Your Town 3 Final - St Neots Town Council

Your Town
News & Events In & Around St Neots
May 2013 Edition
Welcome to this issue of Your Town,
the community newsletter from St Neots Town Council
St Neots Town Council
Enjoy family friendly events
& entertainment in St Neots this Summer...
Event: Global Market
Where: Market Square, St. Neots
When: Friday 14 – Sunday 16 June
Time: 09:00 – 17:00
Event: St Neots Showcase
Where: Market Square, St. Neots
When: Friday 12 July
Time: 11:00 – 14:00
Event: St Neots Medieval Festival
Where: Market Square, St. Neots
When: Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 July
Time: 12:00 – 16:00
Event: National Play Day
Where: Riverside Park, St Neots
When: Wednesday 7 August
Time: 11:00 – 15:00
Event: Music in the Park
Where: Riverside Park, St Neots
When: Sunday 15 September
Time: 14:00 – 16:00
Event: St Neots Food &
Drink Festival
Where: Market Square, St. Neots
When: Saturday 3 August
Time: 11:00 – 16:00
Event: St Neots Summer Festival
& Charity Dragon Boat Race
Where: Riverside Park, St Neots
When: Saturday 31 August
Time: 12:00 – 21:00
Look inside this issue for more information about these events

St Neots Town Council
Scan to link to our website
Contact us for ….
Priory Lane, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 2BH Tel: 01480 388911
Fax: 01480 388915 Email: mail@stneots-tc.gov.uk Web: www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Follow us on Twitter: @stneotscouncil Like us on Facebook: St Neots Town Council
• Churchyards at St Mary’s Church, Eynesbury,
St Mary’s Church, St Neots and St Mary’s Church,
Eaton Socon
• Cemeteries at Eynesbury (Cromwell Road),
St Neots (Cemetery Road) and Eaton Socon
(Little End Road)
• The Priory Centre and the Eatons Community Centre
• Play areas at Brickhills, Saxongate, Swift Close,
Chamberlain Way, Beatty Road, Ackerman, St, Dukes
Road, Nelson Road, Riversmead and Balmoral Way
• Village Greens at Eynesbury, Eaton Socon
and Eaton Ford
• Allotment Sites at Hardwick Road and
Cemetery Road
How to contact us
Ed Reilly: Town Clerk
ed.reilly@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 388913
Peter Edwards: Responsible Finance Officer/Deputy Clerk
peter.edwards@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 388914
Kevin Matthews: Operations Manager
kevin.matthews@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 407774
Donna Cooke: Office Manager
donna.cooke@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 388916
Karen Pollecutt: Mayor’s Office/Admin Assistant
karen@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 388911
Katie Williams: Town Centre Manager
katie.williams@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 388912
Steve Barrett: Community Centres Manager
steve.barrett@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 388944
Lisa Prestidge: Assistant Community Centres Manager
lisa.prestidge@stneots-tc.gov.uk / 01480 388922
Forthcoming Meetings
Dates for 2013-14 will be confirmed at the Annual Town Council Meeting on 9 May
and will be available on our website after this date – www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Contact Huntingdonshire District Council for …. (01480 388388)
• Council tax and housing benefits
• Priory and Riverside Parks
• Weekly refuse collection
• Grass cutting
Contact Cambridgeshire County Council for …. (0345 045 5200)
• Street lighting (0800 7838 247)
• Highways including road and pavement repairs
(0345 045 5212)
• St Neots Recycling Centre (01480 354355)
• Social Services (0345 045 5202)
• St Neots Library (0345 045 5225)
Tel: 01767 677559 Email: info@blueprawndesign.co.uk
Web: blueprawndesign.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @blueprawndesign
Keep up-to-date with the latest news and events in and around St Neots via our website and social media
02

