site. In April 2015 Calne Town Council was awarded £50,000 of grant funding from Viridor–Credits towards the project cost of £69,000. Calne Area Board granted the sum of £5,110 which enabled the Town Council to pay the 11% third party contribution to Viridor-Credits, leaving a shortfall of £19,000 which the Town Council’s Policy and Resources Committee agreed to provide.

The project was completed in July 2015, with the new car park located near the tennis courts covering an area of 3000 square metres. This provides approximately 150 extra car parking spaces and can be accessed from the existing car park onto what was the grass overflow.

The Beversbrook team look forward to welcoming more visitors to the site, safe in the knowledge that the facility has yet again met the needs of the community and visitors to this flagship enterprise.

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CALNE COMMUNITY AREA DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE Calne Town Council recognises the importance for all of the residents of Calne to be able to live a safe, meaningful life within the community. It can be safely stated that at sometime in life, many people require support and understanding to deal with personal health issues or disabilities.

Most people will have experienced that moment of forgetfulness, not being able to recall someone’s name, climbing the stairs then forgetting why you went upstairs in the first place – these are common everyday occurrences that can be attributed to lack of concentration or that often used phrase ‘having a senior moment’. However for an increasing number of people it can be an indication of the onset of dementia.

A group called Dementia Friends was launched in February 2013 by the Alzheimer’s’ Society.

It aims to help people understand what it might be like to live with dementia and to help promote understanding of the disease.

To move this initiative forward a partnership was formed which included Calne Town Council, Wiltshire Council’s Area Board, the Alzheimer’s Society as well as local businesses and organisations all working to a common cause.

During 2015 Calne became the first town in Wiltshire to form a Dementia Action Alliance (DAA). The launch of the DAA comes after an Alzheimer’s Society report stated that less than half of people living with the condition feel a part of the community, and nearly three quarters of UK adults surveyed do not think society is prepared to deal with dementia. Something the DAA want to correct.

Diane Gooch, Spokeswoman for the Group said “People affected by dementia are involved in the steering group and DAA. Listening to their views is incredibly important. We are really keen to work with more local businesses, especially supermarkets, and get them involved too. We want to spread this as far as we can and show that even small things can make a big difference for people living with dementia”.

Staff from Calne Town Council attended Dementia Friend Information Sessions to learn how the disease develops and affects those suffering from it. The session provides a valuable insight into how dementia can affect ones perception and cause misunderstanding or interpretation of everyday objects. One example given was that many shop doorways have mats with wiggly patterns. To most of the population the mats do not cause a problem, however dementia sufferers may see the wiggly lines as snakes and not want to enter the shop.

Two members of staff, Clare Harris and Trudy King, furthered their knowledge by attending Dementia Champion Training Sessions in Chippenham. They are now able to facilitate and lead Dementia Friends Information Sessions and have formed a network with other Champions within the town. The DAA is currently welcoming new members, for more information please contact Clare Harris charris@calne.gov.uk .

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TWO HOURS FREE PARKING IN HERITAGE QUARTER From Monday 7th December 2015, shoppers were able be able to enjoy free car parking for two hours in Calne’s Heritage Quarter Car Park.

This success followed a campaign led by local businesses and Town Councillors, with the Town Council’s Town Development and Planning Committee agreeing to subsidise a six month trial with £3,600 paid to Wiltshire Council from Calne Town Council’s general reserves.

Starting at the height of the Christmas shopping rush, the trial was hoped to increase footfall to the independent businesses and historic streets within the Heritage Quarter, as Calne Town Councillor Robert MacNaughton explained “It is important we support local businesses, because they are the life blood of the Town. We need to encourage more visitors to stay and enjoy what Calne has to offer.”

Accessed from the A4 and known to locals as Church Street car park, the site has recently been renamed to draw attention to the historic buildings that surround it. Calne Heritage Quarter is an area of the town centre which has been highlighted by a local tourism group, Calne Our Place, for its historic character and charm.

