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Author: Sonya Ward

Chairman’s Report December 2023

I hope that you have picked up this edition in time to see the Christmas Tree light up in the Square and the parents and youngsters lining up to see Santa in the Clock Tower, compliments of Mere Carnival.  I know that, these days, with the comings and goings throughout the day of shoppers, deliveries and passers by the Square can be somewhat fraught but it deserves our best efforts to keep it calm and polite.  The Museum has pictures of The Square over the years and they too are often busy but in other ways. The Square was the scene, on the 12th November, of an act of Remembrance and at a well-attended ceremony, poppies were presented by representatives of many groups.

I was at the AGM of the Friends of Mere Museum and it was pleasing to hear about the funds raised and to see the latest exhibition, featuring an informative display about six families of Mere.  Well worth a visit.  I was able to attend the AGM of Seeds4Success, my apologies for being late, where we were presented with the many accomplishments of young people in the area, ably assisted by the staff and trustees – my congratulations to them all.

An agreement has been signed between econetiQ, Wiltshire Council and Mere Town Council to fund and install a cutting-edge 120kW DC Fast Maxicharger in the Salisbury Street Car Park.  It is envisaged that this Electric Vehicle charger will get used by the community and will also be another facility for people to use when they are travelling along the A303 and looking for somewhere to stop off and charge their vehicle.  Hopefully, they will use other facilities in the town as well and help to boost the local economy.  It is expected that this ambitious initiative will come to life in early 2024, pending completion of work between econetiQ and the distribution network operators (DNO)

The Town Council meeting in November dealt with many of the regular matters but spent some time looking at setting priorities for the future.  Some of these will be funded by section 106 money received as a result of housing developments in the town but others will be funded through our precept, paid by residents of the town.   It is important that we get this right and make the best use of this funding.  Later in the month a group of councillors will look in detail at the spending and income forecast for the coming year and come up with a recommended precept.  This is a considerable task with over 400 budget headings and a report compiled by our clerk consisting of over 19 pages of information.  The meeting is managed by our Vice-Chair who prepares for it well in advance.  Separate groups of councillors have also met to look at the future of Mere Chamber of Trade and to look at the use of Town Council land for leisure activities and how to make it the best provision that we can afford.  I detail all of this to try and encourage you to put your name forward at the next election due to be held in May 2025. It is important work, and like all important work, worth doing.  In the meantime – do come along to a council meeting to see local democracy in action and, in the public session, put your point of view.

John Jordan

Chairman, Mere Town Council

  • 5 December 2023 in News

Chairman’s Report – April 2024

During August this year Mere Town Council will be organising an event that promotes activity and fun.

The Activities in Mere (AIM) event will take place between 9th and 11th August and will encourage, this year, the over 50’s in Mere to try or retry sports and leisure activities, some of which will be adapted to promote participation.  We hope that the event will not only encourage people to try something new, but that they may boost the membership of clubs and societies in Mere, as well as promoting health and wellbeing. We are providing this event using funds we have obtained from the Wiltshire Towns Fund.

More details will be provided in the coming weeks, in the meantime we would be grateful for any offers of assistance to help organise or provide a sport or activity. For further information please contact Roger Pipe, Project Co-ordinator at Mere Town Council Tel 860701.

Each month, the Town Council looks at planning applications and we decide on our support or objection with reasons.  I must make it clear that the decision is made by the Wiltshire Planning team based on planning regulations but they do take into account comments made by us and by interested parties.  Your voice can be heard on planning applications so do take the opportunity to go to the Wiltshire website and add your comment.

Feedback from residents has prompted us to consider a new approach to the format of the Annual Town Meeting. This will take place on the Wednesday, 24thApril from 6 to 8 pm in the foyer at Duchy Manor where we will be providing information boards with details of the various groups in Mere such as the Carnival and the Link Scheme.  There will be information boards, and councillors to talk to, on the work of the Town Council and how this relates to the work of Wiltshire Council.  There will be boards with ideas and future plans with space for your comments and, importantly, a suggestions board where you can add your suggestions.  We are hoping that this format will give residents more of an opportunity to ask questions, comment and generally participate, rather than at a formal meeting.  We are required to have some formalities and so at 6:15, I shall give the Chairman’s report and minutes from last year.  Comments posted on the boards will be gathered together to form minutes and will be considered at our next council meeting.

In our last meeting we considered the implications of Martyn’s Law (which relates to the protection of premises in acts of Terrorism) for Mere and commented on the public consultation website.  We also took note of the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s Community Safety plan. One interesting fact is that they are attending fewer emergency callouts and spending more time going out to residents and companies to discuss safe measure in the home and business.

As a result of a recent announcement made by Gillingham Town Council that their cemetery is now closed for new burials as they have run out of space, Mere Town Council has taken the decision not to permit any burials for non-residents.  This means that if you do not live in Mere, you will not be able to be buried in Mere cemetery unless you have already purchased a plot.  This decision has been taken to preserve our cemetery space for Mere parishioners.  We will, however, still permit the purchase of cremation plots by non-parishioners, at double-fees as per the previous policy.