News from the Town Centre Manager…
A Town For Foodies
St Neots recently featured in The
Telegraph’s article listing the top 20
towns for foodies in Britain.
I am delighted to report St Neots was ranked 4th in
the list following Ludlow in Shropshire, which took
first place. Padstow in Cornwall, the home of TV chef
Rick Stein’s renowned seafood restaurants came
second and Bray in Berkshire was third.
“ This is fantastic news for
St Neots and as Town Centre
Manager I am delighted the
town is recognised as a
successful market town.”
St Neots has been synonymous with markets for
centuries and we have had a fortnightly farmers’
market running since 2002 which has gone from
strength to strength.
The St Neots Farmers’ Market has FARMA
accreditation, which recognises and supports local
producers. The market has an average of 15 stalls
operated by local farmers who live within
30 miles of St Neots. They sell everything from
bread, cakes, honey, eggs, pickles, cheeses,
chutneys, and preserves to fish and meat. All
produce for sale has been grown, raised, caught or
processed by the stallholder.
As well as the farmers’ market, more and more
restaurants are opening including the Turkish
restaurant Bosphorus and the Italian La Cucina.
Our aim is to grow the area around the market
square into a restaurant quarter. In addition the
riverside Bridge House pub and restaurant has
recently undergone a refurbishment.
Foodie Events this Summer
To celebrate food and drink in St Neots a Global Market is visiting the town Friday 14 – Sunday 16 June
featuring stalls selling cuisine from around the world. St Neots is also hosting its first Food & Drink Festival,
Saturday 3 June, courtesy of St Neots Town Council and Be On Cloud Nine Events. Expect to see traditional
Farmers Market stalls, cookery demonstrations, food tastings, live music and much more.
www.enjoystneots.co.uk
I am pleased to announce St Neots will very shortly have its own town website
www.enjoystneots.co.uk which will be the official online town guide.
The website is brought to you by St Neots Town Council, St Neots Town Initiative and local community
website About My Area PE19, who are working in partnership to promote the best of what St Neots
has to offer. The site will combine key information about events, attractions, shops, clubs and activities
in one place, creating a user friendly online town guide for residents and visitors alike.
The new site will be launched this Summer, look out for more information in the coming weeks.
Visit us at www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Like us on
Follow us @stneotscouncil
03

St Neots Town Team
Going from strength to strength
The initial meeting, held in February, attracted more than 80 town
centre business and community leaders, who came together to
identify deliverable projects to improve St Neots Town Centre.
The Town Team concept is about taking a handson-approach
to adapt to change and improve the
High Street with initiatives that draw people in and
promote what makes our town unique to compete
with other centres.
Attendees at the meeting shared experiences and
ideas on key themes affecting the town centre:
“ The Town Team concept is
about taking a hands-onapproach
to adapt to change
and improve the High Street ”
• Marketing
• Events & Leisure
• Access & Environment
• Safety & Security
Following this engagement meeting, the results have been collated and an action plan for the delivery
of each project has been drawn up. The following key areas have been identified as priorities for the
Town Team:
• Develop an online town guide and town
centre App.
• Grow an Entrepreneur for tomorrow –
encourage existing retailers to support start-ups
and offer pop up shop opportunities to new
businesses.
• Lobby for more parking incentives to
be introduced.
• Encourage further support of the
Huntingdonshire Businesses Against Crime
scheme (HBAC).
• Develop the Night Time Economy with
family friendly attractions.
• Organise more town centre themed
treasure trails i.e. Easter Egg Hunts.
• Organise a Showcase Event– businesses
promote their services and products in
the market square.
• Transform derelict vacant units with
virtual shop windows.
• Introduce lamp column banners along
the high street promoting St Neots.
A business survey with targeted questions about each project will be sent to all stakeholders to reaffirm
each priority area. Steering Groups will then work together to deliver specific projects over the coming
months. Going forward our Town Team will work to establish a position of shared interest and set
achievable goals that everyone can support. Exciting times lay ahead for St Neots!
For more information contact Katie Williams – Town Centre Manager
on 01480 388912 or email katie.williams@stneots-tc.gov.uk
Keep up-to-date with the latest news and events in and around St Neots via our website and social media
04