Within the Heritage Quarter visitors can find a range of independent businesses, Calne Heritage Centre and Castlefields Canal and River Park.

NEW HERITAGE QUARTER MAP In 2015 the Town Council comissioned an illustrated map of Calne Heritage Quarter by local artists Brooks Smith Creative. The map is designed to encourge both visitors and locals to step off the beaten track and explore the town’s historic streets. The map will soon be displayed around the town on interpretation boards produced by community tourism group Calne Our Place and funded by Wiltshire Council and Calne Chamber of Commerce.

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CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION (CCTV) The CCTV suite operated by the Town Council continues to be a powerful force against crime, producing consistently strong evidence to assist with criminal prosecutions.

A team of dedicated volunteers, under the day-to-day control of the CCTV Manager, works in partnership with local businesses and retailers to provide an invaluable source of information.

The police regularly visit the CCTV suite to share vital information and to requisition CCTV footage for further action.

Objectives The objectives published in Calne Town Councils CCTV Code of Practice remain unchanged, but are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that they are current and relevant to the town: • • • • • • • • •

To help reduce the fear of crime To help deter crime To help detect crime and provide evidential material for court proceedings To assist in the overall management of Calne’s town centre To enhance community safety, assist in developing the economic well being of the area and encourage greater use of the facilities in the town To assist the local Police Constabulary in its enforcement and regulatory functions within the town To assist in traffic management To assist in supporting civil proceedings To assist other emergency services

In addition to the above objectives, the system is utilised to carry out welfare roles such as locating missing and vulnerable people and school truants. The night time economy brings many young people into the town centre, but occasionally over indulgence leaves some incapacitated and therefore vulnerable. CCTV operators have a duty of care and inform the police of any sightings, particularly of lone females.

The CCTV System and Control Room The CCTV Control Room is a restricted access area where only authorised personnel are permitted to enter. Volunteer Operators work in a team of two, sometimes three for busy town events. This gives effective incident response and much needed camaraderie particularly at night. Two workstations are equipped with dual control keyboards, spot monitors and the police radio to hand. Operators will work a typical shift of three to four hours, so comfort is of great importance, hence the installation of air-conditioning.

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Storenet Radio The main retail outlets in the town centre are linked via the Storenet Radio, alerting staff to known prolific shoplifters approaching their premises. At times when the Control Room is not staffed, the stores continue to use their radios to alert each other of a theft. Liaison with the CCTV Operators enables tracking of the offender and swift communications with the police.

Staffing and Training We are justly proud to be one of a small minority of CCTV Control Rooms staffed entirely by volunteer CCTV Operators. The current CCTV Manager has been in post since May 2015 having been selected from the volunteer staff though the recruitment and interview process.

The current volunteer staff stands at twenty-four which has been fairly constant since mid 2014.

It is a testimony to the dedication of our volunteers, who stepped up and provided extra cover well above the normal requirements upon their time, that the level of monitoring at the more crucial times was maintained.

Volunteers gave an accumulative total of 2617 hours in the past 12 months with an average of 218 per month (right).

In compliance with Calne Town Council’s CCTV Code of Practice, all potential Volunteer CCTV Operators are required to provide two references and undergo a police check prior to commencing their role. Operators are trained in the use of the CCTV equipment and the relevant legislation, which governs data handling and protection. Upon completion of their training, we have introduced a short written test to evaluate our training and ensure that standards are met.

All Operators have received a copy of both the Calne Town Council CCTV Code of Practice and the CCTV Suite Volunteers Handbook and have signed a Declaration of Confidentiality.

Operators are always offered additional/refresher training to ensure that all parties gains the most from their voluntary experience and remain competent in the use of all the equipment and updated with any new legislation.

