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Town Reeve's Report - Tuesday 15th February 2022
My first event as Reeve was to visit the residents of Outney Road and Staithe Road to deliver the Christmas hampers kindly purchased by Mary Sprake.
I should have, but never have realised quite how much work goes on quietly in the back ground with the Alms Houses. Speaking to the residents just before Christmas was a real eye opener. Whenever there is a problem, be it light bulb or leaking roof, there is always a feoffee on hand to help resolve these problems. What I got from speaking to the residents was a great feeling of comfort, knowing that there was someone there when needed. This, I think, is something we should be proud of!
With the Mayor, John Adams, we started the Groggy Doggy races on the common. Once again this was very well attended with entrance places all taken months in advance.
At the Groggy Doggy races, I asked John if he was prepared for the Town Council to meet with the Town Trust to work together with the aim of putting aside any past animosity and begin to work once again in unison for the good of the town. John agreed, and I set up the first meeting. John and I have had two meetings where we have discussed a number of items, two of which are the Jubilee, and Tourism and Heritage working parties, set up by the Town Council. I believed that we should have been included in these working parties form the start, though, up until now we have been somewhat excluded for some reason or other. Following the two meetings with John, this situation has changed and we are now part of these working groups, and we now have input to these important events. There is still a lot to discuss going forward to resolve the poor relations that have developed, and I ask that feoffees put aside any differences they may have. I have asked John to ask the same of the Town Councillors. I hope that going forward we can restore the mutual respect that there once was between Council and Trust.
I have not attended any civic events thus far this year.
Olly Barnes
Town Reeve's Report - Tuesday 26th October 2021
This will of course be my last full meeting – hurrah, some might say- but I am pleased we are meeting in person, the first time since 26th January.
I have attended a few functions and events, though not as many as in more normal times. Firstly, there was the opening of this building on 17th July, with the unveiling by Col Dickey of the plaque which is now hanging in the foyer. Technically, I wasn’t wearing the Reeve’s splendid hat for this event, but as Max Boyce used to say ‘I was there’.
We were invited to an event to celebrate 100 years of the RBL, here in this building, a really lovely afternoon.
I was also invited to the opening of some all-weather tennis courts at Maltings Meadow, which was a really pleasant event and it was encouraging to see how many young people are involved there.
I had a stall at the Garden Street Fair in September, selling Christmas cards for the Air Ambulance and raised about £130. Thank you to those who supported, I hope to have another card stall at the Christmas lights’ switch on for the same cause and a Chocolate tombola for the Christmas Street Fair.
On Sunday, Brian and I attended the Civic Service in Beccles, it was a pleasure to meet old friends in a social environment instead of meetings. A person I spoke to expressed disappointment Bungay has not had a Service for a few years, because it was always such a good Community event.
We have been on holiday! First a week in Cornwall with the girls and their husband / fiancé and then we set off on a trip to Ireland for a short tour and a visit to friends we have not seen for two years. It was a good break.
As I said, this will be my last report to you at a full meeting - unless I decide of course I am staying on – you will find out in 42 days. Thank you all, particularly Paul and Sylvia, for your support over the last two years.
Judy Cloke
Town Reeve's Report - Tuesday 26th January 2021
Since our last meeting in November, I have attended one event, which was the Bungay Society’s AGM, via Zoom.
Those of you who use Castle Lane for your daily constitutional may have noticed Castle Hills looking a bit different. The flailing and cutting which Olly managed exposed even more litter, possibly than we thought so Brian and I spent several hours there last week, with me scrambling in the brambles and gorse chucking it out and him at the bottom picking it up. I am still picking thorns out of my hands, but the scratches on my face legs and arms are healing nicely. We couldn’t reach all of it at the top, which was frustrating. I think we filled 15 bin bags and some of it was quite disgusting.
Town Reeve's Report - 3rd November 2020
Another few weeks have gone by with nothing in the way of Civic activities to attend, so mercifully for you, this report will be brief.
I will be laying a wreath at the War memorial on Sunday on behalf of the Trust.
Much of my time has been taken recently with issues regarding the Trust’s lands , Olly’s project for Castle Hills and another he has thought of, to introduce Community Orchards on Trust land, this will come up later in the meeting at item 10 and I hope the full Trust will ratify the recommendation of the GP committee.
I have also been busy at the Butter Cross but this is covered in the report I made to the GP committee, as you will have seen in the minutes from last week’s meeting. I have to update you on the lighting project: as no design for Historic England had been forthcoming by the deadline I had set, I contacted another designer, whom Olly and I met last Friday. I am awaiting his design to send to HE. Morty will still be able to undertake the installation, so the work will not be leaving the town. On Friday also, Olly and I met two representatives from UK Power Networks about the work their contractors had undertaken outside the row of shops, and the replacement of slabs. The reps agreed the work falls below standards they expect and the area manager will return this coming Sunday with a team to put it right.