A summer of events for St Neots…
This year will see several new events introduced in St Neots town centre.
St Neots Town Council is working in partnership with other local organisations to bring new,
unique events for all to enjoy. As well as the food events already featured other highlights include:
St Neots Showcase
Market Square, Friday 12 July
In partnership with Cambridgeshire Chambers of
Commerce, local businesses will showcase their
products and services. A variety of industry sectors
will be exhibiting.
Medieval Heritage Festival
Market Square, Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 July
In partnership with St Neots Museum, this event is a
celebration of St Neots medieval past, meet a monk
and a knight in armour, watch battle demonstrations,
browse a medieval market, hear the music of the
period, discover when the stocks were used and
much more.
National Play Day
Riverside Park, Wednesday 7 August
In partnership with the Children’s
Centres and One Leisure, games and activities will
be organised in the park for children of all ages to
celebrate outdoor, active play. Bring the kids along
with a picnic and join in with the fun.
St Neots
Dragon Boat
Challenge
St Neots Summer Festival
& Charity Dragon Boat Race
Regatta Meadow, Saturday 31 August
More than 21 crews are
expected to battle it out in
30ft brightly painted Chinese
dragon boats over the
200m course, watched by
thousands of spectators. The
festival will also feature a live
music stage, food and drinks
stalls, craft and gift area, funfair, spectacular evening
illuminated boat procession and fireworks finale.
Music in the Park
Riverside Park, Sunday 15 September
Following the success of the
Bandstand Marathon last
year, St Neots Town Council
is once again organising an
afternoon of live music in the
park, featuring local bands
and musicians.
Saturday
31 Aug
2013
A fabulous day
of fun and
entertainment for
all the family
River Great Ouse
Regatta Meadow
St Neots
Act
now!
Form a crew and
enter the challenge!
No previous experience needed
For further information and Entry Form contact: St Neots Town Council
Tel: 01480 388911 or email: mail@stneots-tc.gov.uk www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Visit us at www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Like us on
Follow us @stneotscouncil
05

St Neots Museum
Museum Exhibitions May - August 2013
In The Frame and Digital Art Decoded
22nd May – 22nd June
This exhibition looks at the many different images
found in frames in our homes. Bringing the subject
bang up to date it also looks at generative digital
art created by computer.
Preserving Precious Memories -
Conservation Workshop
Saturday 8th June 2013, 11.00am – 3.00pm
Tickets £10.00 per person
A workshop exploring the many different types
of images found in frames, from prints to
photographs and certificates, explaining how to
identify and date what we all have at home on
our walls.
Once Upon A Time ...
29th June – 31st August
An exhibition about
children’s books since the
Victorian period, featuring
books from our
collection, classic books
and comics to browse
through, a giant junk
castle in a forest of trees
and a series of fun
activities for children,
families and anyone
who remembers
reading as a child.
Family Activities
Meet a Roman Soldier
Thursday 30th & Friday 31st May
Activity £2.00 per child
Meet Quintus the Roman soldier,
handle some local Roman pottery
finds and make a replica sword, piece of jewellery or
Roman clay oil lamp.
Family Activity
Saturday 29th June, 10.30am – 3.30pm
Free event - donations welcome
Amazing artist, Fred White is going to help us build
a giant medieval castle and forest of trees out of
recycled materials.
World War I & St Neots, Commemoration
plans for 2014 - how you can help…
Did you know that 2014 is the 100th anniversary of
the start of World War I? St Neots museum will be
mounting an exhibition about the town and the
surrounding area during the war, focusing on daily
life in our area as well as the fighting in France, and
other parts of the world. To make the exhibition a success we need to
collect information about local peoples’ links with the war and we are
asking for your help. If you know of anyone who lived through World
War I and have information about them that you would be willing to
share then please get in touch.
For more details see our website www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk Call us on 01480 214163
or visit us at 8 New Street, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 1AE
06

