At The Priory Centre - St Neots Town Council
At The Priory Centre - St Neots Town Council
At The Priory Centre - St Neots Town Council
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Priorities<br />
1<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Initiative<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
www.stneots-tc.gov.uk<br />
Newsletter of the <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Initiative and <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> working together<br />
September 06<br />
ST. NEOTS TOWN CENTRE INITIATIVE<br />
HISTORY<br />
MATTERS<br />
ST. NEOTS HISTORY DAY<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> is older than we thought<br />
and we have been finding out more about it.<br />
<strong>The</strong> work at Loves Farm, east of the railway line<br />
was one of the biggest digs in the UK last year.<br />
<strong>The</strong> finds have been remarkable. Now, we are<br />
attempting to discover more about <strong>The</strong> <strong>St</strong> Neot<br />
<strong>Priory</strong> which gave its name to the <strong>Town</strong>. <strong>The</strong><br />
ruins are broadly under the area of the Waitrose<br />
Car Park but historians for many years have tried<br />
to work out its exact location and structure.<br />
To show off what we know and what we intend<br />
to find out we are putting on a ‘History Matters<br />
Day’ on Saturday October 14th 2006 from<br />
10am to 4pm in <strong>The</strong> Cloisters, in <strong>The</strong> <strong>Priory</strong><br />
<strong>Centre</strong>, both with strong historical connotations.<br />
Local historian Peter Ibbett has put together the<br />
best data available and this will be part of the<br />
exhibition, and the subject for a leaflet in the<br />
form of a walk around the area, to be available<br />
for the exhibition. <strong>The</strong>re will be guided tours<br />
of the area during the exhibition, which will be<br />
manned during the day to answer any question<br />
from the public. <strong>The</strong> overall project will also<br />
include visits to local schools by an Outreach<br />
Officer from the Cambridgeshire Archaeology<br />
Field Unit.<br />
This whole programme is being paid for by<br />
funding from the Local Heritage Initiative with<br />
money from the Lottery Fund, the Nationwide<br />
Building Society and administered by the<br />
Countryside Agency.<br />
ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 14TH 2006<br />
FROM 10.00 AM TO 4.00 PM<br />
IN THE PRIORY CENTRE<br />
‘archaeological FINDS ON LOVE’S FARM AND THE LOST ST. NEOT PRIORY<br />
FUNDED BY THE LOCAL HERITAGE INITIATIVE<br />
LHI is a partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund,<br />
Nationwide Building Society and the Countryside Agency
2<br />
Priorities<br />
Chairman of the<br />
<strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Initiative<br />
John Davies<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> Mayor<br />
Cllr Paul Ursell<br />
Editors<br />
Roger Arguile and Philip Devonald<br />
Imagery and articles submitted in this publication are subject to<br />
Copyright from various sources and no reproduction of any part<br />
of this publication is permissible without the prior consent of<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Initiative, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> and TSGcs<br />
as a whole. Part thereof does not give permission for its use.<br />
Tel: 01480 213555<br />
Fax: 01480 218887<br />
email: sales@tsgcs.co.uk<br />
web: www.tsgcs.co.uk<br />
Design, Repro, Print and Web Design,<br />
105 Great North Road, Eaton Socon, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong>,<br />
Cambs PE19 8EL<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
www.stneots-tc.gov.uk<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Initiative<br />
<strong>The</strong> Chairman’s<br />
Column<br />
a message from John Davies,<br />
Chairman of <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Initiative<br />
OWEN EASTEAL<br />
<strong>At</strong> the end of August, Owen Easteal, our <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Manager (TCM) for<br />
the last three years, left us to return to his first love, the Travel Industry.<br />
Owen replaced David Gregory, our first full-time manager; so we have been<br />
lucky with two good Managers. His is an unusual role. <strong>The</strong> TCM helps all<br />
the volunteers in <strong>The</strong> Initiative which now has over 70 people now serving<br />
on eight working groups, but his main efforts go into working with the<br />
High <strong>St</strong>reet area, supporting retailers with various training programmes,<br />
developing Farmers Markets in the town (of which he was very proud,<br />
making them twice monthly events. He also worked on occasional <strong>Town</strong><br />