I was determined not to mention it but must say…    ….I do hope that, after this wet winter, we are spared the April showers!

 

 

John Jordan

Chairman, Mere Town Council

for information on Town Council activities, minutes, agendas, etc lindseywood@merewilts.org 860701 merewilts.org

 

 

Due to the fact that the Clock Tower is a Listed Building in the centre of the town which is in the centre of the Conservation Area, the Town Council has a policy for the erection of display banners on the Clock Tower.   The Town Council will only permit a maximum of 4 banners for community/charity events held within the town per year.  The four banners for 2024 have now all been allocated as follows:

 

 

  • Mere Spring Fair & Family Fun Day – 20th April 2024
  • Proms in Mere (Tower Stories project) – 13th July 2024
  • Activities in Mere (Activity event for weekend of 9th – 11th August)
  • Mere Annual Carnival – 14TH September 2024

 

Lindsey Wood

Town Clerk

  • 26 March 2024

Chairman’s Report February 2024

March has been described as a month pulled back by winter’s cold and forward by spring’s warmth, this year I think we would all ask for it to be either, but dry! At the last Town Council meeting we heard from a group of councillors about ways in which we might make the most of the grounds and open spaces available to us in Mere.  There are a great many activities which take place here from archery to tennis and much more, but we will be looking to extend what is available to residents.  Our plan looks to find enthusiasts in activities which do not already have a place on the Mere calendar and to hold an event later in the year for others to try these activities out, watch this space for news of what will happen.  One such newcomer, which you will have seen information about on these pages, is pétanque and we shall be improving the facility on the old swimming pool site.

I have been to the LHFIG (Highways) meeting where, with our Project Co-ordinator and our County Councillor, we were able to put forward plans to make Hazzards Hill, Edgebridge and the end of Manor Road safer places for all road users.  This is one step in a process which can take some time, but we will keep engaged until we realise our aim – of safer roads in Mere.

I had asked for suggestions for the commemoration of 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in June and am pleased to report that we have had representations and will be holding a quiet tribute at the War Memorial.  Though it will not be large, in the way of some recent commemorations, it will be important and will mark this day with due respect.

While it is not our business to provide banking in Mere, we are concerned about news that the Lloyds Bank mobile service is due to end in May.  My thanks to Ted Hanson for drawing our attention to this.  Here is a link to the information about this: https://www.lloydsbank.com/banking-with-us/mobile-branch/closures.html.    If this change is going to affect you then do contact Lloyds Bank. If you let us know as well, we would then make a representation from the Council about the impact on the community.

The Town Council has embarked upon a joint project with Wiltshire Council to make improvements to the footpath running from Clements Lane to Angel Lane – which is to be named ‘Eric Mitchell Way’.  Work will start on 4th March which will mean that the footpath will be closed for the duration of the works.  The official footpath closure is for 8 weeks but we will endeavour to re-open the footpath as soon as it is safe to do so.

John Jordan

Chairman, Mere Town Council

for information on Town Council activities, minutes, agendas, etc lindseywood@merewilts.org 01747 860701 merewilts.org

  • 29 February 2024

Vacancy for Minute Secretary

Mere Town Council are looking for a freelance Minute Secretary or Committee Clerk.  Duties to include:

  • To attend meetings and take accurate and concise notes of the meeting, recording decisions and action to be taken and by whom. (Digital recordings can be made to assist)
  • To type up the notes of the meeting into Minutes to form an accurate record of the meeting, to the format agreed by the Town Council.
  • Liaise with the Clerk to agree the content of the Minutes.
  • Draft minutes should be available within a reasonable period following the meeting (usually 2 – 3 weeks)

Minutes can be compiled from home.  Full Council meetings are held monthly on the first Monday of each month and start at 7.00 pm and there may be one or two extra meetings throughout the year.  We anticipate that it is unlikely to exceed 14 meetings per year.

Please apply to Lindsey Wood, Town Clerk 01747 860701 or email lindseywood@merewilts.org

  • 30 March 2023

Recruitment of Firefighters in Mere

FIREFIGHTERS NEEDED IN YOUR COMMUNITY

If you live or work in Mere or the surrounding area, have you thought about being an on-call firefighter?

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is currently recruiting for the fire station in White Road, and the recruitment team will be out and about in the local area during the w/c 13 June – so look out for them!

There are also plans for a ‘Have a Go’ event at the fire station, and details will be on their Facebook page once confirmed – www.facebook.com/DWFRSMereFireStation

When the pager goes off, an on-call firefighter can be called to a wide range of incidents, such as fires, road traffic collisions, rescues from height or water, animal rescue or flooding.

In addition, Mere is a co-responder station, where firefighters can opt to support the ambulance service by attending medical emergencies ahead of a paramedic arriving.

If you want to support your community, learn new skills and earn additional income, get in touch! Look out for the team next week, visit www.dwfire.org.uk/on-call-firefighters, email oncallsupportofficers@dwfire.org.uk or leave a message on the 24-hour recruitment line, 01722 691444.

  • 14 June 2022