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 9^th and 11^th 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, 24^thApril 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 – 20^th April 2024
• Proms in Mere (Tower Stories project) – 13^th July 2024
• Activities in Mere (Activity event for weekend of 9^th – 11^th August)
• Mere Annual Carnival – 14^TH September 2024

Lindsey Wood

Town Clerk