<strong>Centre</strong> activities such as the Arts Festival, assisting the Carnival organisers<br />
and leading the Christmas Lights Festival Team. Owen put a lot of effort into<br />
these activities as much else: editing Priorities and expanding the use of the<br />
<strong>Priory</strong> Belle and letting more people enjoy one of the <strong>Town</strong>’s biggest assets,<br />
the River. Owen also saw his role as serving the <strong>Town</strong> and fostering the<br />
partnership between the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> and <strong>The</strong> Initiative. We will miss Owen<br />
as the TCM but have persuaded him to stay on our Management Group as<br />
a local resident so that we do not lose his energy and experience. We hope<br />
any new <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Manager can live up to the standards set by the two<br />
previous incumbents.<br />
MANUFACTURING CLUB<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Town</strong> has lost Collins and Aikman Ltd and over the next year a large<br />
part of Gates Hydraulic Ltd will depart to foreign parts. This shows the<br />
tremendous pressure<br />
that manufacturing is under in the UK, against low cost competition in<br />
Eastern Europe and the Far East. Yet despite the gloom we have, in <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong>,<br />
a dozen companies working together to help each other. We see the need<br />
to work together as even more important in these tough conditions. <strong>The</strong><br />
quarterly Club meetings are senior managers coming together to hear<br />
speakers on key issues and exchange news and views. Unusually for such<br />
clubs there is more going on ie we have four working group operating.<br />
<strong>The</strong> last of these has just been formed and is looking at Business Continuity<br />
Planning, which is looking at how companies would handle a big incident<br />
like fire or flooding and keep operating or recover quickly. <strong>The</strong> members<br />
are looking at exchanging information on best practice but also how they<br />
could help each other locally in an emergency. Helping this group is our<br />
old <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Manager, David Gregory, who now plays a key role in the<br />
Cambridgeshire County <strong>Council</strong>’s Emergency Planning Department. <strong>At</strong><br />
our last Club meeting we heard a speaker from ‘i10’ (representing the ten<br />
Universities in East Anglia), part of whose role is to bridge the gap between<br />
researchers in the Universities and businesses who might need their ideas<br />
and new products to be more competitive and survive and grow. <strong>The</strong><br />
theory is that we can not match the Far East and their low costs but we can<br />
be quicker and smarter to find new ideas and market them. It is a survival<br />
strategy that is worth following.<br />
Regards<br />
John Davies (Chairman of <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Initiative)
<strong>The</strong> Mayors’<br />
Column<br />
a message from Paul Ursell,<br />
Mayor of <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong><br />
Since becoming Mayor, I have attended many different events ranging from formal<br />
civic functions to local fund raising activities such as a duck race on the river in aid of<br />
Papworth Hospital.<br />
Whilst all events are important for various reasons, the events that mean most to me<br />
are the ones involving young people. We read and hear so many negative comments<br />
about young people that we sometimes forget that the vast majority respect their<br />
community and do not cause problems.<br />
Recently I attended the Camjam International Scouts Jamboree held over a week<br />
on Huntingdon Race Course. From early morning to late evening, over 1,000 scouts<br />
both boys and girls enjoyed a packed and varied programme of activities without any<br />
problems that are commonly associated with antisocial behaviour.<br />
All the many and varied organisations who provide activities for young people should<br />
be supported and the adult volunteers who provide leadership should be applauded.<br />
This year the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> is working on delivering a number of significant projects<br />
which will bring benefits to the residents of <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong>. We are progressing with the<br />
planning and final detailed design phase of the Eaton’s Community <strong>Centre</strong> which we<br />
hope to start construction early in the New Year, the completion of the <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
Improvements and continuing our efforts in trying to find a suitable site and company<br />
who is willing to provide and operate a cinema in <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong>. In addition councillors who<br />
