Q QUALITY
TOWN COUNCIL
ISSUE NO.25 MARCH 2013
Keeping Royston residents in touch with their local council
Royston Town Council is very happy to welcome our new markets manager Steve Barrett. Steve joined us in November, replacing Emma Burgess, who sadly had to leave due to her relocation to North Cambridgeshire. Steve is married with two children and currently lives in Litlington, although he has lived in Hertfordshire most of his life and prior to taking up his new post was General Manager at Knebworth Golf Club. He is thoroughly enjoying his new role and has lots of exciting plans and ideas for the future of the two markets in Royston. Steve is currently putting together an intensive report re-‐assessing and re-‐evaluating the markets and the way they work at the moment, in order to ensure their future as a viable service to the town. He is always very happy to hear your views and suggestions and can be contacted either by email to: [email protected], or catch him whenever he is in the market himself on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We wish him all the very best in his new post and look forward to working with him in the future.
District Cllrs Peter Burt and Fiona Hill, Leader of the Town Council Cllr Bob Smith, Steve Barrett, Deputy Town Clerk Jean Waldock and Town Mayor Cllr Lindsay Davidson.
Town Mayor switches on new Christmas lights A new event took place on the 1st December when the Town Mayor, Cllr Lindsay Davidson, switched on the lights, including the new Christmas motif in the Cross area at the bottom of the High Street. A first for Royston, this was a big success and it is hoped that this will become a regular event every year.
Our thanks also go to Royston Means Business, a group of traders who organized a Christmas street carnival in the High Street on the same afternoon and Royston First who, with the help of Royston Town Council, got the lights up. Also last but not least, our Town Manager, Geraint Burnell who organized the Annual Christmas Fair on Sunday 2 December. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend of Christmas Festivities, which attracted a great many people to the Town Centre and was enjoyed by all.
Why don't you come along to the new style Annual Town Meeting?
Tuesday 5 March Refreshments at 7 pm
Meeting to start at 7.30 pm Lower Heritage Hall Royston Town Hall
We want to make these meetings much more interesting and interactive for our residents, so please join us for what we promise will be an action packed evening of information and dialogue with your local councillors and community police team. The evening will have great emphasis on the Town Awards and the human stories behind the special people who are given them and who are being honoured on that night.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Annual Town Meeting Town Council welcomes new Markets Manager
Hi Marguerite, for the town meeting entry, can you change it to the venue being in the downstairs hall, but refreshments served from 7pm and people can visit the new cinema upstairs at the end of the meeting.hope you can fit this in to the slot. Also hope you got my article on the volunteer award, cheers Lindsay
Continuing with our feature on market traders….
Meet The Traders Human Nature -‐ Barbara and Paul attend on both the Wednesday and Saturday Markets; their stall consists of Crafts, Collectables, Brass and unusual quirky items. Paul Human is a local artist who accepts commissions for Artwork, Rocking Horses and Bespoke Mirrors.
Letchworth Bakery -‐ Mary attends every Wednesday and Saturday and provides a comprehensive selection of traditional and continental bread, as well as a wide choice of delicious cakes and pastries.
Derek & Shirley -‐ have been trading at our market for over twenty years and continue to provide a large selection of ladies' clothing every Wednesday.
Kevin -‐ attends the market on both Wednesday and Saturday, providing a wide selection of books, CDs and DVDs, which are ideal for birthday presents.
ROYSTON TOWN COUNCILLORS
A list of all Councillors’ names and contact numbers is given below, together with details of the wards they represent. All Town Councillors serve in a voluntary capacity and are elected for a 4 year term of office. Councillors are not paid and do not receive any allowance for attending meetings.
