QUALITY TOWN COUNCIL STATUS
In common with several other Councils in Suffolk, Woodbridge Town Council has decided to apply for Quality Town Council Status. To achieve this qualification, a council must meet four mandatory tests of its efficiency and at least nine of fourteen additional requirements set by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
These tests cover issues such as having held contested elections for each seat on the council, employing a professionally qualified Clerk, holding regular council meetings and communicating effectively with the electorate. Our Town Clerk, Mrs. Chris Walker, is already studying for her Certificate in Local Council Administration and this Newsletter is evidence of our efforts to tell people what the Council is doing.
We hope to submit our formal application for Quality Status early next year. If successful, the result will be greater professionalism in running the town and the opportunity, given to us under the Local Government Act 2000, to apply to our Principal Authority, Suffolk Coastal District Council, for certain functions to be devolved from District to Town level.
Our aim is to raise our standard of service provision by playing a
more active and responsive role in the community.
NEW FREEMEN OF WOODBRIDGE HONOURED
Late last year three additional local citizens were appointed Freemen of the town. This honour is restricted to a maximum of twelve members and brings the total membership up to six.
The new Freemen are Mrs. Dorothy Kellogg, a retired nurse who has given over 70 years service to the Red Cross; Mr. Ron Hepworth, for his work with for Rotary Club, the Town Carnival, the Methodist Church, the Christmas Carol Service and the Choral Society in Woodbridge and Mr. Fred Reynolds, a former Town Mayor, for his many activities in the town including work for the Community Council, the Twinning Association, the W.I. Market, the Tennis Club, Rochford House and the Woodbridge Tide Mill.
We offer our warmest congratulations to these three new Freemen who have given so much of their time and enthusiasm to our society.
RENOVATION OF THE SHIRE HALL
Work on this £200,000 project started in February. As we feared, we found that many of the tiles are loose or broken on both sides and most of the battens will have to be replaced. The brickwork has also deteriorated over the years and has to be extensively re-pointed.
Local businesses on the Market Hill, recognising that this has to be done if we are to preserve this historic building, have been very understanding about the noise, dust and inconvenience caused. The contractors have made a good start and, as the weather improves, they hope to complete the job by the end of this summer.
Meanwhile, the scheme to invite local people and businesses to sponsor a paver on the Market Hill to help towards the cost of the repairs has got off to a good start. Already about 200 pavers have been sponsored by mid March, raising over £5000, and the first tranche of engraved pavers will be set close to the old pump later this year.
The Town Council would urge everyone to consider supporting this initiative to help preserve the Shire Hall for future generations.
RIVERSIDE ACTION GROUP
Following a well-attended public meeting in the British Legion hall in February, it was decided to set up an organisation charged with the preparation of a Woodbridge and Melton Riverside Action Plan.
Funded by a grant from the East of England Development Agency and the Countryside Agency, this new Action Group will co-ordinate the interests of local councils, developers, landowners, local businesses, residents and other groups of people concerned with the future of the Deben riverside.
Its aim will be to monitor developments on the riverside from Wilford Bridge to Kyson Point and to reconcile these various interests so as to protect and enhance the long-term viability of the riverside area.
A small executive committee, with Peter Clay (peter@peterhenryclay.co.uk) as chairman, has been appointed to create a planning framework and a design brief for the area in partnership with Suffolk Coastal District Council. Other members are Michael Burn (secretary), Martin Whitaker, Neil Montgomery, David Annett and Kim Tester. Wilf Garford is also a member as a representative of SCDC.
The Executive Committee will report back to the membership quarterly and a full General Meeting will be held in Woodbridge in the last quarter of each year.
WOODBRIDGE TIDE MILL QUAY
The restoration of the dilapidated Tide Mill Quay is now almost finished. The quay wall has been rebuilt, the top surface renewed, public seats installed and the water depth increased so that visiting boats can secure alongside the quay.
An opening ceremony is planned for Friday 16th April at 11.00 a.m., the time of high water, when members of the Heritage Lottery Fund, which put up the bulk of the finance, and other sponsors will be present.
Several other attractions include a display of Suffolk Punch horses and wagons parading through the town and an exhibition of traditional crafts and historic photographs of the town in the Woodbridge Museum. An old sailing barge and other vessels will lie alongside.
This event promises to a great family day out for all ages. After the opening ceremony, the Tide Mill itself will be open to visitors and the mill wheel will turn.
CONTRACTORS SAVE THE ROOF
During the weekend of 19th/20th March, in winds recorded in excess of 60mph the tarpaulin covering the exposed roof started to come away, exposing the ancient roof beams. Since rain was expected that night, the brave members of the contractor’s team from Chapman and Pleasance climbed the scaffolding at 10.30pm and worked until 3.30am to recover the roof with the tarpaulin.
I am pleased to report that no damage was sustained to the roof, and work will continue until mid July to renovate this ancient building.