are trustees of the Outdoor Swimming Pool Trust will be looking to produce a viable<br />
and sustainable plan which would provide for the construction, ongoing maintenance<br />
and operating costs/loses of a new outdoor pool that will not be an added burden on<br />
the local council tax payer.<br />
Finally, may I remind you that I shall be holding a Charity Ball in the <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> on<br />
Saturday 7th October 2006 to raise money for my charity fund which will benefit local<br />
good causes including Dreamdrops (Hinchingbrooke Hospital Children’s Unit), EACH<br />
(East Anglia Children’s Hospice), <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> Sentinels and <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> Rugby Club Mini<br />
Rugby for youngsters. To purchase tickets at £29.75 each please contact <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
Paul Ursell Mayor of <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong><br />
3<br />
Autumn<br />
Entertainment<br />
<strong>At</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
A galaxy of stars to visit the centre<br />
September<br />
28th-30th ‘Alfie’ with the <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> Players<br />
7:45 pm<br />
October<br />
7th<br />
8th<br />
20th<br />
November<br />
1st.– 4th<br />
10th<br />
17th<br />
24th<br />
Mayor’s Charity Ball 7:00 pm<br />
Swing and Sinatra evening<br />
7:45 pm<br />
Comedy Club 7:00 pm<br />
‘<strong>The</strong> Full Monty’ with the<br />
Vamps 7:45 pm<br />
Chas and Dave 8:00 pm<br />
Voulez Vous 8:00 pm<br />
Georgie Fame 8:00 pm<br />
A New Look <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
After years of discussion the <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> is at<br />
last having a significant facelift. <strong>The</strong> contractors,<br />
Baron Designs of Cambridge, have started work<br />
and it is hoped that the improvements will be<br />
complete by the middle of September.<br />
<strong>The</strong> major improvements are the redecoration<br />
of the main staircase to improve the approach<br />
to the Guest Hall which is a popular venue for<br />
wedding receptions. Downstairs the toilets are<br />
also being improved.<br />
Most significant are the improvements to the<br />
entrance and foyer of the building. <strong>The</strong> foyer<br />
will be extended to include the outside cloisters<br />
and new, glass front doors will be installed.<br />
Pennants hanging from the front wall above<br />
the new doors will announce the entrance to<br />
the building. <strong>The</strong> cloisters will be given new,<br />
folding glass doors which will enhance the<br />
whole impression of light and space. With<br />
new and colourful furniture and flooring,<br />
the centre will be an even more attractive<br />
riverside venue for the new entertainment<br />
programme, weddings, conferences, training<br />
courses and exhibitions.<br />
December<br />
2nd<br />
21st<br />
23rd<br />
<strong>The</strong> Best Blues Band Brothers<br />
Ever 7:30 pm<br />
Comedy Club 7:00 pm<br />
<strong>St</strong>eeleye Span 8:00 pm<br />
Tickets available at the Box Office,<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>, Telephone 01480 388 922
Special 4 Event Saturday 14th October 06 Special Event Saturday 14th October 06<br />
Sp<br />
<strong>The</strong> Mystery of<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Priory</strong><br />
Who was <strong>St</strong> Neot?<br />
Was he Cornish?<br />
Whose is the face on the Alfred Jewel on our Market Square?<br />
Where are the bones of <strong>St</strong> Neot?<br />
Is it true he was only three feet high and a relative of King Alfred?<br />
What lies under the three manhole covers in the Waitrose car park?<br />
How big was the <strong>Priory</strong> and where was it?<br />
What plans are there to develop the heritage of the area?<br />
© Photographs Peter Ibbett<br />
<strong>The</strong> Waitrose car park behind<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> Market Square has<br />
no trace of the monastic<br />
heritage that provided our<br />
town with its name.<br />
<strong>The</strong> last forty years have seen an upsurge in<br />
interest in the heritage of the largest town<br />
in Cambridgeshire with excellent books<br />
by C F Tebbutt; Rosa Young and David<br />
Bushby and the development of an award<br />
winning museum. <strong>The</strong>re have also been<br />
real improvements in the Market Square<br />
and the Riverside Park. Yet a recent Civic<br />
Trust report pointed out that the <strong>Priory</strong> area<br />
was underdeveloped and lacked heritage<br />
information to bring out that it was the<br />
birthplace of our present town. <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Management<br />