Town Mayor: Cllr Lindsay Davidson Deputy Mayor: Cllr Robert Smith
Palace Ward: Cllr Martin Beaver 38 Yeats Close, Royston, Herts. SG8 5TE 01763 230364 Cllr Lynn Berry 22 Serby Ave, Royston, Herts. SG8 5EH 01763 243272 Cllr Elizabeth Freeman 22 Victoria Crescent, Royston, Herts. SG8 7AX 01763 230060 Cllr Robert Inwood 9 Thackeray Close, Royston, Herts. SG8 5TF 01763 221793 Cllr Philip Mayne 16 Gower Road, Royston, Herts. SG8 5DU 01763 246550 Meridian Ward: Cllr Paul Grimes 6 Valley Rise, Royston, Herts. SG8 9EY 01763 244139 Cllr Mike Harrison 12 Highlands, Royston, Herts. SG8 9HE 01763 220055 Cllr Marguerite Phillips 27 Redwing Rise, Royston, Herts. SG8 7XU 07903 715533 Cllr F John Smith 18 Hawthorn Way, Royston, Herts. SG8 7JS 01763 243082 Cllr Robert Smith 21 Redwing Rise, Royston, Herts. SG8 7XU 01763 222890 Heath Ward: Cllr Peter Burt 40 Echo Hill, Royston, Herts. SG8 9BB 01763 248042 Cllr Lindsay Davidson 5 St Mary’s Park, Royston, Herts. SG8 7XB 01763 221431 Cllr John Davison Email: [email protected] 07802 907700 Cllr Victoria Hulström-‐Allen Email: [email protected] 01763 247498 Cllr Graham Palmer 8 Grays Close, Royston, Herts. SG8 5AS 01763 243326
With thanks to
our sponsors
ROYSTON TOWN COUNCIL
Town Hall, Melbourn Street, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 7DA
Tel: 01763 245484 Fax: 01763 248016
Town Clerk: Mrs Susan Thornton-‐Björk
Town Hall Office Extended Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 9 am to 5 pm
Friday: 9 am to 4.30 pm
www.roystontowncouncil.gov.uk [email protected]
Focus on your councillors Cllr Bob Smith, currently Deputy Mayor, Leader of Royston Town Council and Chairman of Finance committee, gave this interview to the Town Crier newsletter:
What is your background? I am a qualified electrical engineer and was employed by Thorn Domestic Appliances for 30 years as Chief Development Engineer. I headed a team of engineers and developed the first domestic microwave oven to be produced in the UK, the first domestic fan assisted oven and the worlds first halogen heated ceramic top hob, for which I hold several patents. Having left Thorn, I formed my own company distributing gas and electric spare parts to the commercial catering equipment industry in the UK. I sold the company in 2001 and retired.
How long have you lived in Royston? After living for 35 years in Cheshunt, my wife and I moved to Royston in December 2000 and have thoroughly enjoyed the benefits of living in a market town with the outstanding surrounding open countryside.
What family do you have? I have been married to Maureen for nearly 50 years and have a son who is a qualified physiotherapist and who specializes in sports physiotherapy, he lives in Uppsala in Sweden. We enjoy making frequent trips to Sweden.
What hobbies or pastimes do you have? Whilst I do not get much free to time to read, I do enjoy reading Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books, the Peter Robinson DCI Alan Banks novels and historical novels. I endeavour to keep one day a week free to play golf.
Why did you stand for election as a Town Councillor? I have always had an interest in local affairs, having been a Borough Councillor in Broxbourne for 4 years when I lived in Cheshunt. I was elected as a Royston Town Councillor, representing Meridian Ward in May 2006 and re-‐elected in May 2010. I am passionate about preserving what is best for the community, particularly planning matters and ensuring that the council offers good value for money and that the views of residents are listened to.
What do you like about being a Councillor? I have thoroughly enjoyed working with my fellow councillors (Town, District and County Councillors) and the Town Hall staff and like to feel that I have had an impact on preserving many of the good features of living in Royston, listening to the views of residents who I regularly meet in the Town and ensuring that these views are made known to the relevant bodies. Particularly pleasing has been the action I was able to take in resolving the flooding problems being experienced on the Twigden Estate and progressing the adoption of roads on the estate.
What do you not like about being a Councillor? I do not like the occasional anonymous letters published in the local press where residents are unfairly critical of local councillors without knowing the full facts behind some of the decisions that have to be made. As Town Councillors, we do occasionally make mistakes or have to make decisions which not all residents will agree with, but we are all volunteers receiving no remuneration for the hours we put into council business. We all live and usually work in Royston and always strive to have the best interests of residents at heart.
At the Royston 2012 Year of Celebrations closing ceremony on 23 November 2012, our Town Clerk, Mrs Susan Thornton Björk, was presented with a well deserved Royston Volunteer Centre’s “6 Point Promise Award” by our local MP, Oliver Heald.
This was awarded to confirm that Royston Town Council had met all the required criteria for excellent work with all their many volunteers. This award is for commitment to good practice and demonstrates that we are a local council who really values their volunteers and one that works hard to make an individual’s volunteering experience not only a rewarding one, but above all, an enjoyable one as well.
Royston Town Council wins another badge of excellence