Focus On...
Kevin Matthews – Operations Manager
Hello, my name is Kevin Matthews and I am the Manager of the Operations
team at St. Neots Town Council.
I am responsible for the day to day maintenance and
upkeep of all of the Council’s assets, which are many
and varied.
To help me with this, I have 6 team members
who you will get to meet in future editions of this
newsletter, as I want you to know just exactly who
it is that keeps your town looking so pretty.
For my part, I joined the Council in September 2008
when I was taken on to oversee the volume grass
cutting that had recently been brought “in house”,
and that was proving to be more difficult than had
been envisaged. Once the problems that had beset
them were solved, it became business as usual, with
efficiency restored.
This job is the first that I have taken in the public
sector, and as profit is no longer the driving force, I
have substituted it instead for service. It is now the
desire to deliver value for money that has seen my
role change so much
since I started.
Substantial savings
were made by
bringing “in house”
not only the formal
bedding displays,
but also the
installation of the
Christmas lights.
As I write this, we
are in the process
of dispensing with
our grave digging
contractor, and bringing this task to join the others.
I hope to continue in this vein for the foreseeable
future, and look forward to serving the people of
St.Neots.
Visit us at www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Like us on
Follow us @stneotscouncil
07

Community News
Thank you St Neots
During my two years as Mayor I have had tremendous support from residents,
Community Groups, Council Staff and my fellow Councillors. I would like to take this
opportunity to thank them all for the great work they do for the people of St Neots.
Major improvements to the One Leisure Centre
were completed last year, our cinema is planned to
open in just a few months’ time and it is difficult to
remember how we managed before the new Willow
Bridge was built.
By March 2014 we will have the new railway bridge
enabling improved access for those with disabilities
and providing a link between St Neots East and
Hawkesden Road. A new Community Centre to the
east of the town is on its way, our public lavatories
on South Street have re-opened, the Museum has
been extended and acquired the Kimbolton Hoard
and the Council is working on more new community
facilities such as a new indoor swimming pool,
which is being planned. Both the Priory Centre
and Eatons Centre have been improved resulting
in much higher demand. I am pleased to say these
improvements represent a capital investment of
over £25,000,000 in our town.
Civic News….
The Mayor’s Civic Service -
Sunday 23rd June 2013
This year the Mayor of St Neots Civic Service returns
to the month of June. A formal procession will
parade through the high street lead by the St Neots
Air Training Corps no.2500 Squadron and their award
winning band. All are welcome to join the Mayor for
his service at St Neots Parish Church.
The Mayor’s Charity Golf Day
- Thursday 22nd August 2013
Each year the Rotary Club of St
Neots St Marys organise a Charity
Golf Day on behalf of the Mayor of
St Neots, with all proceeds going
Pleasure boat trips are now operating from the
Priory Centre to Eaton Socon and I am looking
forward to this year’s Rowing Regatta and Dragon
Boat racing, attracting visitors from far and wide.
Last year St Neots hosted some of the biggest
Jubilee Celebrations around which is only
appropriate for Cambridgeshire’s largest town. We
also hosted the area National Bandstand Marathon
and this year have held the County Youth Awards
and will be the venue for the Young People of
the Year Awards and possibly even Anglia
in Bloom.
These are just some of the reasons I feel
honoured to have been your Mayor for the
past two years and why I am proud to
live in St Neots.
Barry Chapman
to local charities. Wyboston Lakes will once again
be the generous hosts for this year’s event. Further
details and how to enter will be posted on our
website soon – www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Mayor of St Neots,
Cllr Barry Chapman –
My sincerest thanks to
Huntingdonshire District
Council Chairman, Cllr
Barbara Boddington for her
kind donations of two Royal
Oak Trees in commemoration
of Her Majesty the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee.
08
Visit the Mayor’s Blog www.stneotstownmayor.blogspot.com
Contact Karen Pollecutt at the Mayor’s Office on 01480 388911 or karen@stneots-tc.gov.uk

