onionbagblog

To the Town Council Office! …on Monday evening. Oh – y’know the rest.

The monthly meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council contained the usual quota of free sweets, debates about not so free sweets and a few sweeties sitting around the chamber. And that was just the male members of the Town Council.

Cripes.

Also keeping it sweet was the good Cllr Kraft, looking Regal in her role as Deputy Mayor, as well as talking it like she walks it with a fine deputising role in Chairing the meeting.

I received a wink upon arrival. It’s always good to catch up with Cllr Ford…

Start as you mean to carry on with the GOOD NEWS confirmation coming out of Wivenhoe that the Town Council has only gone and copped the two old cop houses.

Well – almost.

The sale had been approved earlier in the day; solicitors “have been instructed.” Call the cops, etc. This is truly significant news for the future of the town. It gives WTC control of the run of properties from the William Loveless Hall down to the Council Offices. The circle has been squared, or something.

It is my understanding that subject to legal eagles playing a game of postal Latin between both parties, WTC will look to secure some immediate medium term rent from the prime location.

Looking deeper into the crystal ball hanging from above the bar of the Rose and Crown, and anything is possible in the future. The Loveless Hall might be about to get a little more love – never mind the thickness, feel the size. Put my name down for a yoga class in the new mega hall now, Comrades.

Champagnes corks were popped and streamers were thrown in the direction of the Cllr with the most pristine hair. Only joking – how about Reports from County and Borough Councillors instead?

Cllr Julie Young, Labour’s representative on Essex County Council, admitted to “starting on the easy stuff before I get a little muddled.” It’s a fine mantra, Comrade, and one that gets me out of bed most mornings:

“There has been a delay on the new bus shelter for Rectory Road. ECC preferred a wooden design, rather than something metallic or glass like. This has now been placed on order.”

Ah, but what of the Essex and Southend Waste Development Document, I hear you ask? Funny you should mention that. WTC has its collective fingers in many sticky pies. One of those is keeping an eye on environmental developments across the Colne with our friends in Fingringhoe.

Sixth form humour aside, a campagin was launched by residents in Fingringhoe to fight the possible location of a waste disposal site across the water. An eight week ECC consultations starts in November.

Cllr Young was keen to point out that Fingringhoe may be many things, but it is not the preferred location for the prestigious Essex and Southend Waste Development Document to do the dirty and go dumping all the crap that comes out of the County.

Most certainly not coming under that category is the very good Cllr Ford, Labour’s Quay representative at Colchester Borough Council.

“I had a great morning at the WTC Civic Service on Sunday. You must feel proud of yourself as a Town Council for staging such an occasion.”

Hear, hear.

Keep ‘em sweet, Comrade.

“Ninety people will be visiting Wivenhoe on the 24th November, representing many public services such as Trading Standards and Traffic Wardens. They want to check on our facilities.”

It seems that Wivenhoe is being used as something of a social experiment to see how an everyday North Essex estuary town with a bohemian bent, a large number of boozers and a multi-cultural input from a 60′s University actually operates. I hope similar towns feel the benefit from the exercise.

“A consultation will take place on the 26th and 27th October. We want to knock up locals.”

COUNT ME IN, COMRADE.

Ah, I see – the knocking comes in the form of door knocking. The aim is to catch a pulse of the town, and to gauge what locals think about local authority services. Best not come knocking on bin collection day.

This is actually a very valid exercise, which can only benefit residents. Volunteers are needed to help knock up Wivenhoe. Issues such as graffiti, police presence, car and HGV noise all come under the remit. I volunteer for Valley Road, Comrades.

Cllr Ford also commented upon the recent CBC Planning Committee’s decision to refuse permission to demolish and build a new structure on the site of the St John’s Ambulance building along Chapel Road:

“I argued that the site is a heritage asset. This wasn’t held up by the Planning Officers, but the application was refused on the grounds of the loss of a community space, the impact upon the neighbours and the threat to a nearby tree.”

Cllr Quarrie, the Conservative representative at CBC for the Quay ward, then presented her monthly report. She led with her own personal quest to reorganise the voting system at the William Loveless Hall.

As expressed at the September meeting, Cllr Quarrie is concerned that some elderly residents living up towards the top end of her Quay ward may not be able to make it to the Loveless Hall to carry out their democratic duty. Cllr Quarrie is keen for Broomgrove School to be made available for both Cross and Quay ward residents.

The feedback from Democratic Services has been that this is a “departure from rules.”

But it has been agreed.

Blimey.

The two schools up at Broomgrove appears to have been the blessing for Cllr Quarrie, whose own CBC seat just happens to be up for grabs next May.

“This is a very good achievement,” noted Cllr Kraft.

Disclaimer: Other political parties will no doubt be fielding candidates next May. Other political parties may, or may not, benefit from the Broomgrove double entry double entendre.

Questions from Town Cllr’s to Borough Cllr’s:

Cllr Lodge expressed anger that:

“Another £116,000 is going towards the VAF. This comes when our own WTC budget from CBC has been cut. What is going on?”

Cllr Young commented:

“This is a CBC issue, but for the record, the Labour group has always opposed the VAF”

[um - you sure...?]

Comrades Ford and Young were both surprised to hear that a further £116,00 was coming from the Lib / Lab coalition at CBC. Cllr Young skillfully demonstrated her political diplomacy by suggesting that the VAF become a doorstep issue during the Great Wivenhoe Knock Up.