Initiative has gained the funding to provide<br />
a leaflet and an exhibition about the<br />
history of the <strong>Priory</strong> as part of an ongoing<br />
programme to enhance this area of the town.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Monks and the Alfred Jewel on the<br />
Market Square reflect the heritage of<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong>. Could the <strong>Priory</strong> area could be<br />
enhanced by its own historical items?<br />
<strong>The</strong> exhibition in the <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> on<br />
Saturday 14th October will provide<br />
answers to the questions above as well as<br />
many others. A new leaflet about the <strong>Priory</strong><br />
site will be launched at the event and a<br />
children’s quiz will also be provided. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
will also be an exhibition on the latest<br />
information on the Love’s Farm excavations.<br />
If you have any information about the <strong>Priory</strong> site,<br />
especially any knowledge of stonework from the site please let<br />
Peter Ibbett know at pjibbett@aol.com 01480 812756.<br />
© Photographs Peter Ibbett
ecial Event Saturday 14th October 06 Special Event Saturday 14th October 06<br />
5<br />
Love’s Farm on Display<br />
Following the successful completion of the year-long<br />
excavations at <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> at Loves Farm which is situated on<br />
the outskirts of <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> between the railway line and the<br />
football ground the archaeological team led by Mark Hinman<br />
have begun the long and complex task of reconstructing the<br />
past history of this fascinating site. <strong>The</strong> Project was funded by<br />
Gallagher Estates and carried out by Cambridgeshire County<br />
<strong>Council</strong>’s Archaeological Field Unit. It is clear that the site was<br />
occupied by a farming community for over 500 years and<br />
analysis of the materials recovered by AFU staff and other<br />
experts from across the country promise some exciting results.<br />
On Saturday October 14th AFU staff will be assisting with an<br />
exhibition in <strong>The</strong> <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> to prepare information display<br />
boards, and display some artefacts from the Loves Farm site.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y will also be there to answer questions. <strong>The</strong> hope is that<br />
visitors will be sufficiently stimulated d by the exhibition to take<br />
advantage of a long term display of Loves Farm material in the<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> Museum.<br />
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/leisure/archaeology/<br />
afu/projects/current/ Loves+Farm+Project.htm<br />
http://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/events/#exhibitions<br />
ST. NEOTS TOWN CENTRE INITIATIVE<br />
HISTORY<br />
MATTERS<br />
ST. NEOTS HISTORY DAY<br />
ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 14TH 2006<br />
FROM 10.00 AM TO 4.00 PM<br />
IN THE PRIORY CENTRE<br />
Healthy Eating in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong><br />
A group has been set up to encourage us to eat more healthily.<br />
Hunts Primary Care Trust have set up the <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> Family Group<br />
last June. <strong>The</strong> group has created a Seasonal Cookbook full of easy<br />
ways to get <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> families to eat 5 or more portions of locally<br />
sourced fruit and vegetables a day. <strong>The</strong> book is to be distributed<br />
to families in the area. <strong>The</strong>y would like more people to join them.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y meet every Wednesday at the Community Room, Winhills<br />
School from the 13th of September 1- 3pm. Families with young<br />
children are welcome! This is one of the recipes.<br />
Caerwyn Creak’s fabulous<br />
Pumpkin Soup<br />
1 litre of vegetable stock<br />
1 butternut pumpkin (about 600grams)<br />
(steaming soup bowl)<br />
1 onion (finely chopped)<br />
1 teaspoon Cinnamon<br />
A sprinkle of Nutmeg<br />
3 garlic cloves (crushed)<br />
2 teaspoons of oil or 3 squirts of “light fry”<br />
Method<br />
Cut the skin off the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Chop the<br />
flesh of the pumpkin into small squares. Put the oil, cloves and<br />
onions in a pan and heat until they soften, add the pumpkin and<br />
stir constantly for 5 minutes. Gradually add the vegetable stock<br />
and cover. Allow the soup to simmering for 20 minutes, stirring<br />
it occasionally. Add Cinnamon then blend it with a masher or<br />
blender. Serve with crusty brown bread.<br />
A handful of pumpkin roughly counts for a portion.