May 2013 Edition
Eynesbury Village Association (EVA)
St Neots Town Council
• This year’s St George celebrations were bigger and
better, featuring a grand parade, arena events and
novelty dog show.
• The intergenerational meetings are progressing
well; if interested in joining us contact
the Secretary.
• As an integral part of our campaign for
improvement in community facilities, EVA has
joined the Cambridgeshire Future Transport
work group.
Social Evenings (Bookings in advance)
1st July: BBQ
2nd September: Music variety evening
Events:
16th June: Mad Hatters Tea Party
21st September: Jumble Sale
For information visit: www.eynesburyvillageassociation.org or email eva.voice@hotmail.co.uk
Eatons Community Association (ESCA)
Eatons Open Gardens: Sunday 16 June
Residents in Eaton
Socon and Eaton Ford
are once again opening
their gardens from
2-5pm. A variety of
large and small gardens
will be on show. Spend
an afternoon wandering
around and admire the
many features on show.
Programmes will be on sale from 1.30pm on Eaton
Socon Village Green. For more information on this
and other events run by ESCA please contact Sue
Jarrett on 01480 216065.
Loves Farm Community Association (LFCA)
Free entry to The Cage in Eaton Socon
Have you ever seen the
village Lock Up (The Cage) in
Eaton Socon? Built in 1827,
when Eaton Socon was in
Bedfordshire local miscreants
could not be taken to St Neots
in Huntingdonshire. The answer was to build a
village lock up in Eaton Socon and if the crime was
severe, the criminal would be taken to face the
magistrate in Bedford after a night in the village
prison. Not many village lock ups still exist so why
not visit our unique prison in Eaton Socon? Entry is
free. Dates open - May 26th: 2pm - 4pm
Jun 30th: 2pm - 4pm Jul 28th: 2pm - 4pm
The construction of the site continues
apace. Access will soon be improved as
work on the footbridge will start this
summer with completion by 2014.
The Community Association has been
on a roller-coaster ride regarding the
centre building, but we are hopeful that
progress will be made this summer.
For more information visit our website:
www.ourlovesfarm.co.uk
Visit us at www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Like us on
Follow us @stneotscouncil
09

Young People Shine at Infusion Awards
Wednesday 20th March saw Cambridgeshire County Council’s annual
Youth Awards event hosted by St Neots Youth Support Service.
“We must view young people
not as empty bottles to be filled
but as candles to be lit.”
This year’s youth award ceremony
titled “The Infusion Awards” was
held at the Priory Centre, St Neots
and saw young people from all
over Cambridgeshire attend and
perform at the event.
As ever the event aimed to celebrate the
achievements of young people across
Cambridgeshire. The quote above is a key principle
in our work with young people. We are not here to
tell, to do, to be everything for them. Rather our aim
is to empower, educate and support young people
to be individuals, to think critically about the world
around them and make informed choices.
The event was lead by Young People’s Worker Emma
Choolun who was supported by Daniel Grimes
(Young People’s Worker). Although Emma led the
event, without the enthusiasm, commitment and
drive of the Infusion
Awards committee of
young people, the event
would not have been
as successful as it was.
They designed the logo,
decided on the name of
the event, planned the
programme and wrote
their own scripts.
They then hosted the event, managed the music and
welcomed guests on the night - all of which made
the night a huge success. Steve White, CCC Youth
Service manager said “Great to see that the young
people were properly in control and having a
great time”.
There are 11 categories in total (a full list can be
found at www.Youthoria.org) and we are all very
proud that young people from St Neots received
two of the awards, these being The Youth Support
Service Young Persons Outstanding Personal
Achievement Award and The Best Transformation
Funding Project Award.
A huge thanks goes to all the St Neots Youth Support
Service staff that supported the event on the night,
all the additional youth support service staff from
across the county in making the
effort to attend and accompany
young people, Councillor John
Powley for presenting the awards,
all the young people
that performed on the
night and St Neots Town
Council for use of the
Priory Centre.
For information about the Youth Support Service in St Neots feel free to call
the team on 01480 376199 or visit us at The Bargroves, Cromwell Road, St Neots.
Keep up-to-date with the latest news and events in and around St Neots via our website and social media
10