Cllr Sinclair of WTC then asked the Borough Cllr’s for an update on the “Rose and Crown situation.” We’re not talking about the ability to get served on Bonfire Night, either. The issue is one of the tables outside on the Quay occupying a public right of way.

Cllr Quarrie clarified:

“This is a legal minefield of licensing and could open up a can of worms.”

Not to mention ballot box support lost to booze.

“Everyone down on the Quay has put up bits and pieces on the public right of way.”

Ah, but not everyone is a trading, private enterprise.

“I will follow this up,” pledged Cllr Quarrie.

County and Borough business knocked up, back to hyperlocal WTC business. What about the new health centre?

Oh Lordy.

“This is alive and kicking,” commented Cllr Lodge. “It is all that I am prepared to say for now.”

Taking in a little more detail was the signing of the Cook’s leases and the handing over of the Section 106 wonga, a matter that has been on the minds of the Best Value Committee for some time now.

Cllr Sinclair has played a key role in these negotiations, which are now coming to some form of conclusion. He updated the meeting with great detail. Don’t try and catch the good Cllr Sinclair out with a sweeping statement – this man has every corner of Cook’s covered.

Which is why I will condense the issue to CBC coming close to putting legal pressure upon WTC to sign the leases. WTC resisted, played for time and was able to make sure that the best value [GEDDIN!] for Wivenhoe residents has been achieved.

It’s all about handing over responsibility to WTC down at the front for facilities such as the dry dock. With this comes the potential for a funding headache. Access to the water for non-Sailing Club members has also been key in securing the current deal that WTC’s solicitors are recommending to be agreed.

Cllr Lodge summarised well, stating:

“We don’t want to make Cook’s a gated community. We took a chance and it appears to have paid off.”

WTC voted unanimously to sign the leases.

Other Best Value matters covered the proposal for Wivenhoe Fair Trade Group to put up a sign (agreed,) payment of £100 towards the Hopper Bus (agreed) and a civic endorsement of the Wivenhoe Society (agreed)

Estate Matters…

Did anyone see the Daily Express headline on Saturday? Thought not. It’s the End of the World as We Know It, apparently. But I feel fine, safe in the knowledge that WTC has agreed to spend £1,020 in securing the services of a snow spinner and spreader.

With a tight finger on the town purse stings – and rightly so – Cllr Lodge commented:

“We cannot afford to salt the whole of Wivenhoe. Difficult access roads will need to be prioritised, such as Dene Park and Queens Road.”

I get a chill down my spine just thinking about Queens Road being cut off from civilization.

The Wivenhoe Wood Working Party reported on a “successful sycamore bashing,” which I am told is NOT a euphemism. The recent tree climbing expedition was also a great success.

Mayoral civic activities for the past month covered seventeen engagements, the highlight of which was the simply superb Quay Quilters exhibition at the Loveless Hall [where else?]

An update from the recent Neighborhood Watch meeting covered the concern of the scam in *some* of the Air Ambulance charity collecting bags. Apparently the police are aware of this.

Two extra volunteers have been trained up as part of the Speed Watch scheme. More are needed to cover the *shhh* five secret sites.

Cllr Endean, WTC’s representative on Neighbourbood Watch, then helpfully explained how a large proportion of the last meeting was spent discussing the perceived threat of crime within Wivenhoe.

It was discussed how some residents have reported a distinct drop in a physical police presence around the town in recent months. A sign of sanity came from Cllr Campbell, who observed how “Wivenhoe is the safest place in which I have lived.”

Hear, hear.

It’s all relative. You just need to keep an eye on the twitter feed of the good @SgtLouMiddleton to see how his daily overnight crime reports for the area regularly deliver zero incidents for Wivenhoe.

Oh – and for the record: I understand that the good @SgtLouMiddleton is sending out his tweets whilst on patrol and walking the mean streets of Wivenhoe.

Cllr Sinclair commented:

“When we want a response from the police, they are always there.”

All Cllr’s expressed the need to keep on plugging the new police non-emergency phone number of 101.

Over to the fine Town Clerk’s monthly report:

“One burial, one memorial and one atternment.”

Cheer up luv, always looks on the bright side. The fine Town Clerk is actually fantastic company at parties…

Fancy some Finance? Cllr Lodge commented:

“We have a meeting on Wednesday; we know the issues – it is going to be very difficult.”

You know that times are tight when the majority of time at a WTC meeting is then taken up talking all about the possibility of funding the payment to buy some sweets for local kids.

Cripes.

It was time well spent as it turns out.

St Mary’s Church has asked for a £100 contribution to buy some sweets as part of the Sinterklass ceremony taking part down by the Quay on 26th November. For those not familiar with the ceremony, Sinterklaas arrives by boat, supported by ‘Black Piet‘ – his ‘helper’ who is made up as a minstrel.

Nice.

“They aren’t representative of anything politically incorrect,” commented Cllr Sinclair.

Ah – but what about the sweets?

£50 was kindly put forward by WTC last Christmas.

“£100 seems like quite a steep increase,” commented Cllr Kraft. I nodded my head in agreement, whilst munching away on a boiled sweet kindly offered to me from the private WTC collection. Humbug, as well.

A motion was passed to meet halfway, with £75 being offered as a compromise. One abstention came from Cllr Campbell, who commented:

“I feel sorry for the children…”

Aww!

They can’t vote yet, Comrade.

See ya next month.