Previously, various initiatives and incentives have ensured that the current volunteers are engaged, motivated and rewarded. Examples of these are:• Annual presentation evening where certificates are given along with specific awards. I.e. Volunteer of the Year, Long Service Award and Managers Award • Summer Social • Christmas social • Training sessions

• Regular meetings/coffee mornings • Feedback on monitoring results leading to convictions • Scheduled visit to EmergencyCommunications Centre, Police Headquarters, Devizes

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The Calne CCTV subscription to the Wiltshire Time Credit Scheme is still active. This scheme enables Calne CCTV to reward volunteers for their time by way of a credit for each hour given.

Volunteers are able to spend their credits on numerous activities and events both locally and nationally.

CCTV Operators made 145 entries onto the Incident Log sheet from April 2015 to March 2016.

Incidents logged are not indicitive of crime figures for Calne town centre, but are entries made by operators relating to anything suspicious seen on camera in compliance with the objectives set out in Calne Town Councils Code of Practice. Additionally, we hold an Intelligence log book for the recording of ‘Observation’ requests passed via the police radio, details of sightings of known offenders, suspicious behaviour that has not led to an incident and parking offences.

Observation requests may include details of Automatic Number Plate Recognition hits (ANPR), school truants, shoplifters, missing persons and drink drivers. CCTV Operators made 1141 entries in the Intelligence log from April 2015 to date, slightly increased from 977 last year.

CCTV as a Resource to The Police CCTV continues to be an invaluable tool to the police for the detection, apprehension and prosecution of offenders. Both Calne NPT and Calne CCTV benefit from a fruitful working partnership and information sharing is exercised by both parties on a regular basis.

Since the implementation of the Security Industry Authority licencing legislation, new Data Control procedures are strictly adhered to and the CCTV Manager holds a non-front line SIA Licence. All Data is gathered lawfully in compliance with The Data Protection Act with a clear Audit trail. Calne NPT is now familiar with Calne CCTVs ‘Request to View’ and CCTV Data collection procedures. There have been several occasions when a Request to View process has been initiated by Chippenham and Melksham CID. We have had three requests for use of the Deployable CCTV kit.

Operators are trained to act proactively and regularly inform the police of movements to areas subjected to on-going antisocial behaviour which fall outside of the cameras range, thus preventing an escalation or migration of ASB elsewhere.

Statistics show a 17.6% rise in visits from Wiltshire Police to the Control Room in the last 12 months (right).

Wiltshire Police submitted 51 ‘Requests to View’ documents to the CCTV Manager in the past 12 months. Following the request, the CCTV Manager reviews CCTV Data to locate an incident reported by a member of the public, a CCTV Operator or the police themselves and subsequently the Data is downloaded and used in prosecutions if appropriate. The quantity of data seized in the last 12 months compared to the last annual report – 2014/15 shows a marked decrease in both discs and stills.

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Achievements The CCTV Team recording and reporting is of a diverse nature; a few are detailed below:• In May 2015, on notification from the police control a vehicle had been taken from an address in Calne. The operator identified the vehicle entering Curzon St and parking. He directed the police to it and two persons were detained.

• In late May an intoxicated individual was seen urinating in Phelps Parade who then collapsed soon after. Police were informed who immediately attended and rendered assistance.

• One evening in July, a male person collapsed close to the zebra crossing on the Pippin.

Operators observed members of the public, who were using mobile phones, gathered round but the operators became concerned when no emergency vehicles attended after twenty- eight minutes and they had not heard the incident referred to on the TETRA radio.

The operators dialled 999 and alerted police via the radio to learn that the incident had not been reported. It appeared that the people close to the incident were using their phones to record the incident rather than report it. An ambulance arrived twelve minutes after the operators became involved. A letter of thanks was received from the man’s mother a few days later explaining that he had had an epileptic fit.

• In late July, the CCTV Manager received a retrospective request to review footage where a young female was seen to be brandishing a large knife and threatening members of the public. Examination of footage showed a female sitting in Curzon St and the knife clearly visible. The young woman was identified from later footage and arrested and charged.