St Neots Ward Councillors
Eaton Ford
Bob Farrer Tel: 01480 404014 / 07710 335848
151a Crosshall Road, Eaton Ford, St Neots, Cambs PE19 7GB
Email: bob.farrer@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
David Harty Tel: 01480 477202
10 Sambar Close, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambs PE19 8QG Email: david@davidharty.co.uk
Colin Thompson Tel: 01480 477406
28 Cornwall Court, Eaton Socon, St Neots, PE19 8PR Email: 28ckthompson@uwclub.net
Graham Welton Tel: 07732 131563
17 Lottings Way, Eaton Ford, St Neots, Cambs PE19 7QX Email: eatonfordgraham@gmail.com
Eaton Socon
Stephen Davison Tel: 07752 264983
31 Viceroy Close, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambs PE19 8DG Email: Stephen.davisonintown@hotmail.co.uk
Roger Harrison Tel: 07717 666238
55 Bushmead Road, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambs PE19 8GQ Email: harrison.roger@talk21.com
Keith Prentice Tel: 01480 214838 / 07834 391995
2 Ushers Court, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambs PE19 8EL Email: keithprentice10@gmail.com
Priory Park
Rob Moores Tel: 01480 471535 / 07527 165313
52 Hampden Way, Eynesbury, St Neots PE19 2JH Email: robmoores999@yahoo.co.uk
Brian Allen Tel: 07902 929754
21 Childs Pond Road, St Neots, PE19 1TU Email: drbad@hotmail.com
Barry Chapman Tel: 01480 212540 / 07803 134565
6 Kipling Place, Eaton Ford, St Neots, Cambs PE19 7RG Email: barry.chapman@ntlworld.com
Ian Gardener Tel: 07970 613498
5 Haycraft Close, Grafham, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 0GA Email: idg@asc-geomatics.co.uk
St Neots East
David Wells Tel: 01480 211629
14 Dixy Close, St Neots, Cambs PE19 6BA Email: davidjwells@hotmail.co.uk
Eynesbury
Adrian Usher Tel: 01480 391321
21 Luke Street, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2TW Email: Adrian.usher@ntlworld.com
Catherine Hutton Tel: 01480 219653
22 St Mary’s Street, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2TA Email: Catherine.hutton14@gmail.com
Karl Wainwright Tel: 01480 406373
8 Berkley Street, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2ND Email: karl.wainwright@btopenworld.com
David John Ruck Tel: 01480 472239
1 Barnard Close, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2UP Email: david.sntc@druck.org.uk
Andrea Louie Ruck Tel: 01480 472239
1 Barnard Close, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2UP Email: louie.sntc@druck.org.uk
Paul Keith Ursell Tel: 07770 645046
12 Luke Street, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2TP Email: pk.ursell@ntlworld.com
Andrew Hansard Tel: 01480 350577
78 Potton Road, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2NN Email: Andrew.hansard@huntsdc.gov.uk
Visit us at www.stneots-tc.gov.uk
Like us on
Follow us @stneotscouncil
11

What’s on at the Priory Centre...
Follow us on Twitter @stneotscouncil for the latest event information
St Neots Players present
‘An Inspector Calls’
Thurs 16th – Sat 18th May
Priory Centre
Wedding Fayre
Sun 26th May
Riverside Theatre
Company’s School Holiday
Workshop Matilda
Mon 29th July – Fri 2nd August
Priory Centre’s 90’s Disco
Fri 2nd August
St Neots Folk Festival
Fri 7th – Sat 8th June
St Neots Players present
The Importance of
Being Ernest
Thurs 19th – Sat 21st September
Riverside Theatre
Company presents
‘Bye, Bye Birdie’
Sat 20th June
Psychic and
Holistic Fayre
Sat 22nd June
Southside Wrestling
present Notorious 3
Sun 30th June
Priory Centre presents
St Neots Got Talent
Fri 26th July
Contact the Priory Centre for
further details about all events.
Boot-Led-Zeppelin
Fri 4th October
Northern Soul Night
Sat 26th October
Southside Wrestling
present The 3rd
Anniversary Show
Sun 27th October
Vienna Festival Ballet
presents Snow White
Wed 30th October
Printed by: XL Press Ltd. 9 Foundry Way, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 8TR Tel: 01480 219356
Visit us at www.thepriorycentre.com Email: priory.centre@stneots-tc.gov.uk Call: 01480 388 922