I have been contacted by a resident of St Edmund’s Almshouses regarding the difficulty residents experience in parking their cars, which has been exacerbated since the introduction of CPE. I have been unable to register the group of homes for a residents’ parking scheme, so I have emailed the parking services team to see if we can work together to sort something out. I have yet to speak to anyone who can help me with this ; when I do, I will also enquire whether any scheme can be extended to the rest of the road, or at least some of it.
On a personal note, I thought feoffees would like to know Simon Woods’ ashes, alongside those of his parents, were interred in Holy Trinity Churchyard yesterday, in a brief but moving ceremony. His sister Sarah emailed this morning to say the stone was put in place whilst she and her daughters were there talking to the Vicar.
Town Reeve's Report - 11th August 2020
I have only attended one event since our last meeting in May; this was to present the certificates on behalf of the Bungay Society for the window displays which brightened the town during Lock down. Every one was thrilled to have been awarded theirs and all of the shops have displayed them proudly in their windows. I must admit, I’d not expected the blanket coverage in the Journal and EDP, it is lovely they made so much of it and congratulations must go to Messrs Reeve, who organised the competition, the judging, visit and awards, as well as the newspaper article. See photos of some of the presentations below:
I hope very much feoffees will approve items 8 & 9, for work on the Butter Cross lighting and Castle Hills, both of which have been recommended by the GP committee. Olly has undertaken a great deal of work to put together the Castle Hills paper and we do need to enhance our assets and make the townsfolk proud of them. The steps to the Observation point look so much better following the working party activity there some weeks ago, many thanks to all who helped, Jane Vass, Jayne Groom, Olly and Chris Reeve. There will be more opportunities in the future to join a group and work at maintenance, especially on Castle Hills as the Trust cannot afford to hire someone every time to undertake jobs that we can manage ourselves.
As we approach autumn – which we do in spite of the intense heat, I have put a lot of thought into whether or not we should hold the Town Dinner, and have decided, following Professor Hand’s advice at our last meeting, not to do so. I realise many will be disappointed, as indeed will I , but planning would have to start soon and I really think it will be inappropriate. I will have to discuss with Paul & Sylvia what we do about the Town Meeting.
When we became a CIO, one of the innovations was the opportunity for feoffees to move around to different committees, which is an ideal way for people to gain experience of how the Trust works, especially in preparation for serving as Reeve. I would encourage everyone to consider this, even if you are comfortable with your current committee, sometimes it is enriching to go outside your comfort zone. I don’t exclude chairmen from this, either, if they wish for a change.
A small plug for one of my charities - Elaine Gaffney is organising a Socially Distanced Coffee Morning at John and Betty Warnes on the first Saturday in September, to raise funds for the community centre and I hope many of you will be able to attend.
Town Reeve’s Report - Tuesday 25th February 2020
This is my first report to you as Reeve and for inspiration, I looked to Sylvia’s last report in October. In comparison, I think my 2 months have been rather quiet! There was a flurry of activity at the start, with the Bungay Society party, carol services at the castle and in St Mary’s, a wonderful exhibition of jousting at the castle from Bungay Primary School , the High School Prize giving, at which we were deafened by the music and of course the Groggy Doggy run on Boxing day. I have had various email exchanges following the non-functioning of the klaxon (in spite of me keeping it warm up my jumper) with Bobbie Sauerzapf about alternative methods of starting a race on a cold morning.
However, whilst I have attended no official functions and the chain hasn’t been out of its box this year until this evening, I have been busy., as follows:
Fundraising.
I have had a meeting with a rep from the EA Air ambulance, who has agreed to send volunteers and souvenirs etc to any events we may hold. I have already booked the Butter Cross for a stall in April May and June and invited them to the Family afternoon at the castle on 8 May. Yesterday I spent time with Jason Collins making preparations for the Prom on 11 July.
I have abandoned the idea of a Ball, it was proving too expensive to stage – perhaps next year’s Reeve can hold one at the Community Centre, which wouldn’t cost £6,000 to hire.
VE celebrations.
You will be aware the TC has taken over the organisation of this and the TT was asked for a contribution to the general funds. At the last Finance meeting, feoffees decided to stage a stand-alone event, which I have started to organise. This will be at the Castle, following the Proclamation, starting around 3.30pm and finishing in the evening. My hope is for the Beacon lighting at dusk.
Website
Paul and I spent a productive hour yesterday, having a good look at our website, updating it and discussing what to add. I have also checked with the TC how much they have paid for their new one.
Judy Cloke
Reeve Talks Bungay January 2016 Here
Reeve Talks Bungay February 2016 Here
Reeve Talks Bungay April 2016 Here
Reeve Talks Bungay June 2016 Here
Reeve Talks Bungay July 2016 Here
Reeve Talks Bungay August 2016 Here
Reeve Talks Bungay September 2016 Here
Reeve Talks Bungay October 2016 Here
The Town Reeves Report Feb 2017 Here
The Town Reeve’s Report June 2017 Here
The Town Reeve's Report September 2017 Here
The Town Reeves Report November 2017 Here
The Town Reeves Report February 2018 Here
The Town Reeves Report May 2018 Here
The Town Reeves Report September 2018 Here