• One night in September a male was observed acting suspiciously at the cycle rack outside Sainsbury’s and was seen to remove a bicycle from the rack. He was intercepted and admitted that it did not belong to him. Details were taken and the bike returned.

• In November we were asked to look for a young female who did not arrive at her school when expected. The cameras were monitored and approximately one hour after the report a girl answering her description was seen in the company of a known shop lifter. The girls were monitored and a police unit directed to their location. The missing girl was returned to school.

If you have a few hours to spare every week and would like to become a volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact the Visitor and Community Information Centre at Bank House for more details.

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EVENTS, PUBLICITY AND PROMOTIONS CALNE SPRING SING We can’t promise to make the hills come alive with the sound of music, but we certainly made the streets ring with the massed voices of twelve choirs. Calne Town Council hosted its second Spring Sing on Saturday 18th April 2015. Each choir performed at three venues, the Town Hall, the Library and Marden House. There was music to suit every taste from the traditional male voice choirs, glorifying gospel, jumping jazz and melodies from the musicals. Who could say that their heart strings weren’t well and truly played whilst listening to the childrens’ choirs who performed with a panache beyond their tender years. Of course, there was the extra special star performance of the Calne Larks - we are not supposed to be biased – but a lot of our staff and Town Councillors are members!!! So between carrying out other duties on the day such as marshalling and making sure the choirs were in the right place at the right time, they still found time (and breath) to perform.

Even during the lunch break there was the opportunity to join in a musical workshop. The Calne Lions Café was located in the Corn Exchange of the Town Hall, serving teas and coffees, and to keep the hunger pans satisfied throughout the day were also offering a vast array of cakes, sandwiches and ploughman’s lunches. All the proceeds from their teas and lunches go to their chosen charities.

At 3.15pm the choirs gathered en-mass in the Market Place – to congratulate each other on an amazingly successful day and to close the event with some community singing. The Big Sing of all the choirs joined together was soon even larger as shoppers stopped to join in a rousing rendition of the Frog Song followed by a favourite from the days of the New Seekers, I’d like to teach the world to sing.

Sincere thanks and congratulations go to all of the Choirs for their amazing performances:John Bentley School Supanova Sinchronize Priestly Primary School

New Voices Youth Voices Allsorts Community Choir Chippenham Male Voice

St Dunstan Primary School Calne Larks PSG Bath Community Gospel

If you are a member of a Choir and would like to be involved in future Spring Sings, please contact Tracy Howell on 01249 814000.

If you live in or visit the town and haven’t experienced this event yet, make a note in your diary for next year, it is totally free and it’s a lovely day out.

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CALNE TOWN CRIERS COMPETITION Anyone visiting Calne on Sunday 21st June may have had to look twice to believe their eyes, perhaps thinking they had either slipped into a parallel universe or the town had suddenly been turned in to a film set for a costume drama. It was of course neither of the above, the town was once again hosting the annual Town Criers Competition. An amazing 17 Criers attended from far and wide, accompanied by 14 Consorts.

Criers took it in turns to perform Cries on the subject of their Home Town. Following lunch, the Criers then enthusiastically threw themselves into cries on the subject of ‘Back to the Future’ marking the 30 year anniversary of the film of the same title. Four Junior Criers confidently demonstrated that the art of Town Crying will not be lost in the future.

The event culminated in the presentation of trophies –

Best Dressed Escort: Jenny Evans from Nailsworth and Minchinhampton

1st place and presented with the Two John’s Memorial Trophy: Peder Neilsen from Bromyard and Winslow

Best Dressed Crier: Tony Evans from Nailsworth and Minchinhampton

2nd place: Jon Northwick from Peacehaven 3rd place: Roy Goodwin from Illfracombe

Best Dressed Couple: Tony & Jenny Evans from Nailsworth and Minchinhampton The winner of the Wessex Crown for Best Overall Score: Peder Neilsen from Bromyard and Winslow

INTERNATIONAL TOWN CRIERS COMPETITION Mark has truly made the role of Town Crier for Calne his own, attending competitions all over the country and Europe. He is the epitome of a Town Crier and has won a large number of competitions and trophies. All Town Crier competitions are based around the “Cry”, but there are also prizes awarded for costume. It is not just the volume and clarity that score points, but also the content – again Mark has the natural ability to strike the right note at the right time.