6<br />
<strong>St</strong>. John Ambulance<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Priory</strong><br />
Quadrilateral Division<br />
CAN YOU HELP US<br />
RAISE FUNDS<br />
FOR A NEW<br />
FIRST AID UNIT<br />
Since our division was officially<br />
registered on the 24th November 1979,<br />
we have had our ups and downs, like<br />
most organizations. Most distressing<br />
has been the acts of vandalism over<br />
the years: with ambulances being<br />
wrecked, a first aid unit burned<br />
down; ambulances have had to be<br />
downgraded to first aid units for not<br />
meeting the requirements of the EU<br />
and County HQ.<br />
Now in 2006, covering more duties than<br />
ever before, our First Aid Unit is not at<br />
all fit for duty and lies dishevelled and<br />
unused, and once again we are left<br />
treating casualties in a ‘gazebo’ or ‘room<br />
provided’.<br />
We have been raising funds steadily<br />
over the past two years towards the<br />
purchase of a new First Aid Unit, and<br />
with the Division now up to around 15<br />
adult members, around 20 cadets and<br />
10 badgers, the time has come to enlist<br />
the help of local businesses and the<br />
general public in order to raise funds to<br />
purchase a brand new ‘First Aid Unit’.<br />
If you are able to help us in any way,<br />
or if you are interested in joining us<br />
please contact Sharon Cragg, for more<br />
information on (01480) 390261.<br />
No training is required as all our training<br />
is provided free of charge to members.<br />
New<br />
I would like<br />
to introduce<br />
myself. My<br />
name is Ian<br />
Harte. I have<br />
been with<br />
Waitrose, the<br />
food stores of<br />
the John Lewis<br />
Partnership,<br />
for coming up to 12 years. Educated in<br />
Cambridge I left sixth form with two good<br />
A levels. Should I go off to University or<br />
was it time that I started a career?<br />
Well the career won and despite never<br />
having worked in a retail environment,<br />
I found myself drawn to the prospect of<br />
joining a forward thinking business such<br />
as Waitrose, with a reputation for first class<br />
training, where no two days are the same.<br />
I have worked in over a dozen Waitrose<br />
branch’s throughout East Anglia in various<br />
management roles and during that time<br />
have performed branch openings at<br />
Sudbury, Wymondham and Newmarket.<br />
I think the highlight of my role has been<br />
meeting so many people. Another aspect<br />
of my role that I really enjoy is taking a<br />
project on, developing results and more<br />
importantly, developing the individuals<br />
that achieve those results.<br />
<strong>The</strong> French Market in May was a great<br />
success and the traders even asked if<br />
they could return in April next year<br />
as they were so pleased with the<br />
level of trade. It is so important<br />
that we all support these markets<br />
otherwise the traders will be<br />
unwilling to return to <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong><br />
and a colourful event will be sadly<br />
missed.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Italian Market is returning<br />
for one day on Sunday 29th<br />
October. This is a wonderful<br />
chance to stock up on those<br />
unusual specialities in the run<br />
up to Christmas and to think<br />
of the summer sunshine that<br />
has ripened the olives!<br />
Manager<br />
More recent times have seen me manage<br />
branches to the west of Cambridge and<br />
<strong>St</strong>. Ives prior to my arrival at <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> in<br />
November 2005. I am immensely proud to<br />
be the manager of such a fantastic group of<br />
staff in such a great location. <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> has a<br />
long history (which I am gradually learning<br />
about!!) and being in the historical centre<br />
of the town, Waitrose will certainly be<br />
keeping in touch with the archaeological<br />
investigations and other linked activities,<br />
providing support and assistance where we<br />
can. Waitrose has long been a supporter<br />
of local charities & community events and<br />
continues to do so.<br />
Being almost 20 years old, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong><br />
Waitrose branch has recently seen<br />
some long awaited changes, with some<br />
improvement to the shopping experience<br />