The 22nd - 25th April 2015 saw the Bermuda International Town Criers Competition, where criers from all over the world were invited to compete for the titles International Champion and World Invitation Champion. Mark was announced as the Overall Champion - the Bermuda International Champion, World Invitational Champion and the first ever Commonwealth Champion. Congratulations go to Mark for this fantastic achievement and for promoting Calne all over the world.

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SUMMER FESTIVAL & CARNIVAL The programme for Saturday 27th June was bursting with events.

Community stalls and food stalls were being set up all around the town. Toast Master Mark Wilding kept the town centre fully informed of what was happening and where. If watching teddy bears parachuting was too frightening, there was the option of face painting in the Band Stand on Beach Terrace, Fun Golf Fore All at the new Market Place, or filling the time visiting the stalls and local shops before the special guest’s first performance.

Titan wowed the crowds at 11.30 am with his non-stop chatter, serenading the ladies and spraying children with water. Midday came and the choice of things to see and do got much larger with a teddy bears’ picnic, circus skills and Jennings Fun Fair. The official opening of the new Skatepark saw the town’s Skateboarders demonstrating their skills. Calne Larks Choir provided a musical interlude on Beach Terrace whilst at Bank House members of the MF Martial Arts team were limbering up to demonstrate their skills. The Mobile Farm opened at 2pm and Titan the Robot again wowed the crowds. The centre of town paused at 2.30pm as the Armed Forces Parade made its way from the Green to Beach Terrace where the Legion/Union flag was raised.

The A4 was closed to traffic at 4pm for the main event of the day, the Carnival Procession and Titan once again strutted his stuff in front of thousands. After the procession, the Samba Band gave a foot tapping performance on the Strand followed by an extremely energetic performance by Xpression StreetDance.

A big thank you to everyone for supporting the Summer Festival, special thanks go to our Sponsors: J & D Funeral Directors, Charles Fay Estate Agents, Calne Leisure Centre, The White Hart Hotel, Corsham Print and JJ & S Transport.

Floats First Prize of £50.00 - 1st Calne Scouts Second Prize of £25.00 - Cherhill Pre-School Third Prize of £15.00 - Heddington Pre-School Walking Entrants First Prize - Sunny Days Nursery Second Prize - Rock 4 Stars Dance Group Third Prize - Calne Players

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“Great event – again!!

Well done to all of those who worked so hard to make it a success”

CALNE FESTIVAL OF FOOD & DRINK Calne Festival of Food and Drink on 5th September saw Great British Bake Off Quarter Finalist Christine Wallace give a demonstration in the Town Hall alongside The Flying Pig Cake Emporium, Slimming World, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and HACCA. Over two thousand people visited the town centre during the event to meet local food and drink producers. The event committee would like to thank Arkells Brewery and Sainsbury’s for supporting the event.

CALNE HERITAGE WEEK Over 1500 people celebrated the town’s past during Calne’s first Heritage Week, 7th - 13th September.

The programme of 18 free walks, talks and events included free entry to Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum, a chance to see inside Calne’s intriguing 17th Century Almshouses and a Victorian themed event in the Town Hall. Organisers would like to thank all who supported the week and are looking forward to next year’s event.

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BONFIRE AND FIREWORK DISPLAY On Friday 6th November 2015, Beversbrook Sports & Community Facility hosted the Town’s annual Bonfire & Fireworks event. The bonfire glowed in the darkness, whilst the laser show wowed the crowds and the outstanding fireworks display lit up the night sky.