that we can give you here at <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong>. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
are further works scheduled, but as to the<br />
timescale, that remains an unanswered<br />
question, although I would hope that these<br />
would take place in the Autumn of 2007<br />
- it usually relies on how many other new<br />
stores we are building around the country<br />
etc. and where refurbishing <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> fits<br />
into this larger plan.........<br />
We look forward to serving you soon<br />
Kind Regards Ian Harte<br />
Foreign Markets<br />
Come along and enjoy one<br />
of the markets that take<br />
place in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> throughout<br />
the year. Not only can you<br />
purchase fresh, locally grown<br />
produce, home-made cakes<br />
and pastries and choose<br />
from a wide range of plants<br />
and flowers, but the French<br />
and Italian markets provide<br />
a taste of foreign climes<br />
without leaving the area.<br />
ST. NEOTS <strong>St</strong>.<br />
YOUR CHOICE FOR MARKETS<br />
Organised by <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Recently the Farmers’ Market was awarded full<br />
FARMA certification after a rigorous<br />
inspection ensuring that all producers are<br />
bonafide and that only approved ingredients<br />
are used which are purchased locally.<br />
<strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> sntc.co.uk
7<br />
New Chairman at the Youth <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
‘Hello, my name<br />
is Robert. I am the<br />
new Chairman<br />
for the <strong>St</strong>.<strong>Neots</strong><br />
Youth <strong>Town</strong><br />
<strong>Council</strong>. I was<br />
elected at the Annual General Meeting<br />
and am currently joined by Emily<br />
Compson (Vice-Chair) and Georgia Lee<br />
(Treasurer).<br />
I had been on the Youth <strong>Council</strong> for<br />
around two years before I took up the<br />
new position of Chairman. In those<br />
two years I saw the rise in performance<br />
and popularity of the <strong>Council</strong> and was<br />
amazed at what we achieved – such as<br />
the two Youth Guide publications, and<br />
Youth Festival events - not forgetting<br />
the new recycling in secondary schools<br />
scheme which is now into full swing<br />
thanks to the District <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
As Rebecca Owen stood down from<br />
her role of Chairman at this year’s<br />
AGM, I saw the opportunity to take<br />
the Youth <strong>Council</strong> even further in its<br />
achievements and took the seat of<br />
Chairman. Since then, I have been<br />
particularly busy keeping everything<br />
moving and I am very thankful to the<br />
amazing support of the Youth <strong>Town</strong><br />
<strong>Council</strong> and <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
This past year, the <strong>St</strong>.<strong>Neots</strong> Youth<br />
<strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> (YTC) has been working<br />
particularly hard on many publications<br />
and events – which have been<br />
shaping the society of opportunities<br />
for young people in the town.<br />
<strong>The</strong> two ‘Youth Guide’ pocket-sized<br />
publications have been of great use to<br />
almost all ages of the town, as it lists<br />
around sixty clubs and organisations<br />
that run in and about the town –<br />
ranging from activities such as football,<br />
to Judo - from canoeing to sugar art.<br />
<strong>The</strong> YTC are planning to release a new<br />
update of this publication in 2007.<br />
In the mean time, if you have a club<br />
or organisation around <strong>St</strong>.<strong>Neots</strong> you<br />
would like to place in the Youth Guide,<br />
you can place your details on the<br />
online version at<br />
www.snytc.com/youthguide<br />
<strong>The</strong> two ‘Youth Festival’ events held<br />
in the market square were a huge<br />
success drawing over a thousand<br />
people each occasion. <strong>The</strong>se events<br />
gave an opportunity for local clubs<br />
and organisations to show what they<br />
do, and for young people to see what<br />
there is to do for them in the town.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se accomplishments are being<br />
continued this winter with a new<br />