The Community arrived in their thousands to enjoy the night’s entertainment. Nia & Libby Davies topped off the bonfire with their winning Guy Fawkes. Children young and old enjoyed the free sparkler bar and funfair rides.

As always, Calne Town Council thanks the community for your ongoing support.

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CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Christmas and Calne are a perfect pairing. If you are going to have a celebration you have got to make it good – and that is exactly what Calne can do. We set the bench mark for other towns to follow for the town’s annual Christmas Festival, this year on Saturday 28th November.

The stately and elegant Council Chamber in the Town Hall underwent a complete metamorphosis and overnight was transformed into Santa’s Workshop. At the council offices we all know when the Christmas Festival is approaching when a team of our staff start assembling supplies of willow, paper and battery powered lights, ready for delivery to schools and community groups to transform into lanterns for the annual lantern parade.

As with all of our events we make the Christmas Festival a day full of things to do with street stalls with a distinctly Christmassy feel, a craft tent filled with homemade sweets and a wide variety of locally made crafts just perfect for gifts or stocking fillers and a tempting array of food stalls.

On the lawn of Marden House a tableau was created of the stable at Bethlehem, complete with Mary, Joseph, Three Kings and a real baby, accompanied by a choir singing carols.

This year the Lantern Parade itself was even more spectacular than in previous years. Heading the throng were three real life camels, not a sight you expect to see in Calne on a dark winters night.

Whilst the Parade stopped at The Strand the camels trotted off to complete the Bethlehem tableau. Santa in his sleigh waved to excited children, many of whom had visited him at his workshop in the Town Hall.

As the countdown started the voices became louder until the plunger was pressed, instantly filling the town with light and Christmas goodwill. No sooner had the cheers stopped, the sky was lit with an amazing firework display, lighting up the Town Hall and providing the perfect finale to a spectacular event.

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WEDDING FAIR Sunday 28th February 2016 saw many future brides visit the Town Hall during our Wedding Fair. With a varied range of businesses showcasing their products and servcies from flowers, cakes and dresses to travel agents and stationary designers - there was something for everyone’s taste. Thank you to all the businesses for taking part in another successful day.

BIG SCREEN BEVERSBROOK The Beversbrook Sports and Community team continue to offer the opportunity for the community to see up-to-the-minute films without having to travel to other towns.

The ‘Big Screen’ held in the Community Hall at Beversbrook may not be a traditional cinema setting, however it is comfortable, refreshments are available and it’s all within easy reach of the town.

In 2015/16, Big Screen Beversbrook brought the following highly acclaimed films to Calne: Gone Girl The Theory of Everything Selma Fifty Shades of Grey Far From The Madding Crowd Mr Holmes Everest The Martian

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NEWSLETTER The Calne Connection newsletter is delivered to every household and many businesses in Calne.

During 2015/16 this newsletter has successfully kept residents and businesses up to date with events in the town and has advertised much of the work currently being carried out by the Town Council.

If you live in Calne and do not receive a copy of the Calne Connection, please contact the Visitor and Community Information Centre on 01249 814000.

WEBSITE www.calne.gov.uk The design of Calne Town Council’s website was refreshed in 2015/16. The new layout is designed to be more user friendly, with a prominence placed on photography to encourage greater engagement and increase dwell time on the website.

The website’s new features include an events calendar which lists all community events that are brought to the attention of the Visitor and Community Information Centre and an A-Z of Services.

SOCIAL MEDIA Calne Town Council uses Facebook and Twitter as a further way to interact with the community and promote projects and events.

The Town Council’s Publicity & Promotions Officer works to constantly build the pages’ followers to increase the reach of Town Council news.

Facebook followers March 2016:1524 Twitter followers March 2016: 1150

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WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL HELLOS AND GOODBYES FAREWELL AND THANK YOU TO:

Gary McOmish - CCTV Manager Gary has performed the role of CCTV Manager since 2014 and had decided to step down from the post to spend more time with his family. He will however continue to be a CCTV volunteer as he feels this is an extremely important and rewarding experience.

Judy Edwards - Community Services Manager Since joining the Town Council in 2013, Judy’s drive and enthusiasm has made her a real asset to the team. Her role was to start the now thriving Community Services department, whose work spans managing the town’s events, working in the Visitor and Community Information Centre and raising awareness of the work of the council.

Judy leaves Calne Town Council to work within Children’s Services at Wiltshire Council and all of the team wish her the best of luck in the future.

Lee Seymour - Groundsman Lee joined the Town Council in 2012 to expand on his qualifications in horticulture and gain more experience in the diverse work of groundsmanship.

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Stephen Cainey - Groundsman Steve joined the team in June 2014 and found his role within the team extremely rewarding. He enjoyed putting something positive back into the town for the enjoyment of the community.

Councillor Stebbings Martin Stebbings had served as a Town Councillor since 2013. He resigned his seat in June 2015 as a result of relocating to another part of the country. We wish him well in his new home.

Councillor Short David Short resigned his seat in June 2015 to relocate to South Africa to start married life with his new Bride. We send him our very best wishes for a happy and healthy life together.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM: Jeannette Young - Community Services Manager Jeannette started working for the Town Council in the Visitor and Community Information Centre in May 2015. Since that time her wealth of knowledge and experience has been invaluable to the Town Council and has allowed Jeannette to progress into the role of Community Services Manager.

In her spare time Jeannette is a keen horse rider and enjoys taking her dog Paddy on walks around Calne’s beautiful countryside – often bringing in beautiful photos of sunrises to show the team.

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Dan Wheeler - Part-Time Caretaker Dan joined the team at Beversbrook Sports & Community Facility in April 2015 as the Weekend Caretaker. After a few months and with the relocation of Swindon Town FC Dan was appointed full-time grounds person to maintain Swindon Town FC pitches.

Unfortunately this contract came to the end and in May 2016 Dan took up his new appointment and now supports the maintenance of the grounds and facilities.

Hans Monahan - Cemetery Groundsman Hans provides a seasonal service from April to October each year tending the grounds at Curzon Street Cemetery. He is a well known face around the town having previously served with the local Police force.

Hans enjoys keeping fit and takes pride in his work at the cemetery, and is already on very good terms with the regular visitors.

Sam Butcher - Groundsman Sam is the youngest member of the Grounds Team, but despite his tender years he is a fully qualified Gamekeeper having studied with Wiltshire College at Lackham.

Gerry Mooney - CCTV Manager Taking over the reins at the CCTV Suite is Gerry Mooney.

Gerry had served in the Royal Air Force for many years and is now retired. However he decided that he wasn’t ready for full-time retirement and volunteered at the CCTV Suite.

Consequently, when the vacancy for Manager arose he decided this could further enhance his enjoyment at once again being part of a team of dedicated people, working with the same aim. We have discovered that Gerry is never still, during his spare time he loves to spend time cooking with his granddaughter, particularly making bread, and to our great delight at the office cooking amazing chocolate muffins which we are more than happy to taste test.

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Councillor Muir Alastair Muir was co-opted in June 2015 and has lived in Calne since 1991. An active Rotarian, Alastair takes a keen interest in helping individuals and groups in the area and has been in the reserve forces including a spell at RAF Lyneham.­

Councillor Stigwood Richard Stigwood was co-opted in June 2015 and is a returning councillor and an ex-trader in the town centre.

Richard brings a wealth of local knowledge and an understanding of the way in which the council works.

HASTA LUEGO! We have to add a new category to our Hello and Goodbye section this year, that is Hasta Luego – or for the non-Spanish speakers reading this – see you later.

Esther Reeve In this new category we have placed Esther Reeve. Esther has worked for the Town Council since November 2009, most recently in the post of Publicity & Promotions Officer.