Eatons Community <strong>Centre</strong><br />
‘Youth Fest’ being held in the <strong>Priory</strong><br />
<strong>Centre</strong> on the 3rd of December. As<br />
well as clubs, young people will have<br />
the chance to show off their talents to<br />
the town on stage, and budding film<br />
makers will be allowed to show their<br />
own short films on the stage screen.<br />
As well as this, the YTC are asking any<br />
young companies set up for projects<br />
within schools to come down and set<br />
up a stall for the chance to advertise<br />
their own-made products in front of<br />
the whole town.<br />
Other happenings from the YTC<br />
are the new recycling bins around<br />
<strong>St</strong>.<strong>Neots</strong> Community College and<br />
Longsands College which have been<br />
pushed forwards by Youth <strong>Council</strong>lors.<br />
Advertising these new schemes and<br />
introducing them to Primary Schools is<br />
now a main aim. Also, the website has<br />
been increasingly more popular and<br />
brings together a major young voice<br />
of the town through the forums at<br />
www.snytc.com/forum.<br />
To keep up with all the latest news from<br />
your Youth <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong>, take a look<br />
at www.snytc.com. <strong>The</strong> Youth <strong>Town</strong><br />
<strong>Council</strong> wants to hear your opinions<br />
about the town, and what we should<br />
be doing to make it even better!<br />
Comes a <strong>St</strong>ep Closer<br />
As many of you will know, there are plans to<br />
build a new community centre on land behind<br />
the Rainbow Supermarket on the Great North<br />
Road. Things have really started to happen in the<br />
last few months with funds being gathered and<br />
initial plans being drawn up. Over £700,000 has<br />
been raised by the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> with support<br />
from many sources.<br />
Following a survey on May Day, a giant map of<br />
the area was made by children from Bushmead<br />
School and used for a consultation during<br />
June. It went to nine different locations with<br />
277 people taking part and 912 pieces of data<br />
being collected. In addition to this, letters were<br />
received from special interest groups.<br />
Results show that locals feel that facilities for<br />
young people are a priority in the Eatons. This<br />
makes it more likely that the new building<br />
includes features for youth activities. Dance,<br />
exercise, football and other sports activities were<br />
also popular, and people of all ages were keen to<br />
have a space where they can meet each other<br />
socially. Older people and families with small<br />
children all expressed an interest in making the<br />
space suitable for their needs. So, designing in<br />
flexible use for the space is very important.<br />
Architects have been closely involved with<br />
the scheme from the beginning and plans<br />
have been constantly amended to meet the<br />
multiple needs of users. <strong>The</strong>se plans are the<br />
latest and you can view them better by visiting<br />
www.stneots-tc.gov.uk.<br />
If there are no hold ups, work could start next<br />
spring on the building works.<br />
Tree of Light<br />
Watch out for the publicity of the Tree<br />
of Light that will be organised again<br />
by the two Rotary Clubs of <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong><br />
over the Christmas period. This is your<br />
opportunity to dedicate a message to<br />
a loved one or just wish someone the<br />
compliments of the season.
8<br />
Who to Contact at<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
WARD COUNCILLORS<br />
Eynesbury<br />
R E Barnes<br />
14 Chestnut Grove, Eynesbury, PE19 2DW<br />
350848 bob.barnesc14@ntlworld.com<br />
A R Boulton<br />
19 Brampton Gdns, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong>, PE19 2DU<br />
01380 388911<br />
Mrs D E Collins<br />
Bungalow 3, 3 Montagu Court, Eynesbury, PE19 2TJ<br />
395056 Diana.Collins@huntsdc.gov.uk<br />
A Hansard<br />
78 Potton Road, Eynesbury, PE19 2NN<br />
388942/350577 Andrew.Hansard@huntsdc.gov.uk<br />
I P Taylor<br />
19 Ireton Close, Eynesbury, PE19 2JE<br />
217754 ianpeletaylor@btinternet.com<br />
P K Ursell (Mayor)<br />
12 Luke Court, Luke <strong>St</strong>reet, Eynesbury, PE19 2TP<br />
07770 645046 pk.ursell@ntlworld.com<br />
Eaton Socon<br />
D A Giles<br />
6 <strong>St</strong>ratford Place, Eaton Socon, PE19 8HY<br />
388931/392341 Derek.Giles@huntsdc.gov.uk<br />
Mrs S A Giles<br />
6 <strong>St</strong>ratford Place, Eaton Socon, PE19 8HY<br />
388931/392341 Sandra.Giles@cambridgeshire.gov.uk<br />
Mrs I Hart<br />
16 Marchioness Way, Eaton Socon, PE19 8DL<br />
354220 eatonsocon@huntslibdems.org.uk<br />
Mrs J Hayward<br />
11 Collingwood Road, Eaton Socon, PE19 8JQ<br />
210097 julia@ratbag.demon.co.uk<br />
Mrs H J Rozanski<br />
36 Knights Close, Eaton Socon, PE19 8DP<br />
393409<br />
<strong>Priory</strong><br />
M A Cooper<br />
c/o <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong>, <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Neots</strong>,<br />
Cambs PE19 2BH<br />
R S Farrer<br />
151A Crosshall Road, Eaton Ford, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> PE19 7GB<br />
404014/474202<br />
Mrs M A Garner (Deputy Mayor)<br />
13 Ferndale House, Ware Road, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> PE19 1DR<br />
477390<br />
Mrs S R Lee<br />
22 East <strong>St</strong>reet, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong> PE19 1JU<br />
392065 sharon.lee22@ntlworld.com<br />
Eaton Ford<br />
D A F Cooper<br />
378 Great North Road, Eaton Socon, PE19 8FP<br />
213447 delboy.cooper@virgin.net<br />
Mrs K P Gregory<br />
63 Milton Avenue, Eaton Ford, PE19 7LH<br />
219773 Pat.Gregory@huntsdc.gov.uk<br />
D Harty<br />
10 Sambar Close, Eaton Socon, PE19 8QG<br />
477202 david@davidharty.co.uk<br />
<strong>Council</strong> Offices, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Priory</strong>, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Neots</strong>, Cambs PE19 2BH<br />
E-mail: mail@stneots-tc.gov.uk www.sntc.co.uk<br />
Fax: 388915<br />
Office Hours: 9am – 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am – 4.30pm Friday<br />
<strong>Town</strong> Clerk: Philip Devonald 388913<br />
Finance Officer/Deputy <strong>Town</strong> Clerk: Margaret Sharp 388914<br />
<strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> Manager: Helen King 388944<br />
Operations Manager: Brian Gray 388917<br />
New <strong>Town</strong><br />
<strong>Council</strong>lor<br />
<strong>At</strong> a by-election<br />
in the summer,<br />
Andrew<br />
Boulton<br />
was elected<br />
as the new<br />
<strong>Council</strong>lor for<br />
the Eynesbury<br />
Ward.<br />
<strong>Council</strong>lor Boulton served as an engineer<br />
in the Royal Navy and now works for<br />
the MOD. He is a keen photographer<br />
and hopes to contribute to editions<br />
of Priorities in the future. He lives in<br />
Eynesbury with his wife Hazel and their<br />
children.<br />
His contact details are shown on the<br />
back page along with the other 17<br />
councillors.<br />
20<br />
Reducing<br />
Speeds In <strong>Town</strong><br />
A new speed limit has been imposed in<br />
the centre of town. As from July 14th. the<br />
maximum speed for vehicles driving along<br />
the High <strong>St</strong>reet and Market Square is 20 mph.<br />
This is part of the County <strong>Council</strong>’s Accident<br />
Reduction Scheme and follows a number<br />
of accidents including a fatality two and a<br />
half years ago. <strong>The</strong> new restriction has been<br />
accompanied by traffic calming alterations to<br />
the road which were made during August.<br />
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WANT TO HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE FUTURE OF THE TOWN?<br />
<strong>The</strong>n become a councillor!<br />
VOTE<br />
ST NEOTS TOWN COUNCIL comprises 18<br />
<strong>Council</strong>lors elected every four years. <strong>The</strong><br />
next election is 3rd. May 2007.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Electoral Commission has a guide on<br />
candidates at local elections in England and<br />
Wales hhtp:/www.electoralcommission.gov.<br />
uk/elections/Candidates.cfm).<br />
For further information please contact the<br />
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL<br />
COUNCILS (www.nalc.gov.uk)<br />
<strong>Town</strong> <strong>Council</strong> Open Day Thursday 19th October 2 pm to 9 pm at the <strong>Priory</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>. Come and see what we do!<br />
Designed and Produced by TSGcs Tel: 01480 213555 Web: www.tsgcs.co.uk Email: sales@<br />
tsgcs.co.uk<br />
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