However, Esther has been creating her own little production and for most of 2015 and early 2016 has been on maternity leave after giving birth to a daughter. This adorable baby girl was safely delivered on August 2nd 2015 weighing in at 6lbs 13 oz and has been given the names Eleanor Marion Ann. Esther will be returning to the Town Council after her maternity leave, but at present both she and her husband Chris are totally besotted by the new addition to their family and we send them our very best wishes for their future together.

WELCOME BACK Pete Whitaker - Support Caretaker We welcome back Pete Whitaker on an informal basis to support the running of the Town Hall.

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REPRESENTATION ON OTHER BODIES The Town Council represents the community of Calne in many ways, through consultation, partnerships, lobbying and serving on outside bodies.

Appointments of representatives were made to the following bodies in 2015/2016: Friends of St Mary’s Calne District Twinning Association Marden House Committee Calne Heritage Centre Trust Calne Welfare Charity Calne Town Charity Royal Air Force Cadets 2189 (Calne) Squadron Calne Recreation Club Calne Leisure Centre Ltd Summer Fun in Calne Play Scheme Music and Arts Festival Abberd Brook Restoration Enhancement Project Calne Area Transport Calne Community Transport Castlefields Group CARP Bremhill View Social Club Committee Calne Community Area Partnerships Viridor Credits – Wiltshire Group Landfill Site Liaison Group Viridor/Hills

National, Regional and Local Authority Groups: Sandpit Road Working Group Calne Area Board Community Area Transport Group Air Quality Working Group Community Safety Partnership Focus on Five Group National Association of Local Councils Wiltshire Association of Local Councils

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APPENDIX A - COUNCILLORS AND THEIR WARDS

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APPENDIX B - STAFFING STRUCTURE

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APPENDIX C - INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

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APPENDIX D - HOW YOUR COUNCIL TAX IS SPENT Calne Town Council is a very pro active council seeking to serve the community with a vast range of services including; the cemetery, two allotment sites, the Town Hall, the Heritage Centre, Castlefields Park, the Recreation Ground, Beversbrook Sports Facility, Town Gardens, seven play areas, the newly refurbished skatepark.

The Town Council: • Provides a top up street cleaning service to enhance that provided by Wiltshire Council, an Information Centre which deals with all enquiries relating to our services, the services of Wiltshire Council and all information which is important to our community and its visitors.

• Organises several community events, which are all free to attend, with the exception of Firework Night at Beversbrook for which a small charge is made to cover the cost of the fireworks.

• Plays a very active role in the business community, even though the town council does not receive a penny in business rates.

• Is responsible for the Christmas Lighting Displays and the floral displays throughout the town.

• Supports an excellent CCTV system, manned by volunteers. The service they provide in reducing crime, reducing the fear of crime and making Calne a safer place to live is exceptional and invaluable to the community. The Town Council has one of the best partnership arrangements with Police.

• Has 19 elected councillors who serve the community for which they do not receive any payment or allowance. Many balance their work as councillors with demanding full time jobs and the many voluntary organisations they belong to.

• Is leading on many groups for the benefit of Calne’s future including; a Neighbourhood Plan, Tourism and Culture group, Town Centre Masterplan, Porte Marsh Industrial Estate working group and many more.

• Provides grant funding to various community groups, the main ones being the Leisure Centre, First Responders, Citizens Advice Bureaux, the Summer Fun in Calne Play Scheme, the Heritage Centre, St Mary’s Church and many more.

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YOUR VIEWS The Town Council would appreciate your views on the contents of this report as well as any comments, queries or complaints regarding the services provided by the Town Council. For specific help or advice on matters concerning the Town Council you can:Write to : Calne Town Council Bank House The Strand Calne Wiltshire

SN11 0EN Telephone: 01249 814000 Email: calne@calne.gov.uk Website: www.calne.gov.uk

Facebook: search for ‘Calne Town Council’ Twitter: @Calnetc Alternatively, please contact one of your local Town Councillors whose contact details can be found on Calne Town Council’s website or from the Visitor and Community Information Centre.

This document is available in large print upon request

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